2001 Albert Pujols Game-Worn Rookie Jersey Cardinals – COA 100% Authentic Team

The St. Louis Cardinals had no notion of keeping Albert Pujols around for the 2001 season. Everyone figured he’d get more minor league seasoning before dressing for the parent club. But Spring Training provided a springboard for Pujols to showcase his talents. Every day, Pujols wowed the Cardinals to the point where they couldn’t get rid of him. Pujols wore this [size] 48 jersey during his early days with the team in 2001.

The verso outside collar holds an American flag which dates the jersey to the latter part of the season. All of the identifiers are sewn on in brilliant two-color tackle twill. “PUJOLS” is sewn directly to a nameplate on the back. Tail tagging includes a Rawlings swatch with two flag tags – size and “Set 1 2001.” Note: Jersey was worn at the first half of the season and flag patch was added by a team source after the completion of the 2001 season.

During spring training in 2001, incumbent first baseman Mark McGwire said to Cardinals manager Tony La Russa that if he did not promote Pujols to the major league roster, “it might be one of the worst moves you make in your career. La Russa later recounted the “myth” that Albert Pujols only made the Opening Day roster in 2001 because Bobby Bonilla was injured. According to La Russa, he and the rest of Cardinals management were impressed enough by Pujols that they decided to promote him to the big league club even before Bonilla’s injury. Although the team did not require Pujols to fill any particular position, the Cardinals activated him to the Opening Day roster, and he started all season at either third base, right field, left field, or first base.

At midseason, Pujols became the first Cardinals’ rookie since Luis Arroyo in 1955 to make the All-Star Game. He finished the season batting .329 (sixth in the league) with 194 hits (fifth in the league), 47 doubles (fifth in the league), 37 home runs and 112 runs. His 37 home runs led the Cardinals, topping Jim Edmonds’s 30 and McGwire’s 29. He was named the National League (NL) Silver Slugger Award winner for the third base position, and he finished fourth in NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) voting, behind Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Luis Gonzalez. He was unanimously named the NL Rookie of the Year after setting an NL rookie record with 130 RBI (fifth in the league) and becoming the fourth MLB rookie to hit .300 with 30 home runs, 100 runs and 100 RBI.

Authentication: 100% Authentic Team

2001 Albert Pujols Game-Worn Rookie Jersey Cardinals