New York Yankees Aaron Judge won the Roberto Clemente Award (RCA).
RCA was established in 1973 after Roberto Clemente, who tragically died when his plane crashed due to bad weather while on his way to deliver relief supplies to the site of the great earthquake in Nicaragua on the last day of 1972. Players who demonstrate exemplary activities outside of the baseball field, such as community service activities and sportsmanship, are selected as winners. 안전놀이터
Judge received the trophy at the awards ceremony held before Game 3 of the World Series held at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona on the 31st (Korean time) and said, “It is a tremendous honor just to be on the list of candidates, but I don’t know how to express my joy at receiving the award. “We can look back here on the legacy Clemente left behind and his achievements on the field. He showed a talent that transcends generations on the field, and I think that means he communicated between generations through baseball.” “He expressed his feelings.
Judge is the fourth Yankees player to receive this award, following Ron Guidry in 1984, Don Baylor in 1985, and Derek Jeter in 2009.
Judge emphasized that he has played baseball with Clemente as his role model, saying, “Clemente played the game with great pride, not only in offense but also in defense. I believe he set the standard for a perfect player.”
Clemente, a native of Puerto Rico, made his major league debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1955 and recorded a batting average of 0.317, 240 home runs, and 3,000 hits over 18 years until 1972. He led the team to two World Series championships in 1960 and 1971, and was named MVP in the 1971 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds.
He was inducted into the ‘Hall of Fame’ through a special selection process in 1973, the year after his death. The five-year lapse rule after his retirement did not apply.
Judge founded the All Rise Foundation in 2018 to help children in New York and San Joaquin and Fresno County, California, where he spent his childhood. Additionally, Judge was reportedly selected as the recipient for his active cooperation in promoting positive social media movements and thanking healthcare workers for their hard work during the coronavirus pandemic.
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said, “Judge’s volunteer work is an incredible accomplishment. Aaron, like his fellow players, is raising the status and trust of Major League Baseball.”
After setting the American League record for most home runs in a single season by hitting 62 home runs last year, Judge signed a nine-year, $360 million free agent contract and remained with the Yankees. Despite missing nearly two months this season due to a toe injury, he hit a batting average of 0.267, 37 home runs, and 75 RBIs. However, the Yankees failed to advance to the postseason with 82 wins and 80 losses.
