Hector Santiago named White Sox nominee for the 2013 Roberto Clemente Award Presented by Chevrolet

CHICAGO - Major League Baseball and Chevrolet, the official vehicle of Major League Baseball, today announced that Hector Santiago was named the Chicago White Sox 2013 nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevrolet.

Tomorrow marks the 12^th 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. Santiago 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. 

In 2012, Sox pitcher Hector Santiago developed "Santiago's Soldiers," a program that supports children and families dealing with illness by inviting them to games. The left-hander also supports a variety of White Sox Charities efforts, as he has volunteered for visits to Lurie Children's Hospital and the Donnelly Armory, assisted in community service days, and was on-hand for Signing Day 2012, in which White Sox Amateur City Elite members signed their letters of intent to play college baseball. In January of this year, Santiago made a special visit to Newtown, Conn., where he spent time with children from the town after the December tragedy. He will be recognized tomorrow, September 17, in an on-field ceremony prior to the game vs. Minnesota.

"Hector goes above and beyond with his involvement in the community," said White Sox senior director of community relations Christine O'Reilly. "Not only does he actively participate in White Sox community efforts, Hector has taken the initiative to create his own program and made a tremendous impact."

"It truly is humbling to be the White Sox nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award," said Santiago. "As a member of this organization, you have a responsibility to give back to the community, so awards are not why we do what we do. Yet to receive an award named for Roberto Clemente is a tremendous honor."

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

+ 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 Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevrolet recipient by visiting ChevyBaseball.com, which is powered by MLB Advanced Media, to vote for one of the 30 Club nominees. Voting ends on Sunday, October 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 on September 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.