Yankees slugger Aaron Judge honored to be nominated for Roberto Clemente Award - "This is an award that I think every baseball player has circled"
One of the biggest players in the MLB, Aaron Judge, has been nominated for one of the sport's most important honors, the Roberto Clemente Award. This prestigious humanitarian award has nothing to do with what a player does on the field, but for the man he is off of it.
The Roberto Clemente Award is handed out to the player who best exemplifies extraordinary character, community involvement, and philanthropy. While Aaron Judge said he does not think much about individual awards, the New York Yankees slugger stated that this one is something that many baseball players strive for.
"This is an award that I think every baseball player has circled... it's a surreal thing." @TheJudge44 spoke with Harold about what it means to be nominated for the Roberto Clemente Award and playing in Pittsburgh on Roberto Clemente Day. @CapitalOne | @Yankees | #ClementeDay" - @MLBNetwork
When it comes to the Roberto Clemente Award, each team nominates one player from the club as a result of their charity work and philanthropic activities. The New York Yankees nominated Judge for his work with his ALL RISE Foundation, which was founded in 2018.
Over the years, the ALL RISE Foundation has supported more than 2,000 youth in San Joaquin County, Fresno County, and the Bronx through various programs. It also provides grants to various programs, including Bridge2College and NYC Autism Charter Schools.
"When asked about Clemente, Aaron said, "the charity work he did, how he touched every single fan, especially the young kids, that's who you want to be. That's a big league, that's a professional." #ALLRISEtoHonor #ALLRISEtoLead" - @AllRiseOfficial
Aaron Judge is not the only New York Yankees star honoring the late Roberto Clemente
During the New York Yankees' current road trip, the reigning American League MVP honored the late Pittsburgh Pirates legend by rocking a pair of custom cleats, as well as the number 21 on his jersey. The vibrant yellow and black cleats, which he wore to honor Clemente, were a stark contrast to the Yankees' grey uniform.
"Aaron Judge is wearing number 21 and custom cleats to honor Roberto Clemente in Pittsburgh" - @TalkinYanks
Aaron Judge was not the only New York Yankees player to represent Roberto Clemente and highlight his importance to the game of baseball. Oswald Peraza also rocked a pair of custom yellow and black cleats during the matchup.
"Oswald Peraza is also reppin' some Roberto Clemente custom cleats" - @TalkinYanks
The fact that Aaron Judge, who is 31 years old, and Oswald Peraza, who is 23 years old, both honored the deceased 15-time All-Star highlights Roberto Clemente's importance and lasting impact on every generation of baseball players.