AllMovie

Factsheet

• Played high-school baseball and football with future Yankees teammate Doug Mientkiewicz.
• Signed a letter of intent to attend the University of Miami, but opted to play professional baseball instead. In 2003, he donated $3.9 million to the school to fund baseball stadium renovations as well as scholarships for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Miami.
• In December 2000, he inked one of the most lucrative deals in sports history, joining the Texas Rangers for $252 million over 10 years.
• In 2001, he became the first player since 1932 to have 50 home runs and 200 hits in a season.
• Authored a children's picture book, Out of the Ballpark, published in both English and Spanish in 2007.
• Serves as one of three national spokespersons for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, along with Colin Powell and Denzel Washington.
• Owns a Mercedes-Benz dealership outside of Houston.