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A-Rod batting for the boys & girls

Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez (Getty Images)

While many stars partied hard at Miami’s Art Basel over the weekend, Yankees star Alex Rodriguez was hard at work. The slugger skipped a series of events and stayed home to sign scores baseball bats and balls to give to kids at the Hank Kline Boys and Girls Club in Coconut Grove. Alex joined the club when he was only eight, where he met unit director Eddie Rodriguez, who mentored and coached him through the baseball program, putting him on the road to stardom. They have remained fast friends, and Eddie is a regular face in the crowd at Yankees games. On Saturday, Alex, along with his daughter Natasha and girlfriend Torre Wilson visited the club and handed out hundreds of gifts to the kids. He told us, “This club, and the kids here, mean a lot to me.” Eddie, 59, described as a father figure to Alex and still working full time with the boys and girls at the club, watched proudly. He told us, “When Alex first came here, he was a skinny 8-year-old with a lot of energy. By the time he was 11, we started seeing his real talent. He wanted to play football and basketball, but we focused on baseball. I am proud of what he has and will continue to achieve.” He added, “And it is amazing what he has done for the kids here.” He has donated millions to build and maintain the Alex Rodriguez Learning Center, a charter school which focuses on literacy, computer and math skills for children.