Albert Pujols
| Birthdate | 1/16/1980 |
| Death Date | |
| Debut Year | 2001 |
| Year of Induction | |
| Teams | Angels, Cardinals |
| Positions | Designated Hitter, First Base, Left Field, Third Base |
Albert Pujols is one of four players to achieve at least 3,000 hits and 600 homers; Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Alex Rodriguez are the others.
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Fireworks on the 4th of July: Albert Pujols signs this ticket from his 300th homer game
Fireworks on the 4th of July: Albert Pujols signs this ticket from his 300th homer game
July 4, 2008 provided more than post-game fireworks for the Cardinal faithful. Fans lucky enough to attend that evening’s Cards-Cubs game at Busch Stadium were treated to witnessing Albert Pujols’ 300th career home. It came in the bottom of the 8th with the Cardinals trailing the Cubs 2-0. Hurler Bob Howry surrendered what would be St. Louis’ only tally of the evening.
Baseball is a game of milestones. Only nine players have hit 600 or more homers; only 32 men have recorded at least 3,000 hits. Reaching either mark all but guarantees induction Hall of Fame induction. Pujols is one of four to surpass both. When it comes to advanced metrics, Pujols is among only 21 position players to accumulate 100 Wins Above Replacement (WAR).
Twice a World Champion, the three-time MVP and former Rookie of the Year figures to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Shown here is the ticket from the game that featured Pujols’ 300th career homer, signed by Prince Albert himself. It is encapsulated in a PSA/DNA sleeve for authentication.
Albert Pujols was twice voted the Hank Aaron Award winner as the NL's top offensive performer
Albert Pujols was twice voted the Hank Aaron Award winner as the NL's top offensive performer
In 1999 Major League Baseball created the Hank Aaron Award to recognize the the top overall offensive performer in each league. According to MLB.com, a panel of Hall of Famers combines with a fan vote to determine the recipient.
Albert Pujols earned the honor twice. The first nod came in 2003 when he led the NL in runs (137), hits (212), doubles (51), batting average (.359) and total bases (.394). In 2009 he received the honor with league-leading numbers in runs (124), homers (47), both on-base (.443) and slugging (.6548) percentage, total bases (374) and OPS+ (189).
Shown here is a telegram from the day after Aaron passed the Babe Ruth to become baseball’s career home run leader. Dated April 9, 1974, it reads, “Congratulations on number 715”. Aaron has signed the bottom right of the telegram. Click here to see a list of Hank Aaron Award winners.
As Pujols' illustrious career wound down, he passed the greats on all-time lists
As Pujols' illustrious career wound down, he passed the greats on all-time lists
Albert Pujols put up a no-doubt Hall of Fame career. For the first 17 years of his career, Pujols hit .305 with a .947 OPS. He averaged 36 homers and 113 runs batted in.
As his career progressed, he surpassed totals of other Hall of Fame players. Shown here is an Angels lineup card with Pujols in the third spot in the order, sandwiched between Mike Trout and Josh Hamilton.
The game was played on July 20, 2014. Pujols played an integral part in the outcome. The Angels were down 5-4 going into the bottom of the 9th. Trout led off the inning with a walk. Pujols then hit a double down the right field line to drive him in and tie the score. Two outs later the Angels scored the winning run.
The double by Pujols was the 544th of his illustrious career. That moved him past Tony Gwynn on the all-time list. For the rest of his career Pujols marched up the leaderboards, passing the game’s greats along the way.
