Roberto Clemente Award
The Roberto Clemente Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball player who "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team", as voted on by baseball fans and members of the media. It is named for Hall of Fame outfielder Roberto Clemente. Originally known as the Commissioner's Award, it has been presented by the MLB since 1971. In 1973, the award was renamed after Clemente following his death in a plane crash while delivering supplies to victims of the Nicaragua earthquake.
Each year, a panel of baseball dignitaries selects one player from among 30 nominees, one from each club. Teams choose their nominee during the regular season, and the winner is announced at the World Series. The player who receives the most votes online via MLB's official website, MLB.com, gets one vote in addition to the votes cast by the panel. Since 2007, the Roberto Clemente Award has been presented by Chevy. Chevy donates money and a Chevy vehicle to the recipient's charity of choice and additional money is donated by Chevy to the Roberto Clemente Sports City, a non-profit organization in Carolina, Puerto Rico, that provides recreational sports activities for children. Chevy donates additional funds to the charity of choice of each of the 30 club nominees.
The first recipient of the award was Willie Mays, and the most recent honoree is Carlos Carrasco. No player has received the award more than once. The first pitcher to receive the award was Phil Niekro in 1980, and the first catcher to receive it was Gary Carter in 1989. To date, Clemente's former teammate Willie Stargell and Andrew McCutchen are the only members of the Pittsburgh Pirates to receive the honor. Stargell won his award in 1974, and McCutchen in 2015. The Pirates themselves have worn Clemente-era throwback uniforms in recent years on Roberto Clemente Day, on which day they present their award nominee to MLB. In 2014, the award was presented to two players—Paul Konerko and Jimmy Rollins—for the first, and to date, only time.
Honorees
;Key| Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame |
;Recipients by year
| Year | Player | Team | League | Position |
| 1971 | San Francisco Giants | National | Outfielder | |
| 1972 | Baltimore Orioles | American | Third baseman | |
| 1973 | Detroit Tigers | American | Outfielder | |
| 1974 | Pittsburgh Pirates | National | Outfielder | |
| 1975 | St. Louis Cardinals | National | Outfielder | |
| 1976 | Cincinnati Reds | National | Third baseman | |
| 1977 | Minnesota Twins | American | First baseman | |
| 1978 | Philadelphia Phillies | National | Outfielder | |
| 1979 | Cleveland Indians | American | First baseman | |
| 1980 | Atlanta Braves | National | Pitcher | |
| 1981 | Los Angeles Dodgers | National | First baseman | |
| 1982 | Baltimore Orioles | American | Designated hitter | |
| 1983 | Milwaukee Brewers | American | First baseman | |
| 1984 | New York Yankees | American | Pitcher | |
| 1985 | New York Yankees | American | Designated hitter | |
| 1986 | Philadelphia Phillies | National | Outfielder | |
| 1987 | Chicago Cubs | National | Pitcher | |
| 1988 | Atlanta Braves | National | Outfielder | |
| 1989 | New York Mets | National | Catcher | |
| 1990 | Oakland Athletics | American | Pitcher | |
| 1991 | Seattle Mariners | American | Second baseman | |
| 1992 | Baltimore Orioles | American | Shortstop | |
| 1993 | Cincinnati Reds | National | Shortstop | |
| 1994 | Minnesota Twins | American | Designated hitter | |
| 1995 | St. Louis Cardinals | National | Shortstop | |
| 1996 | Minnesota Twins | American | Outfielder | |
| 1997 | Baltimore Orioles | American | Outfielder | |
| 1998 | Chicago Cubs | National | Outfielder | |
| 1999 | San Diego Padres | National | Outfielder | |
| 2000 | New York Mets | National | Pitcher | |
| 2001 | Arizona Diamondbacks | National | Pitcher | |
| 2002 | Cleveland Indians | American | First baseman | |
| 2003 | Seattle Mariners | American | Pitcher | |
| 2004 | Seattle Mariners | American | Designated hitter | |
| 2005 | Atlanta Braves | National | Pitcher | |
| 2006 | New York Mets | National | First baseman | |
| 2007 | Houston Astros | National | Second baseman | |
| 2008 | St. Louis Cardinals | National | First baseman | |
| 2009 | New York Yankees | American | Shortstop | |
| 2010 | Boston Red Sox | American | Pitcher | |
| 2011 | Boston Red Sox | American | Designated hitter | |
| 2012 | Los Angeles Dodgers | National | Pitcher | |
| 2013 | St. Louis Cardinals | National | Outfielder | |
| 2014 | Chicago White Sox | American | First baseman | |
| 2014 | Philadelphia Phillies | National | Shortstop | |
| 2015 | Pittsburgh Pirates | National | Outfielder | |
| 2016 | New York Mets | National | Outfielder | |
| 2017 | Chicago Cubs | National | First baseman | |
| 2018 | St. Louis Cardinals | National | Catcher | |
| 2019 | Cleveland Indians | American | Pitcher |
In 2014, there were two recipients of the award, one in each league.