Page 176 - 2019 Angels Media Guide_Neat_NEW

NOTABLE MINOR LEAGUE AWARDS AND HONORS 2019 Angels
◆ ◆ 2000 Cardinals Minor League Player of Year...Midwest League MVP...Midwest League All-Star...MVP of PCL
playoffs...Played for Scottsdale in Arizona Fall League.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS
◆ ◆ June 2, 1999...Selected by the Cardinals in the 13th round of the First Year Player Draft.
◆ ◆ Feb. 20, 2004...Signed seven-year contract with the Cardinals.
◆ ◆ Dec. 10, 2011....Signed 10-year contract with the Angels.
PERSONAL/MISC
◆ ◆ Jose Alberto Pujols...Last name is pronounced ‘POO-holes’...On Twitter: @PujolsFive
◆ ◆ Traveled to Israel during the 2016 offseason and visited the new Shalva National Children’s Center...Shalva is
renowned all over the world for providing state of the art care and community outreach services to thousands
of families with special needs children in Israel, including those with Down Syndrome.
◆ ◆ Donates annual funds to the Angels Baseball Foundation...Started Pujols Family Foundation in 2005
(pujolsfamilyfoundation.org)...Foundation is ‘dedicated to the love, care and development of people with Down
Syndrome and also reaches out to impoverished families in the Dominican Republic, Albert’s native country’...
Hosts Annual Albert Pujols Celebrity Golf Classic to benefit Pujols Family Foundation...Also active in the Strike
Out Slavery campaign...Albert and Deidre Pujols created Strike Out Slavery in 2017 after learning that modern
slavery is the fastest-growing criminal industry in the world...As part of the on-going awareness efforts, he and
Didi have teamed up with singer/songwriter Nick Jonas the last two seasons for a postgame benefit concert at
Angel Stadium.
◆ ◆ Makes annual visits to Dominican and donates time and resources to several causes...Named 2008 Roberto
Clemente Award winner in recognition of his outstanding play on the field and tireless work in the community...His
$70,000 award from Major League Baseball Players Trust went toward The Albert Pujols Wellness Center for Adults
with Down Syndrome at St. Luke’s Hospital in Chesterfield, MO which opened in 2009.
◆ ◆ In Sept. 2015 partnered with Clayton Kershaw to host a charity whiffle ball game at Angel Stadium prior to the
Freeway Series finale.
◆ ◆ Nominated by his teammates for the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award in 2004, 2005 and 2006...Won award
in 2006.
pujols
◆ ◆ Graduated in 1998 from Fort Osage High School in Independence, Missouri...Twice earned all-state honors in
baseball...Earned a baseball scholarship to Maple Woods College in Kansas City...At age 16, moved with his father
from Dominican Republic to Kansas City...Became U.S. citizen on Feb. 7, 2007 in a ceremony at the Thomas F.
Eagleton U.S. Courthouse in St. Louis.
◆ ◆ Has been MLB’s top vote-getter for the All-Star Game on three occasions (2006, 2009-10)...Played for Dominican
Republic in inaugural 2006 World Baseball Classic.
◆ ◆ After 2011 World Series, recognized with his own Wheaties box cover...In a poll at ESPN’s website, voters selected
“Winnie the Pujols” over “Phat Albert” as Chris Berman’s best nickname for Albert...Other nicknames include “The
Machine” and “Prince Albert.”
◆ ◆ Favorite sport after baseball is basketball...Grew up watching Michael Jordan and Chicago Bulls...Albert and wife
Deidre appeared in the 2002 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.
◆ ◆ Originally signed by Cardinals scout Dave Karaff.

ANGELS MEDIA GUIDE

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