Albert Pujols stepped into the record books again. The Angels slugger became just the third player in history to reach the 2,000 career RBI mark.
The 39-year-old drove in the run on his 639th career home run. Only Hank Aaron and Alex Rodriguez have more RBIs than Pujols.
🚨🚨2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣🚨🚨
THATS 2000 RBI for ALBERT PUJOLS⚾⚾ @PujolsFive pic.twitter.com/AWh84U6qPP
— FOX Sports West (@FoxSportsWest) May 9, 2019
The fan who ended up with the history making baseball refused to trade it and told officials he wasn’t after money. In return the Tigers refused to authenticate the ball before he left the stadium.
Pujols didn’t have any issues with the fan wanting to keep the baseball and said he wouldn’t pay a penny for the souvenir.
Via Detroit News:
“I told the guys, ‘Just leave it. Just let him have it.’ I think he can have a great piece of history,” Pujols told reporters afterward. “We play this game for the fans, too, and if they want to keep it, I think they have the right. I just hope he can enjoy.”
Asked if he’d ever considering paying for the ball — like actual cash, not just swag — Pujols dismissed that.
“I wouldn’t pay one penny for that,” Pujols said. “He can have it. I don’t play this game so I can pay fans. He can have that piece of history. It’s for the fans that we play for, too.
“He has the right to keep it. The ball went in the stands.”
Albert Pujols talks about the fan who kept his 2000 RBI ball. #Angels #Pujols pic.twitter.com/ptzAH15ScI
— 97.1 The Ticket (@971theticketxyt) May 9, 2019
Pujols gets it. Baseballs that go into the stands belong to the fans who end up with them. Even if you’re not a fan of his, you can respect this move.
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