Albert Pujols was a once-in-a-generation talent.
Arriving in the major leagues in 2001 with the St. Louis Cardinals, Pujols became an instant hit.
He burst onto the scene and hit .329 with 37 home runs and 130 RBI in his rookie season.
That was enough for him to earn National League Rookie of the Year honors.
Saturday was the 21st anniversary of Pujols being crowned the Rookie of the Year.
On Twitter, MLB Vault posted a must-see highlight video featuring some of Pujols’ most memorable moments during his rookie season, including his first career home run at the old Busch Memorial Stadium.
OTD in 2001, Albert Pujols was named NL Rookie of the Year after a fantastic debut season in which he hit .329 with 37 homers and 130 RBI. 💪 pic.twitter.com/CTPaLKu6mM
— MLB Vault (@MLBVault) November 12, 2022
The Greatness Of The Machine
Though his career is over, it was certainly a legendary one that instilled memories of a lifetime for the Cardinals and their fans.
There had been few who ever came close to what Pujols was able to do, and there will be few who come close now.
Pujols simply set a new standard for power hitters.
Cardinals fans grew accustomed to seeing so many home runs fly off of his bat and into the seats at Busch Stadium, with the crowd erupting in unison once it cleared the wall.
Times have certainly changed, but Pujols continued to evolve with the times as his career progressed.
Pujols was an 11-time All-Star, three-time MVP, two-time World Series champion, a six-time Silver Slugger, and a Batting Champion over his epic 22-year career.
The slugger finished his career with a .296 batting average and 703 home runs, putting a stamp on what was a legendary run with one final season in St. Louis.
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