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In 1996, his family relocated to Washington Heights, New York, where tragedy struck shortly after their arrival when Albert witnessed a shooting. Striving for a safer life, they moved to Missouri. During his high school years, Pujols excelled as an athlete, but only received a scholarship offer from a community college. His college tenure was brief; he dominated his competition with a staggering .461 batting average and quickly caught the attention of major league scouts.
However, whispers arose that he was older than he claimed, casting a shadow over his burgeoning career. Nevertheless, the St. Louis Cardinals took a chance on him, drafting Pujols in the 13th round.