Yesterday, Major League Baseball announced their nominees for the 2015 Roberto Clemente Award, with Curtis Granderson representing the New York Mets. Granderson, a nominee in 2009 with the Detroit Tigers, is one of the more giving and philanthropic players in baseball today, so this nomination comes as no surprise.
The award, originally titled the Commissioner’s Award, was renamed after the death of Clemente, the Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder who died attempting to bring supplies to an earthquake-torn region of Guatamala in 1972. The award was established to recognize the philanthropic contributions of MLB players, and has been awarded annually since 1971.
If the winner, Granderson would not be the first Met to take home the award. Gary Carter (1989), Al Leiter (2000), and Carlos Delgado (2006) have all previously been honored, as have a number of once and future Mets, including Carlos Beltran and Willie Mays. David Wright was nominated for the award last season, as well as in 2013 and 2014, with Mike Pelfrey getting the nod before him in 2011.
The award is similar to the Marvin Miller Man of the Year award, which is given out by the Major League Baseball Players Association, as opposed to the Clemente award, which comes from MLB proper. In 2009, Granderson won the Miller award while a member of the Tigers.
Granderson is known for being one of the most philanthropic members of the Mets, or any team for that matter. His Grand Kids Foundation, which is a partnership with the University of Illinois, attempts to connect inner-city kids with the sport of baseball through a number of avenues. In addition to his own foundation, Granderson is also an ambassador for Major League Baseball International, and has worked with the White House on their "Let’s Move!" campaign.
Voting at ChevyBaseball.com opens tomorrow, September 16, which has been designated as Roberto Clemente Day across all of Major League Baseball. Before Wednesday’s game, Granderson will be recognized on the field for his nomination.