Moisés Alou was a baseball star who famously toughened his hands with urine

History · Published 6 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: A six-time All-Star and World Series champion, Moisés Alou was a fixture of late 20th-century baseball. Beyond his offensive prowess and famous family lineage, he was known for a peculiar training ritual: hitting without batting gloves and urinating on his hands to harden the skin for the rigors of the game.

Born in 1966, Moisés Alou emerged from a prominent baseball family, the son of famed manager Felipe Alou. Despite his pedigree, he did not play organized baseball until age 18 at Cañada College. His raw talent, particularly his bat speed, quickly caught the attention of scouts, leading to his selection as the second overall pick in the 1986 MLB January Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Alou’s career was defined by both high-level performance and persistent injury. He was a key contributor to the 1997 Florida Marlins World Series victory, hitting .321 during the series. His tenure with the Houston Astros saw him reach career highs in home runs, though a treadmill accident cost him the entire 1999 season. Later, with the New York Mets in 2007, he achieved a 30-game hitting streak, the longest of that season and a record for any player over age 40.

The outfielder is also remembered for his involvement in the 2003 Steve Bartman incident at Wrigley Field. During Game 6 of the National League Championship Series, a fan deflected a foul ball that Alou was attempting to catch. While Alou initially expressed frustration, he later offered conflicting accounts regarding whether he could have secured the out. Despite his statistical success, including 17 seasons in the majors, he received only 1.1% of the vote in his first year of Hall of Fame eligibility in 2014.

Following his retirement from playing in 2009, Alou transitioned into management. He found significant success as the general manager for the Leones del Escogido in the Dominican Republic, winning three league championships and two Caribbean Series titles in his first four seasons. He also served as the general manager for the Dominican Republic team that secured the 2013 World Baseball Classic title, cementing his legacy beyond his playing days.

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