Tim Hudson named Atlanta Braves nominee for the 2013 Roberto Clemente Award Presented by Chevrolet

Major League Baseball and Chevrolet, the official vehicle of Major League Baseball, today announced that Tim Hudson was named the Atlanta Braves 2013 nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevrolet. Tomorrow marks the 12th 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. Hudson 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.

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. The 15-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.

Prior to the Braves vs. Brewers matchup on Sept. 23, the Braves will honor Tim during a special on-field presentation.

Since joining the Atlanta Braves prior to the 2005 season, Tim Hudson has become a staple in the Atlanta community, utilizing his celebrity to support numerous charitable organizations and make a difference in the lives of youth.

Through the Hudson Family Foundation, Tim seeks to make a positive and long lasting impact in the lives of children who have a genuine need for assistance with regards to a specific physical, emotional or financial circumstance.

The Hudson Family Foundation has raised more than $700,000 for children and families in Georgia and Alabama. The Foundation's support has also come in the form of family grants, educational scholarships, non-profit organization grants and donations, children's books, Braves tickets, autographed baseballs and photos as in-kind assistance to area schools, non-profits, churches and other youth-serving organizations.

Additionally, Tim supports a variety of charitable causes including the Make-A-Wish® Foundation of Georgia and Alabama and The Moyer Foundation's Camp Erin. Tim has assisted in raising nearly $2 million to support Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and the Aflac Pediatric Cancer Research Program.

Tim is also very supportive of Braves community programs including youth baseball, anti-bullying programs and annual hospital visits with children.

"Along with his wife Kim, Tim Hudson's undisputed dedication to our community is outstanding," Atlanta Braves President John Schuerholz said. "The Hudsons truly embody the spirit of the Roberto Clemente Award and we believe there is no better reflection of that than Tim."

"It is an honor to be included with the nominees for the Roberto Clemente Award. As a Major League ball player, we are afforded the opportunity to provide assistance and bring awareness to the causes we care for," Tim Hudson said. "Through the Hudson Family Foundation, my wife Kim and I are dedicated to serving and enriching the communities we call home."

The distinguished list of past national Roberto Clemente Award recipients includes 14 members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame:

1971, Willie Mays+**
1972, Brooks Robinson+**
1973, Al Kaline+
1974, Willie Stargell+
1975, Lou Brock+
1976, Pete Rose
1977, Rod Carew+
1978, Greg Luzinski
1979, Andre Thornton
1980, Phil Niekro+
1981, Steve Garvey
1982, Ken Singleton    
1983, Cecil Cooper
1984, Ron Guidry
1985, Don Baylor
1986, Garry Maddox
1987, Rick Sutcliffe
1988, Dale Murphy
1989, Gary Carter+
1990, Dave Stewart
1991, Harold Reynolds
1992, Cal Ripken, Jr.+
1993, Barry Larkin+
1994, Dave Winfield+
1995, Ozzie Smith+
1996, Kirby Puckett+
1997, Eric Davis
1998, Sammy Sosa
1999, Tony Gwynn+
2000, Al Leiter
2001, Curt Schilling
2002, Jim Thome
2003, Jamie Moyer
2004, Edgar Martinez
2005, John Smoltz
2006, Carlos Delgado
2007, Craig Biggio
2008, Albert Pujols
2009, Derek Jeter
2010, Tim Wakefield
2011, David Ortiz
2012, Clayton Kershaw
    
+ Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
** Originally known as the Commissioner's Award (prior to 1973)

Beginning tomorrow on Roberto Clemente Day, fans are encouraged to participate in the process of selecting the national award recipient by visiting ChevyBaseball.com to vote for one of the 30 Club nominees. Voting ends Sunday, Oct. 6, and participating fans will be automatically registered for a chance to win a trip to the 2013 World Series, where the national winner of the Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevrolet will be announced. The winner of the fan vote will receive one vote among those cast by the selection panel.

Clubs playing at home Sept. 17 will recognize their local nominees as part of Roberto Clemente Day ceremonies, while visiting Clubs will honor their nominees before another September home game. As part of the league-wide celebration, the Roberto Clemente Day logo will appear on the bases and the official dugout lineup cards.