Rafael Furcal

Furcal grew up in Loma de Cabrera, a small village in the Dominican Republic near the Dajabón River and border with Haiti. His father, Silvino, drove a taxi and his mother, Aura, was a schoolteacher. Furcal had three older brothers, José, Manuel and Lorenzo, and a sister.\n', ' Silvino Furcal was a standout outfielder during an era when Dominican ballplayers did not get much recognition from Major League scouts. Silvino introduced his sons to baseball and Rafael credited his father with teaching him how to enjoy the game. Until his death in 2010, Silvino would often call Rafael to give him advice after games. Manuel Furcal pitched in the Seattle Mariners organization and Lorenzo played in the Oakland Athletics system before suffering career-ending injuries. José Furcal committed suicide in 1999 and Manuel died that same year in an accident.\n', ' Furcal attended Jose Cabrera High School and was prepared to enroll in engineering school before being spotted by a scout at a tryout in Santo Domingo. He was subsequently signed as an amateur free agent by the Atlanta Braves on November 9, 1996 for $5,000.\n', '