The Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks and @LosDbacks) will recognize community activist and social worker Terri Cruz as the 2016 Roberto Clemente SEAT 21 Honoree during a special pregame ceremony tomorrow as part of Roberto Clemente Day at Chase Field. In addition, the D-backs will recognize Paul Goldschmidt as the team's 2016 nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award, the most prominent individual player award bestowed by MLB.
Cruz, an 88-year-old community activist and social worker from Chicanos Por La Causa, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch and will be recognized as the team's 2016 Roberto Clemente SEAT 21 Honoree. To enhance Roberto Clemente Day and celebrate Clemente's enduring legacy in 2016, Major League Baseball worked with the 30 Clubs to establish SEAT 21. SEAT 21 will be a designated seat in each ballpark on Roberto Clemente Day dedicated to a well-known or local hero originally from the community who will be recognized in addition to the Club Clemente Award nominee. Recognizing individuals who embody the humanitarian spirit of Roberto Clemente is a natural extension of the current honor bestowed upon players each year and gives MLB and the Clubs the opportunity to further extend the message of service and commitment.
The Roberto Clemente Award is the annual recognition of a player from each MLB Club who best represents the game of Baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field. Each Club nominates one current player to be considered for the Roberto Clemente Award in tribute to Clemente's achievements and character.
Goldschmidt is one of the 30 Club finalists for the annual award and will be recognized before the game on Saturday. Since his MLB debut in 2011, Paul and his wife Amy have supported the children at Phoenix Children's Hospital where they serve as registered volunteers, completing the required certification that allows them to volunteer regularly, rather than just making appearances as a player. Paul's impact on the patients lasts far longer than the time he is at the hospital. He frequently stays in contact with patients, checks on their progress, invites them to games and hosts pre-game visits.
In 2014, Paul and Amy, along with the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation, launched Goldy's Fund For Kids - a charitable fund that supports projects at PCH, including the annual D-backs birthday party to celebrate with those kids who are spending their birthdays in the hospital. In 2015, Paul and Amy chaired the first-ever Champs for Children event, which raised money for the hospital and celebrated Phoenix Children's Hospital patients who embody the spirit of a champion. Most recently, Paul and Amy have been named honorary chairs for the capital campaign to raise funds for the building of the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Phoenix Children's Hospital.
In addition to his commitment to Phoenix Children's Hospital, Paul has been a generous supporter of the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation attending and supporting events such as Evening on the Diamond and the D-backs Celebrity Golf Classic. He also looks for opportunities to introduce younger players to philanthropy, in hopes of connecting them to causes and instilling in them the importance of community.
Currently, fans can participate in the process of selecting the winner of the Roberto Clemente Award on social media for the first time by posting voting hashtags to Twitter and Facebook. D-backs fans can vote for Goldschmidt by using #VoteGoldy.
The concept of honoring Major League players for their philanthropic work was created in 1971 as the "Commissioner's Award," but was renamed to the "Roberto Clemente Award" in 1973 in honor of the Hall of Famer and 15-time All-Star who died in a plane crash on New Year's Eve 1972 while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Each September since 2002, Major League Baseball has commemorated Roberto Clemente Day.
Wednesday, September 7th marks the fifteenth annual Roberto Clemente Day, which was established by Major League Baseball to honor Clemente's legacy and to officially acknowledge local Club nominees of the Roberto Clemente Award. The D-backs will celebrate Roberto Clemente Day this Saturday, Sept. 10 and as part of the league-wide celebration, the Roberto Clemente Day logo will appear on the bases and official dugout lineup cards and a special tribute video will be played in ballparks.