Jose Canseco Biography
Coming Forward With the Use of Steroids in
Major League Baseball

This Jose Canseco biography is a story of an accomplished baseball player but also a human being, who despite becoming the first player to hit 40 home runs and have 40 stolen bases in the same season has been plagued by endless injuries and issues with the law during his career.

Born in Havana, Cuba with twin brother Osvaldo (Ozzie) to Jose and Barbara Canseco, his family immigrated to the United States and settled in Miami, Florida when they were just 10 months old.

Like many this Jose Canseco biography talks about how his father was poised for a long career as an oil executive but was cut short by the rise to power of Fidel Castro. In the U.S. the Cansecos started a new life from scratch leaving all their belongings back home.

Jose was an instant splash when he began playing for the Oakland A's in 1986. He bagged the American League Rookie of the year award with a sensational 33 home runs hit.

A year later, Mark McGwire joined him achieving 49 home runs that season. From then on, people called them the bash brothers and their trademark of elbow slap became a common sight.

With a splendid performance of 42 home runs and 40 stolen bases, Jose lead the A's to the World Series in 1988. Though they bowed to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 5 games, The American League rewarded his exemplary performance by voting him as the Most Valuable Player in 1988 making it one of the highlights of Jose Canseco's career.

After a 15 year wait, the Athletics were the World Series Champions once again in 1989 after sweeping the San Francisco Giants in four games. Though Canseco was beset with injuries most of the year, he still managed to connect for 17 home runs.

Returning physically fit and signing up a 5-year $23.5 million contract with the Athletics, Jose proved that he deserved in 1990 one of the most lucrative contracts to date. This famous Hispanic baseball player magnificently led the A's to another world series with 44 home runs but bowed out to the Cincinnati Reds in four games.

After that, Jose Canseco's career started to shift downward. He would either be traded or signed up by few other teams and his offensive stats considerably dropped. Constantly overwhelmed with injuries and troubles in personal life, he did not gain back the old form that he once had.

Unfortunately this Jose Canseco biography shows us that history may remember him more for his effect on steroids use in major league baseball than for his onfield achievements.

In an interview with Make Wallace of 60 minutes, Canseco talks about his use of steroids by saying : "I don't recommend steroids for everyone and I don't recommend growth hormones for everyone, but for certain individuals, I truly believe, because I've experimented with it for so many years, that it can make an average athlete a super athlete. It can make a super athlete incredible. Just legendary."

Jose married Esther Haddad in 1988 but was divorced four years later. In 1996 he married Helen Canseco and they had a daughter but this marriage also ended soon in 1999.

Due to a string of injuries, Jose Canseco decided to retire in May 2002. He left baseball with 462 career home runs, the 26th best on the career list. He was also the first player to hit 30 or more home runs on four different teams in MLB history and earned $45,080,000 in total salary from his major league career.

Jose Canseco Cards
Jose Canseco Autographed Baseball and Jersey

In spite of his troubles with the press, the controversy with steroids usage, and his turbulent relationships jose Canseco memorabilia has a spot in his fans heart.

The most sough after memkorabilia are the Jose Canseco cards, epecially those from his roockie years, and of course any items the famous Hispanic baseball player signed like Jose Canseco autographed baseball bat, jersey and baseball.

Here is a selection of some of the best Jose Canseco cards and memorabilia. All items that are autographed come with a certificate of authentication so you can shop with confidence.