Jose Alberto Pujols
- by Rodney Knuppel

The 6’3, 225lb. right handed swinging Albert Pujols has not only become a favorite of St. Louis Cardinals fans, but also a legend in the game of Baseball. Albert, who will turn 27 in January, has done things in the game of baseball that have not been done in decades. His current pace in 2006, has him beating the single season home run and RBI record. He also is in the top ten in batting average, which has people talking about a triple crown winner.Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Albert grew up loving the game of baseball. Once he entered his teens, he then moved to the United States, and into the Midwest. Spending his teen years outside of Kansas City, MO(Independence, MO), Albert attended Fort Osage High School, and spent two years at Maple Woods Community College in Kansas City. Known as more of a hitter, and just average defensive skills many teams passed up the chance to draft Albert in the 1999 MLB draft. The St. Louis Cardinals finally take a gamble on Albert, and boy has it paid off. The Cardinals chose him as their 13th overall pick(13th round) in the 1999 draft.

Albert spent one season in the minor leagues, playing for the class A affiliate Peoria Chiefs. After that season, Albert has not once seen a minor league pitch. He was given a chance by the Cardinals in 2000, only because of a nagging injury to Cardinals outfielder Bobby Bonilla. Albert appeared in the lineup opening day 2000, against the Colorado Rockies where he went 1-3. The Cardinals then went to Arizona, and Albert was only beginning to show the rest of the league what he could do. Albert smoked the Diamondback pitchers, including Randy Johnson for several doubles, and 8 rbi’s. The most memorable moment for Albert was his rocket double off the big unit to give the Cardinals the lead.

Albert became quite the story in Major League Baseball his rookie year. By the end of the year Albert’s numbers were outstanding. He played in 161 games, and hit .329, with 37 big fly’s, 47 doubles, and he drove in 130 rbi’s, while touching the plate 112 times. He was the unanimous choice for the NL Rookie of the year. His numbers garnered him the club’s first triple crown winner since 1973, when Ted Simmons was the Cardinal leader in all three offensive categories.

The rest has been history for the Cardinals. There are many defining moments for Albert Pujols. But his all time moment was his game 5 bomb off Astros closer Brad Lidge, that sent to series to game six, as the Cardinals trailed with 2 outs and 1 strike in the 9th inning.

Now in 2006, his torrid start has national media talking about him beating Barry Bonds record for single season homeruns(73). Albert considers himself a line drive hitter, not a homerun hitter. Whatever kind of hitter he is, he has proven to be one of, if not THE best hitter of all time.

Albert and his wife Deidre do a great amount of volunteer work in the community, and even have a foundation set up. http://www.pujolsfamilyfoundation.org/index2.html

Albert and Deidre were married on January 1st, 2000, and first settled in Peoria, IL, as Albert played for the Peoria Chiefs. While in Peoria, Albert made an mindboggling $ 252.00 every two weeks. Compare that what he makes now? WOW. Albert and Deidre now have three children, and reside with them in St. Louis, MO.

Albert is locked up in a contract with the Cardinals until 2011 for $100 million dollars.