|
Albert Pujols
| Biography |
Jose Alberto Pujols was born on January 16, 1980, in Santo Domingo of the Dominican Republic. He wasn’t raised in what you would call a traditional family unit. His father, Bienvenido, was in and out of his life from an early age, and his grandmother, America, assumed many of the responsibilities of raising him. His 10 uncles and aunts seemed more like brothers and sisters to him.
The Pujols were dirt poor. They lived in a communal setting which resembled a camp site. The family would not have survived had it not been for government assistance programs.
Despite his meager surroundings, Albert grew up happy and well-adjusted. His grandmother deserved much of the credit for his sunny outlook on life. She treated him like her own son, and passed along her deep religious beliefs. To this day, Albert adheres to the same strict code of ethics.
Though Albert didn’t see his father all the time, he knew he wanted to follow in Bienvenido’s footsteps. The elder Pujols, a great pitcher in his day, was known throughout the Dominican Republic. From the time he could walk, Albert showed his father’s passion for baseball. By his sixth birthday, the youngster was playing everyday on the dusty fields near his home. Though he didn’t have any one favorite pro team or player, Albert dreamed of a career in the majors.
In the early 1990s, members of the Pujols family began migrating to the U.S. Their first stop was New York City, where they hoped a better life awaited. When Albert turned 16, he and his father packed their bags and headed north to join the family. But the Big Apple was more expensive and violent than expected. One day, while running an errand, Albert saw a man shot to death. His grandmother demanded the Pujols find a safer place to live.
The family settled on Independence, Missouri. On the surface, America’s heartland appeared to be a strange choice for a Spanish-speaking family. But Independence—best known as the birthplace of Harry Truman—was home to a thriving community of Dominican immigrants, and its midwest values suited the Pujols perfectly. They took up residence in a small house that seemed like mansion compared to their Santo Domingo home. Albert attended his first big-league game not long after, watching the Kansas City Royals host the then California Angels.
Though he knew very little English, Albert made the transition to U.S. culture easily. Baseball was key to his adjustment. In the summers, he starred at shortstop in American Legion ball. Thanks to his soft hands and strong arm, Albert was a natural at the position. At 6-3 with power to spare, he was also a terror at the plate.
Albert entered Fort Osage High School as a sophomore, a year behind others his age because he only spoke Spanish. Assigned a tutor named Portia Stanke, he picked up English quickly. A naturally gifted student, Albert had extra motivation, figuring that the sooner he conquered the language barrier, the sooner he would make it to the big leagues.
Baseball dominated just about every part of Albert’s life. Stanke remembers him being fiercely proud—though not cocky—of his spot on the Fort Osage varsity. On game days he wore his uniform to school. Modesty, however, kept him from bragging about his performance on the field.
In his first season, Albert hit better than .500 with 11 home runs. Fort Osage coach David Fry couldn’t believe his good fortune. The teenager was the hardest worker—and swinger—on the team. He remembers one mammoth shot Albert launched at Liberty High School that landed on top of a 25-foot high air conditioning unit some 450 feet from home plate
|
|
|
|
|
