Roberto Clemente was not only one of the greatest baseball players to ever play the game, but a great humanitarian as well. Clemente had a natural desire to help others out no matter what the cost, and felt more pride in his humanitarian missions than any athletic accomplishment he ever achieved.
Unfortunately Clemente's life was taken too soon from the world, as he died in a plane crash while on board a plane heading to Nicaragua to aid earthquake victims in 1972. He was only 38.
No one can predict the impact Clemente would have had if he was allowed to continue serving the world, but Chevrolet and MLB have come together yet again to honor Clemente by awarding the 2012 Roberto Clemente Award at the end of this season.
The Roberto Clemente Award is given out to the current MLB player who "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and individual contribution to his team". The award is voted by members of the media and fans alike.
Chevy has sponsored the Roberto Clemente Award since 2007 and donates money and a Chevy vehicle to the winner's charity of choice. Additional money is sent from Chevy to the Roberto Clemente Sports City, which is a non-profit organization in Puerto Rico. The Roberto Clemente Sports City is designed to provide recreational sports activities for children in Puerto Rico.
The past five winners of the Roberto Clemente Award include: David Ortiz from the Boston Red Sox in 2011, Tim Wakefield during his time the Boston Red Sox in 2010, Derek Jeter from the New York Yankees in 2009, and Albert Pujols while he was still with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2008. Willie Mays was the first winner of the award in 1971 when he was with the San Francisco Giants.
Each MLB team throughout both the National and American Leagues can have one player be nominated for the award yearly. The list is then slowly cut down until there is one candidate remaining. The winner of the award will be announced in November and will receive the award during the 2012 World Series.
The award was previously known as The Commissioner's Award before being renamed in 1973 to honor Clemente.
See Now: OnePlus 6: How Different Will It Be From OnePlus 5?