Miguel Cabrera, also known as "Miggy", was born in Maracay, Venezuela, on April 18, 1983. His real name is José Miguel Cabrera Torres. Miguel was raised by his parents, Miguel Sr. and Gregoria. As a child, Miguel began playing baseball with his neighbors. Baseball is one of the most popular sports in its home country, Venezuela. Miguel came from a very poor area of ​​Venezuela. One thing that kept his family going was baseball. His father played baseball as a child into his twenties. His mother played on the Venezuelan national softball team for fourteen years. Miguel's uncle, Davis Torres, played in Class AA for the St. Louis Cardinals minor league team before being released. Baseball ran in Miguel's family and was something they could all play together. When Miguel wasn't playing baseball with his local team in Maracay. Miguel's father, Miguel Sr., was a potential baseball player growing up, but was unable to complete his ultimate goal of becoming a professional baseball player. After playing baseball, Miguel's father became a mechanic. If baseball didn't work out for his son, he wanted Miguel to get a proper education so he could still get a job. Miguel's father remained strict about his grades and made sure he graduated with a high school diploma. By the time he reached high school, Miguel was considered a very talented professional prospect. While playing in high school, he was scouted by the Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. However, the team that Miguel claimed was his favorite as a teenager was the Florida Marlins. (Currently known as the Miami Marlins.) Miguel had memories of watching the Marlins win the 1997 World Series, with other Latinos like Livan Hernande... in the center of the card... in the city of Detroit. When Miguel came to Detroit to play for the Tigers, the city was going through a very difficult time. He helped spread the joy of coming to the stadium and watching a game. By coming to see the Tigers play, he helped take people's minds off their difficult times. He helped raise money to fund programs to get the city back on its feet. He also contributed through the Boys and Girls program with MLB. He held camps for young children and helped raise money for local schools around Detroit. Miguel is not only a fantastic baseball player, but he also contributes to his community and the people in it. Works Cited http://www.jockbio.com/Bios/Cabrera/Cabrera_bio.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki /Miguel_Cabrera#2003:_Rookie_Year http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/ c/cabremi01.shtmlhttp://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7163/