In March 2022, Pete Alonso walked away from a violent rollover car crash without a scratch, then months later broke a New York Mets franchise record. This deep dive explores the biology, psychology and audacity of an athlete who repeatedly bets on himself, both on the baseball diamond and at the negotiating table.

From a grandfather who fled the Spanish Civil War to a record-breaking rookie season, we trace how Alonso embraced the Polar Bear persona, exploited the home run derby's cash prizes against baseball's rookie wage scale, and turned down a $158 million extension. We follow his historic 2024 wild card home run, his rewriting of the Mets record books, and his eventual five-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles.

• The generational resilience behind his unflappable confidence
• Winning back-to-back home run derbies and out ...