Justin Turner was named the Los Angeles Dodgers’ nominee for the 2017 Roberto Clemente Award. Each club nominates a current player to be considered for the prestigious award, which is given annually in tribute to Clemente’s achievements and character.
“I’m incredibly honored to be the Dodgers’ nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, and be in the company of so many others around the league doing great work in their communities,” Turner said.
“I’m grateful for all the support we’ve received for the Justin Turner Foundation, and hope to continue to expand our reach with veterans, military-family youth sports leagues and bettering the lives of pediatric patients and their families.”
Through the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and in conjunction with the Los Angeles Dream Center, Turner has been an active participant in the community since joining the Dodgers in 2014. He founded the Justin Turner Foundation in 2016 to support homeless veterans, and children and their families who are battling life-altering illnesses.
Over the past two offseasons, he organized the now-annual Justin Turner Golf Classic to support the Dream Center’s Veterans home. Turner is currently working with the Dream Center to open a women’s home in 2018.
What’s more, the Justin Turner Foundation has provided more than 10,000 toys and 2,000 bicycles to children in the Los Angeles area during the holiday. The foundation recently announced a philanthropic partnership with the Yokota Baseball and Softball Association at the Yokota Air Base (YAB) in Fussa, Japan.
“Justin Turner’s ability to connect with people from different backgrounds and help the communities around him is what truly sets him apart,” vice president of external affairs and community relations Naomi Rodriguez said.
“The Los Angeles Dodgers commend him for his leadership in the clubhouse and value his support of veterans, underserved youth, and families battling life-altering illnesses in Los Angeles and beyond.”
Turner will be recognized for his contributions to the community during pregame ceremonies on Wednesday, as the Dodgers join Major League Baseball in its annual celebration of Roberto Clemente Day.
The Roberto Clemente Award winner will be selected among the group of nominees via a blue ribbon panel that features individuals connected to the game, including commissioner Robert Manfred, representatives from MLB-affiliated networks (MLB Network, FOX Sports, ESPN and TBS) and MLB Advanced Media, as well as Vera Clemente, the late Roberto’s wife.
Beginning the day after the regular season ends, fans can vote for the overall winner of the Roberto Clemente Award online. A dedicated website will feature bios of each of the nominees and will allow fans to easily vote by clicking on a nominee’s name.
The winner of the fan voting, which will run from Monday, Oct. 2 through Friday, Oct. 6, will count as one vote among those cast by the blue ribbon panel.
Clayton Kershaw (2012) and Curtis Granderson (2016) are current Dodgers who have won the Roberto Clemente Award since its inception in 1971.
