The New York Mets, Major League Baseball and Chevrolet, the official vehicle of Major League Baseball, today announced that Mike Pelfrey has been named the Mets’ 2011 nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevrolet.
Pelfrey is one of the 30 Club finalists for the annual award, which recognizes a Major League Baseball player who best represents the game of baseball through positive contributions on and off the field, including sportsmanship and community involvement. Tomorrow will mark the 10th annual Roberto Clemente Day, which was established by Major League Baseball to honor Clemente’s legacy and to officially recognize local Club nominees of the Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevrolet.
The Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevrolet pays tribute to Clemente’s achievements and character by recognizing current players who truly understand the value of helping others. It is named for the 12-time MLB All-Star and Hall of Famer who died in a plane crash on New Year’s Eve 1972 while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
Pelfrey has visited elementary schools throughout New York City to promote significant issues affecting youth including childhood obesity and literacy. He regularly participates in monthly Mets meet and greets with Tuesday’s Children for children who lost loved ones on September 11.
The pitcher has been a staunch supporter of the New York City Fire Department, visiting area fire houses and even putting on gear and going through authentic training at the FDNY Training Center on Randall’s Island. He has also been a key contributor to the Mets and Citi’s “Teammates in the Community Week,” this year participating in the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum’s annual Memorial Day ceremony.
Starting tomorrow on Roberto Clemente Day, fans are encouraged to participate in the process of selecting the national award recipient by visiting www.chevybaseball.com/clemente, a site powered by MLB.com and created specifically for the Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevrolet platform, to vote for one of the 30 Club nominees. Voting ends on October 9, and participating fans will be automatically registered for a chance to win a trip to the 2011 World Series, where the national winner of the Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevrolet will be announced.
The winner of the fan poll will receive one vote among those cast by the selection panel, which includes Commissioner Selig; Vera Clemente, MLB Goodwill Ambassador and wife of the late Hall of Famer; Baseball Hall of Famer, TBS analyst and former Roberto Clemente Award winner Cal Ripken Jr.; MLB Network analyst, TBS broadcaster and former Roberto Clemente Award winner John Smoltz; MLB Network analysts and former Roberto Clemente Award winners Al Leiter and Harold Reynolds; and MLB.com senior correspondent Hal Bodley.
