Alex Rodriguez had a difficult childhood growing up. Rodriguez’ father left his family after saying he was going to work for awhile in New York but then never returned. Alex’s Father introduced him to the game and even spent a lot of time playing back in the Dominican Republic.
This article will reveal what you didn’t know about Alex Rodriguez
Rodriguez told Sports Illustrated for Kids in July 1997, “It was hard. I did my best to help out around the house and bring home good grades to make my mom proud.”
After seeing his parents’ divorce and seeing his mother strive to support his family by working two jobs, he was motivated to become an honor student and a star shortstop at Miami’s Westminster Christian School.
He became the starting shortstop in tenth grade, where his coach Rich Hoffman not only helped him improve his hitting, but also helped arrange for his financial aid. Rodriguez ended up batting .419 with 17 HR, 70 RBI, and 90 SB in 100 games.
His team won the high school national championship his junior year. In his final year in high school he was selected as the USA Baseball Junior Player of the Year and Gatorade National Baseball Student Athlete of the Year. Rodriguez now plays 3rd base for the New York Yankees and has become a huge Latino celebrity in sports and in Baseball.
Personal:
Birth date: July 27, 1975
Birth place: New York, New York
Birth name: Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez
Father: Victor Rodriguez, shoe salesman and baseball player
Mother: Lourdes (Navarro) Rodriguez, automotive plant worker
Marriage: Cynthia (Scurtis) Rodriguez (November 2, 2002-2008, divorced)
Children: Ella and Natasha
Other Facts:
His family moved from New York to the Dominican Republic when Rodriguez was four-years-old, then moved to Miami when he was in the fourth grade.
His father left when Rodriguez was nine, and his mother raised her three children as a single parent.
Co-wrote two children’s books, “Hit a Grand Slam” and “Out of the Ballpark.”
Has been romantically linked to celebrities such as Kate Hudson, Cameron Diaz, Madonna and Jennifer Lopez.
Arod’s Plaaylist:
“I like a little bit of everything. I’m an eighties rock kind of guy. I like classics. I like Jay-Z, I like some
Pitbull, Eminem, Coldplay, stuff like that. Billy Joel — all the old classic guys.”
Baseball Records and Achievements:
Rodriguez ranks fourth all-time highest in home runs.
He is the 29th member of the 3,000-hit-club.
Three-time American League MVP: 2003, 2005 and 2007.
Has been elected to the All-Star Game 14 times.
All-time grand slam leader.
Ten-time Silver Slugger Award winner.
Two-time Gold Glove Award winner.
Timeline:
Early 1990s – Attends Westminster Christian School in Miami.
June 1993 – MLB first overall draft pick, chosen by the Seattle Mariners to play shortstop.
July 8, 1994 – Major league debut at shortstop with the Seattle Mariners. At the time, he is the youngest player to be brought up to the majors since 1984.
1996 – Is invited to the All-Star Game for the first time.
August 12, 1998 – Makes his 100th major league home run.
September 19, 1998 – Becomes the third player ever to join the “40-40 Club,” hitting 40 home runs and stealing 40 bases in one season. He ends the season that year with 42 home runs and 46 stolen bases.
1999 – Has surgery on his left knee.
December 2000 – Signs the largest contract ever in professional sports at that time, a ten-year, $252 million contract with the Texas Rangers.
October 2002 – Pledges $3.9 million to the University of Miami’s baseball program. The Hurricanes’ renovated baseball stadium is later renamed Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.
August 4, 2007 – Becomes the youngest player to hit 500 home runs.
November 2007 – Signs the largest contract ever in American sports at that time, a ten-year, $275 million contract with the New York Yankees.
From Baseball Legend to Real Estate Tycoon & Entrepreneur, AROD is Hitting Home Runs Again
December 2007 – During an interview with Katie Couric on “60 Minutes,” Rodriguez denies taking performance-enhancing drugs and says he is not tempted to use them.
February 9, 2009 – Rodriguez admits to using performance-enhancing drugs from 2001 to 2003 while playing for the Texas Rangers.
March 9, 2009 – Has surgery on his right hip. He rejoins the New York Yankees about a month into the season, on May 8th.
August 4, 2010 – Becomes the youngest player to hit 600 home runs.
July 2011 – Undergoes surgery on his right knee.
January 16, 2013 – Has arthroscopic surgery on his left hip.
January 31, 2013 – The Miami New Times publishes a story alleging more than a dozen professional baseball players, including Rodriguez, and other athletes were named in records kept over several years by the now-closed Biogenesis anti-aging clinic in Miami.
August 5, 2013 – Major League Baseball announces that it is suspending Rodriguez for 211 regular season games through the 2014 season amid allegations involving the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Twelve other players are also suspended for 50 games each.
August 7, 2013 – The MLB Players Association files a grievance on his behalf, appealing the suspension. Rodriguez is allowed to play while the suspension is appealed. He has been in the Yankees’ lineup since returning from injury on August 5.
September 30, 2013 – Rodriguez’s arbitration hearing to appeal his suspension begins.
October 3, 2013 – Files a lawsuit in New York Supreme Court against MLB and Commissioner Bud Selig, alleging they “engaged in tortious and egregious conduct with one and only one goal … to destroy the reputation and career of Alex Rodriguez.”
October 4, 2013 – Files a medical malpractice lawsuit against Yankees team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad and New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Rodriguez drops the lawsuit in 2014.
October 7, 2013 – MLB files a motion to move Rodriguez’s lawsuit from state court to federal court, in hopes of dismissing the suit.
November 20, 2013 – Walks out of an arbitration hearing after learning MLB Commissioner Selig will not testify, saying later that he’s done with what he calls a “farce” and an “abusive process.”
January 11, 2014 – Rodriguez officially loses his appeal and his 211-game suspension is reduced to 162 games, arbitrator Fredric Horowitz rules. He will miss the 2014 MLB season.
February 7, 2014 – Drops his lawsuit against Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association. The lawsuit had been seeking a dismissal of his 162-game suspension.
November 5, 2014 – The Miami Herald reports Rodriguez privately admitted in late January 2014 to using steroids, during a meeting with prosecutors and federal agents who gave him immunity.
February 17, 2015 – Releases a hand-written apology, taking “full responsibility for the mistakes that led to [his] suspension for the 2014 season.”
May 7, 2015 – Hits his 661st home run, passing Willie Mays to take fourth place on baseball’s all-time home run list.
June 19, 2015 – Earns hit 3,000 at Yankee Stadium in a seven to two game against the Detroit Tigers.
August 26, 2015 – Rodriguez faces a $100 million lawsuit filed by his former brother-in-law, Constantine Scurtis. Scurtis files a 12-count complaint against Rodriguez claiming he used their company to commit fraud.
August 7, 2016 – Announces he will play in his final major league game on August 12 at Yankee Stadium as the Yankees take on the Tampa Bay Rays. After the game, Rodriguez will be released from his player contract and become a special adviser and instructor with the Yankees through December 31, 2017.
March 7, 2017 – Is hired by Fox Sports as a full-time MLB analyst.
🏢 Business & Investments
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2018:
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Invested in Petros Pace Finance, focusing on eco-friendly corporate development projects.
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Launched The Corp podcast with Dan ‘Big Cat’ Katz and Barstool Sports. 2019:
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Expanded venture investments with stakes in companies like Hims & Hers, Density, Storr, Bungalow, Acorns, Dirty Lemon, DSW, and Sonder.
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Partnered with Stonehenge NYC to develop multifamily residences in New York.
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2020:
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Appointed Chairman of Presidente USA by Anheuser-Busch.
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Invested in Nova Credit, a fintech company.
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Joined CGI Merchant Group’s $650M hotel investment fund, aiming to acquire and develop properties across North America and the Caribbean.
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2021:
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Co-founded Slam Corp, a SPAC that raised $500 million in its IPO, targeting acquisitions in consumer tech, media, entertainment, and health sectors.
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Co-founded VCP Ventures with Marc Lore, focusing on early-stage investments in visionary companies.
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2022:
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Invested in and joined the board of the Professional Fighters League (PFL), an innovative MMA league.
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2023:
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Announced a potential business combination between Slam Corp and Lynk Global, Inc.
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Invested in BoomPop, an AI-powered events platform designed to simplify corporate off-site planning.
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2024:
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Expanded A-Rod Media’s partnership with Bloomberg for the second season of The Deal.
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Collaborated with Chevrolet and Lysol on impactful campaigns.
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Inducted into the Dominican Republic Hall of Fame.
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📺 Media & Broadcasting
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2018:
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Joined ESPN’s broadcast team for Sunday Night Baseball.
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Hosted Back in the Game on CNBC, mentoring athletes and entertainers facing financial difficulties.
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2019:
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Back in the Game aired a four-episode series featuring personalities like Evander Holyfield and Ryan Lochte.
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2022:
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Launched KayRod Cast on ESPN with Michael Kay, featuring guests such as Derek Jeter and Billy Crystal.
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2023:
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Debuted The Deal, a Bloomberg Originals series and podcast co-hosted with Jason Kelly, discussing the business side of sports with guests like Derek Jeter and Maria Sharapova.
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2024:
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Continued collaboration with Bloomberg for the second season of The Deal.
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🏀 Sports Ownership & Advisory Roles
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2021:
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Joined the ownership group of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves and WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx alongside Marc Lore.
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2025:
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Won an arbitration case to acquire a controlling stake in the Timberwolves and Lynx, pending NBA Board of Governors approval.
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Serves as a strategic advisor to the Professional Fighters League (PFL).
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🎤 Public Speaking & Philanthropy
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2024:
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Led a successful speaking tour, including engagements in Tokyo, Japan, following Shohei Ohtani’s World Series championship.
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Ongoing:
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Serves on the Board of the Boys & Girls Club of America and is in the National Alumni Hall of Fame.
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Sits on the Boards of Trustees of the University of Miami and the Paley Center for Media.
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His donations have provided scholarships to dozens of students at the University of Miami and Florida International University.
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🏡 Real Estate & Lifestyle
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Real Estate:
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Invested in several high-end properties in Miami, New York, and Los Angeles.
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Through A-Rod Corp, partnered with Stonehenge NYC to invest in New York apartment buildings.
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Lifestyle:
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Adopted a fitness regimen focusing on longevity, including morning yoga, lighter weightlifting, and intermittent fasting.
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In a relationship with fitness coach Jaclyn Cordeiro since 2022, crediting her influence with helping him lose over 30 pounds.
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