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ST.
LOUIS CARDINALS
AGE: 27
POSITION: First Base
BIRTHPLACE: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
RESIDES: St. Louis, MO
COLLEGE: Maple Woods (MO) Community College
PERSONAL: Wife Deidre, 1 son & 1 daughter
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In 2005, Albert Pujols and his wife Deidre announced the formation of the
Pujols Family Foundation. Albert is actively involved with the Down Syndrome
Association (DSA) of Greater St. Louis. His daughter Isabella has Down
Syndrome. Since 2001, he has served as the spokesman for "Buddy Walk" which
features a walk around the stadium's warning track. This will be the seventh
year that he has kicked off the event and caught the ceremonial first pitch
from a participant. Almost every year, he has hit a home run during the Buddy
Walk game. He hosts the annual Albert Pujols Golf Tournament to benefit DSA.
At the 2004 event, he bid $3,000 for a Florida vacation for four, and presented
it as a birthday gift to an 11 year-old girl with Down Syndrome. He then
bought a second trip and gave it to a young boy who also attended the event.
From the awards he received for being voted by his peers as the Player's Choice
Major League Player of the Year and the National League's Outstanding Player,
Albert donated $30,000 to DSA, $20,000 to Zoe Ministries and $20,000 to West
Coast Community Church. He is building a new baseball stadium in his native
Dominican Republic. Albert became a United States citizen in February.
Last season, Albert Pujols put together another MVP caliber year, producing his
sixth straight season with .300 batting average, 100 runs, 30 home runs and
100 RBIs. He ranked second in the National League in home runs (49) and
RBIs (137), and third in batting average (.331).
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