Los Angeles Angels: 5 Things you didn’t know about Albert Pujols

He’s not remembered for this, but Albert Pujols actually lived in NYC for a time.

Pujols was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and raised there for a few years. His mother was never really in the picture. His father’s mother, America, raised him, with the help of her 11 children, his aunts, and uncles.

Soon, Pujols, his father, and grandmother moved to New York City, attempting to improve their lives. They were very poor and lived in Washington Heights at the time. His father was usually present in his life, but often too drunk to help.

Pujols loved the game of baseball but could not afford a glove or a bucket of baseballs. He would create gloves out of old milk cartons and use limes as baseballs. He would get the limes from the friendly fruit vendor down the street.

At the time, their neighborhood was fairly sketchy and not very safe. In fact, a 16-year-old Pujols witnessed a man get shot to death in a bodega around the block from where he lived. This was very tough for Pujols and this caused his family to emigrate to Independence Missouri to join relatives.

Pujols enrolled in Fort Osage High School and was a two-time All-State baseball player. He soon received a scholarship to play at Maple Woods Community college, becoming the first of his family to enroll in college. He graduated High school a semester early in December 1998, so he could play college baseball at the Junior College level in 1999.

Most people knew that Pujols was from the DR and graduated High School in Missouri, but not a lot of people remember Pujols’ rough life in New York City.