Past being a Corridor of Fame ballplayer, Roberto Clemente was one of many biggest philanthropists in baseball historical past and left a towering legacy that endures greater than a half-century since his premature dying in 1972.
As we speak Main League Baseball celebrates that legacy yearly on Sept. 15, and as a part of its Roberto Clemente Day festivities the league introduced every groups nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, which honors the sport’s most philanthropic gamers and is taken into account the game’s highest particular person honor.
Liam Hendriks was as soon as once more chosen because the Crimson Sox nominee, marking his second straight choice with the membership and his seventh nomination general. However along with expressing gratitude, the Crimson Sox right-hander additionally directed some pointed criticism in direction of the league for what he believes is a serious shortcoming in what ought to be a league-wide celebration.
“Sadly we couldn’t do that yesterday, for some purpose we didn’t play on Roberto Clemente Day, which I feel is a travesty. I feel each workforce ought to play on Sept. 15 each single yr,” Hendriks mentioned. “It’s one of many greater days in our sport and I feel it must be rectified right here shortly.”
The Crimson Sox had been one in all 12 groups who had Monday off, and people golf equipment held their respective celebrations on Tuesday. As a part of the festivities, all gamers and on-field personnel wore a “21” patch on their uniforms, and all earlier Roberto Clemente Award nominees and recipients, plus anybody from Clemente’s native Puerto Rico, had the choice to put on “21” as their uniform quantity.
Along with Hendriks, others who bought to put on No. 21 embrace 2023 Clemente nominee Tanner Houck together with supervisor Alex Cora, bench coach Ramon Vazquez and first base coach Jose Flores, all of whom are Puerto Rican.
Whereas Hendriks has been restricted to simply 14 appearances over his two seasons in Boston attributable to a collection of accidents, the 36-year-old’s impression in the neighborhood has been huge. Since his arrival Hendriks has labored with a whole lot of most cancers sufferers, bringing teams to the ballpark for meet and greets at Fenway Park whereas continuously touring on the highway to assist sufferers in different cities as effectively.
“I feel it’s wonderful, the final two years the impression he’s had all through the league, the place he goes on the highway speaking to most cancers sufferers, households, and what he’s accomplished right here at Fenway, him and his spouse, they’re nice,” Cora mentioned. “To see them on the market and contribute no matter what’s occurring on the sphere, it means lots.”
“It’s been actually cathartic for me to have the ability to do issues like that simply to ensure I really feel like I’m contributing as a lot as I can to not solely the workforce and the group however society usually,” Hendriks mentioned.
The Roberto Clemente Award winner shall be introduced in the course of the 2025 World Collection and chosen by a blue-ribbon panel, which features a fan vote. Followers can solid their ballots till Sunday, Sept. 28 at MLBTogether.com/clementeaward.
Additional innings
Wilyer Abreu (proper calf pressure) took batting follow Tuesday and stays day-to-day. … ESPN introduced Monday a brand new three-part collection titled “Believers: Boston Crimson Sox,” which is able to premiere on Sept. 26 and covers the membership’s 2004 World Collection championship victory. The collection options Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Donnie Wahlberg, Invoice Burr, Uzo Aduba, Katie Nolan, Curt Schilling, David Ortiz and others. … Followers occupied with buying tickets for any potential playoff video games held at Fenway Park can register for a random drawing on-line. To register, or for extra data on deadlines, costs and different particulars, go to redsox.com/postseason.
