Blame the tears on allergies.
Jose Fernandez took the National League by storm this season at merely 21-years-old. The recently named Rookie of the Year finished the season with a 2.19 ERA and a 12-6 record for the lowly Florida Marlins. While his on-the-field exploits are other-worldly, his off-the-field story is even more impressive.
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Fernandez was born in Cuba and unsuccessfully attempted to defect to the United States with his mother three times before finally making it to U.S. soil on their fourth try. During their final attempt, his mother was rocked from the boat at night in rough seas and Fernandez jumped out to save her, not knowing who fell in the water — he was only 15.
