C.J. Wilson named Angels nominee for the 2012 Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevrolet
Beginning today, Fans Can Vote for the National Award Recipient on MLB.com/ClementeAward and Register for a Chance to Win a Trip to the 2012 World Series
Major League Baseball and Chevrolet, the official vehicle of Major League Baseball, today announced that CJ Wilson was named the Angels 2012 nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevrolet. Today marks the eleventh 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. Wilson 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 Award is named for 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 addition to his commitment to his own CJ Wilson’s Children’s Charity, Wilson is involved with the Boys & Girls Club of Huntington Valley, where he was a member when he was 9-11 years old. This fall, he will serve as the honorary chair of the club’s annual gala.
Wilson will be honored on field tonight before the Angels host the Texas Rangers. The Angels and Chevrolet will recognize him with an award and will present the Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley with a $7,500 donation made possible by Chevrolet.
“We are proud to nominate a player who gives his maximum effort both on and off the field,” said
Angels Chairman Dennis Kuhl. “It has been a pleasure to witness C.J. giving back to the community that gave him so much as a child growing up in Orange County.”
“I am honored to have my off the field work recognized,” Wilson stated. “To be on a list with these other distinguished players is a testament to how important it is for Major League Baseball players to give back and be a positive factor in their communities.”
The distinguished list of past national Roberto Clemente Award recipients includes 14 members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame:
| 1971 - Willie Mays* | 1985 - Don Baylor | 1998 - Sammy Sosa |
| 1972 - Brooks Robinson* | 1986 - Garry Maddox | 1999 - Tony Gwynn* |
| 1973 - Al Kaline* | 1987 - Rick Sutcliffe | 2000 - Al Leiter |
| 1974 - Willie Stargell* | 1988 - Dale Murphy | 2001 - Curt Schilling |
| 1975 - Lou Brock* | 1989 - Gary Carter* | 2002 - Jim Thome |
| 1976 - Pete Rose | 1990 - Dave Stewart | 2003 - Jamie Moyer |
| 1977 - Rod Carew* | 1991 - Harold Reynolds | 2004 - Edgar Martinez |
| 1978 - Greg Luzinski | 1992 - Cal Ripken, Jr.* | 2005 - John Smoltz |
| 1979 - Andre Thornton | 1993 - Barry Larkin | 2006 - Carlos Delgado |
| 1980 - Phil Niekro* | 1994 - Dave Winfield* | 2007 - Craig Biggio |
| 1981 - Steve Garvey | 1995 - Ozzie Smith* | 2008 - Albert Pujols |
| 1982 - Ken Singleton | 1996 - Kirby Puckett* | 2009 - Derek Jeter |
| 1983 - Cecil Cooper | 1997 - Eric Davis | 2010 - Tim Wakefield |
| 1984 - Ron Guidry | 2011 - David Ortiz |
* Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
Beginning today, fans are encouraged to participate in the process of selecting the national award recipient by visiting MLB.com/ClementeAward to vote for one of the 30 Club nominees. Participating fans will be automatically registered for a chance to win a trip to the 2012 World Series, where the national winner of the Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevrolet will be announced. Voting ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday, October 14th, and the winner of the fan poll will receive one vote among those cast by a selection panel.
All Clubs playing at home today will recognize their local nominees as part of Roberto Clemente Day ceremonies, while each visiting Club 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.