Alex Rodriguez is finally getting some slack these days, after going behind the back of agent Scott Boras to sign a contract extension with the New York Yankees. Whatever your opinion of A-Rod the person, A-Rod the baseball player is one of the best who ever lived.

Rodriguez didn’t get the silver spoon treatment. He was born to Dominican parents in the Washington Heights (aka “Crack City”) part of the Big Apple. His family moved back to the Dominican Republic when Rodriguez was four. When he was seven, they moved to Miami. Then his father skipped town.

A-Rod went on to be a high-school phenom in Miami. Easily the top prospect in the game at age 17, he decided against joining the University of Miami Hurricanes and turned pro. The Seattle Mariners chose him first overall in 1993. Since then: 522 home runs, nine Silver Sluggers, three MVP awards and counting.