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Legendary New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez was heavily criticized when he played for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic in 2006.
Rodriguez was born in the United States, but his parents are Dominican Republic. Thus, he had the option to choose which nation he wanted to represent in the competition. He chose Team USA. As such, a large portion of Dominican Republic supporters who wanted Rodriguez to play for their team in the 2006 World Baseball Classic were left upset.
The former Yankees star decided to make amends a few years later and play for the Dominican Republic team in the 2009 WBC. In a December 2008 interview with ESPN, Alex Rodriguez said he wanted to fulfill his mother's dream by representing the Dominican Republic.
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"I am 100 percent sure that I will play for the Dominican Republic team. This time, there will be no doubts and it is a dream of my mom's that I intend to fulfill."
A-Rod added:
"It will be a very special day for me and my family to see me play again with a Dominican uniform. I think we have a good team and the possibility of winning because we have lots of quality material for the Classic."
Alex Rodriguez's plans to play for the Dominican Republic team in the 2009 World Baseball Classic were scuppered, however, as he pulled out of the competition. The Dominican Republic didn't end up winning the title in 2009, but they did take home the trophy in 2013.
When Alex Rodriguez opened up about his humble past
Alex Rodriguez has never shied away from talking about his past. Rodriguez, who was raised by a single mother, experienced plenty of hardships early on.
In an interview with Forbes in 2021, Rodriguez discussed the difficulties his mother faced in raising him and his sister.
“I came from very little. I remember as a young boy, getting down to my knees and praying that one day, I would trade places with the landlord.”
Rodriguez essentially went from a middle-class boy to one of the richest athletes in the world and his story is an inspiration for every young person.
