Anthony Rizzo

Rizzo was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in April 2008. He went through chemotherapy for six months. His grandmother too was suffering with breast cancer around the same time.

In November 2018, the doctors told him that he would be able to live ‘a normal life.’ He established an ‘NGO’ named ‘The Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation,’ in 2012, to help the families fighting cancer and for research on the disease.

Rizzo got engaged to his girlfriend, Emily Vakos, on June 1, 2017. The two met in Arizona when Rizzo was on his ‘Spring Training’ in 2016.

Anthony Vincent Rizzo was born on August 8, 1989, in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Laurie Rizzo and John Rizzo. He has an older brother, John, who played as a lineman for the Florida Atlantic University football team. Rizzo is of Italian descent; his family is from the Sicilian town of Ciminna.

He attended ‘Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School,’ in 2007.

Rizzo began playing baseball at ‘Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School’ in Parkland, Florida, from where he was picked by the ‘Boston Red Sox’ for the ‘2007 Major League Baseball Draft’ in the sixth-round.

He was planning to join the ‘Florida Atlantic University’ before he was approached by the ‘Red Sox’ to sign a contract of $325,000. In 2009, he scored 12 home runs for the ‘Red Sox.’

At the end of 2010, he was traded to the ‘San Diego Padres’ for three-time ‘All-Star’ first baseman, Adrian Ganzalez. Casey Kelly, Reymond Fuentes, and Eric Patterson were other players that were traded with Rizzo.

He started his 2011 season against the ‘Tucson Padres’ in ‘Triple A.’ He was selected as a non-roster player in the ‘2011 Spring Training’ camp.

In May 2011, it was announced that his debut in the Major League might be delayed. It was after he played 52 matches for ‘Tucson Padres’ that he finally got a call to play in the majors.

He is a three-time ‘All Star’ (2014-2016). He won ‘Player of the Week’ award in 2014.

He also received ‘Branch Rickey Award ‘in 2014. He was the youngest player to achieve the feat.

Rizzo is the recipient of ‘Heart & Hustle Award’ (2015), ‘Silver Slugger Award’ (2016), ‘Golden Glove Award’ (2016), ‘Platinum Glove Award’ (2016), and ‘Roberto Clemente Award’ (2017). He also won ‘Esurance MLB Award’ for the ’Best Social Media Personality’ and for the ‘Best Play: Defense’ in 2016.