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Robert Refsnyder has been making plays in the outfield for more than a decade now – but long before he oiled his glove, he was just a child with a dream. Many young Red Sox fans today look up to the star athlete and may wonder how he grew up to be such a baseball sensation. If you have ever wondered: ‘Is Rob Refsnyder adopted?’ You have come to the right place.
Rob Refsnyder can boast of the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays, and Boston Red Sox on his resume. Standing 6 feet tall, he has had a successful baseball career as an outfielder. He can also represent, to many, as an adoption inspiration story.
The Ultimate Pre-Season Story
Robert Daniel Refsnyder was born Kim Jung-tae in Seoul, South Korea in 1991. At five months old, he was adopted by a Southern Californian couple.
As Rob himself has pointed out, in an interview with the New York Times, no two adoption stories are the same. Rob and his sister have differing feelings about their adoptions. The baseball star has said that he spends little time considering his circumstances.
During his college baseball career and brief time playing for the minor leagues, Rob’s adoption story drew public attention. This led to many adoptive families reaching out to him for advice. That admiration only grew once he became a Yankee in 2015.
“It’s not something I am yearning to do,” he said at the time. “But I am happy to do it. I want people to know that it’s okay to be different, and I’m going to be as accessible as I can be about it. I have never shied away from it, and if kids want to ask me about [my adoption], I’ll talk about it. I might make a joke, but I’ll never hide from being adopted. I’m proud of my family. I play for the name Refsnyder.”
Rob’s family does not know the name of his birth mother. As he has told reporters, they only know her age and level of education. Rob says he holds no resentment towards his birth mother.
“I am sure she did what she felt was best for me, to give me the best opportunities in life. And I feel so blessed,” he shared. “I love my family and I would do anything for them, just like they have for me.”
His adoptive mom, Jane, can recall every significant date and moment of her son’s adoption process. After years of waiting for a domestic adoption, Jane and Clint Refsnyder pursued an international adoption. They were matched with their baby boy on March 26, 1991. On June 28, the couple finally secured a visa appointment in Los Angeles. While they waited for the appointment at a nearby coffee shop, the earth was rocked by the Sierra Madre earthquake. As the family, who had their 3-year-old daughter with them, evacuated the building, Jane remembered that she had left her adoption papers inside. She ran back into the coffee shop despite the danger.
“There was no way I was going to lose that,” Jane recalled.
Just over two months later, Rob finally arrived at Los Angeles International Airport. He came with the Korean nickname Moose, to describe the burly baby.
Field of Dreams
As Rob grew, he showed an interest – and seemed to display a natural talent – in sports. He played baseball, basketball, and football. At Laguna Hills High School, he earned the title of Player of the Year as a junior wide receiver and outside linebacker. The following year, his coach moved him to quarterback, and his team went on to win the state championship – going undefeated that season.
As much as Rob loved and excelled at sports, it was also the first area in his life where he experienced racism. He recalled a time, when he was 13, an opponent tackled him and yelled “Why don’t you go back to where you came from?” To which Rob simply replied, “Why don’t you?”
At the age of 16, Rob and his dad traveled to Venezuela for a tournament with the U.S. Junior Olympic team. He recalled that, while he was there, local children wondered why he was not playing on the Japanese team. While this amused him, he said the trip changed his outlook on life.
“At that age, you’re not thinking about other people so much,” Rob recalled. “Kids in Orange County, California are maybe kind of selfish and spoiled. But I saw some real poverty on that trip, kids with one shoe and stuff like that. It changed me forever.”
As Rob continued to excel in baseball, eventually playing for the University of Arizona, the heckling and racist remarks grew worse. Some in the stands even made nasty remarks regarding his adoption, Rob recalled.
“They were saying some terrible things, hurtful things. Rude remarks about my race and my parents’ race, saying that adoption is not okay,” he recalled. “They were just ignorant, just trying to get inside my head.”
Adoption is a Home Run for the Refsnyders
Rob has said, regarding his family’s openness about his adoption, that it never had to be a big topic of discussion. At the age of 5, Rob recalled asking his sister why they looked different from their parents. According to Rob, she replied: “Because we’re adopted, duh.”
“Ever since then,” Rob said, “I totally accepted it.”
The Refsynder family still resides in Orange County, California, where there are many families of Korean descent. Some have expressed – to Rob’s parents – how wonderful it is that they adopted two children, and how lucky the children are.
“We always say that we are the lucky ones,” Clint explained. “My wife and I are so fortunate to have two such wonderful kids.”
When his mom asks if he would like to find his birth mother, Rob simply replies: “Sorry, mom, you’re stuck with me.” He does, however, hope to take a family trip to South Korea someday.
Jane told the New York Times that, when Rob was in high school, he carefully asked his mom if her feelings would be hurt if he ever decided to search for his birth mother.
“’Oh Robert,’” she remembers saying in response, “’I’ll go to the ends of the earth with you. And if we ever find her, I’ll be the first to put my arms around her and thank her for the great gift she gave us.’”
Learn More About Adoption
The Rob Refsnyder adoption story is certainly an inspiring one. Are you interested in learning more about adoption? Whether you are thinking about adopting a child, or want to lovingly place your child for adoption, we can help. Adoptions With Love can be there for you every step of the way. Call 800-722-7731, text (confidentially) 617-777-0072, or contact us online.