The Roberto Clemente Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) player who "best represents the game of Baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field."[1] Originally known as the Commissioner's Award, it has been presented by MLB since 1971, and was renamed in 1973 after Hall of Fame Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Roberto Clemente following his death in a plane crash while delivering supplies to victims of the Nicaragua earthquake.[2]
 Logo for the 2024 Roberto Clemente Award. | |
| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| League | Major League Baseball |
| Awarded for | The player that "best represents the game of Baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field" |
| Country | United States, Canada |
| Presented by | Major League Baseball |
| History | |
| First award | 1971 |
| Most recent | Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers |
| Website | MLB.com |
Each year, every Major League Baseball team chooses a nominee for the award during the regular season.[2] The player who receives the most votes online via MLB's official website, MLB.com, gets one vote in addition to the votes cast by a panel of sportswriters and baseball dignitaries.[2] The winner is announced before Game 3 of the World Series.[2] Since 2007, the award has been presented by Chevrolet, which donates money and a Chevy vehicle to the recipient's charity of choice. Additional contributions are made by it to the Roberto Clemente Sports City, a non-profit organization in Carolina, Puerto Rico, that provides national sports activities for children, and to the charity of choice of each of the 30 club nominees.[2]
The first recipient of the award was Willie Mays, and the most recent honoree is Mookie Betts. No player has received the award more than once. The team to have the most winners is the St. Louis Cardinals. Two Pirates, Clemente's former teammate Willie Stargell (1974) and Andrew McCutchen (2015), have received the honor. Pittsburgh has worn Clemente-era throwback uniforms in recent years on Roberto Clemente Day, when they announce their annual Clemente Award nominee.[3] The award has only been shared once, in 2014, by Paul Konerko and Jimmy Rollins. As of 2025, the active MLB teams without a winner are the Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, and Washington Nationals.
In 2022, Major League Baseball created a circular patch with Clemente's number "21", which may displayed on the back of any winner's hat and helmet.[4]
Honorees
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- Key
† |
Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame |
|---|---|
| ^ | Player is still active |
- Recipients by year
See also
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References
edit- General
- "Roberto Clemente Award". Major League Baseball. Archived from the original on October 6, 2009. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
- "Roberto Clemente Award winners". Major League Baseball. Archived from the original on November 30, 2009. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
- "The Hutch Award, Lou Gehrig Award, Babe Ruth Award & Roberto Clemente Award Winners". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020. Retrieved May 24, 2009.
- "Roberto Clemente Award Winners". ESPN Internet Ventures. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
- Specific
- ↑ -https://www.mlb.com/community/roberto-clemente-award Roberto Clemente Award], Major League Baseball
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Roberto Clemente Award – About the award". Major League Baseball. Archived from the original on July 10, 2009. Retrieved May 24, 2009.
- ↑ "Pirates' McCutchen Nominated For Clemente Award". KDKA-TV. September 16, 2013. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
- ↑ Rivera, Marly (April 7, 2022). "Clemente Award winners get No. 21 cap patch". ESPN.com. ESPN. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
- ↑ "Clemente Award to NYers". Newsday. October 29, 2001.
But in an unprecedented decision, Major League Baseball gave out a second Clemente award to the residents of New York City, for their actions since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
External links
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