Mookie Betts was named the Los Angeles Dodgers’ nominee for the 2024 Roberto Clemente Award, an annual recognition given to a Major League player who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.
This is Betts’ first nomination for the award and he will be honored during a pregame ceremony at Dodger Stadium before the Dodgers play the Colorado Rockies on Friday, Sept. 20.
“It’s super special. Anytime you’re nominated for any type of award, you did something good,” Betts said.
“This definitely comes with my wife and my cousin Unique. They really do most of the work. I’m just kind of the face and maybe throw some ideas out there here and there. This is definitely shared with them. It’s a blessing.”
Betts’ charitable work includes establishing the 5050 Foundation alongside his wife Brianna in 2021, which intends to “break barriers that hold kids back from their potential, particularly those who struggle medically and financially.”
“I always have,” Betts said of when he realized how important it is to give back to the community. “Even when I was a kid, I always did. There weren’t really cameras and stuff around back then, and even now, I don’t do a whole lot of things for cameras. There’s a lot that I do, but I don’t do things for recognition.
“It’s cool to be recognized for it, but I don’t necessarily care about that. You just get a little older and you start to understand happiness is when you make other people happy. That brings happiness to yourself. Just kind of take it off you and put it on other people. It seems to work.”
Betts was traded to the Dodgers in 2020 and made it a priority to give back to the community. Along with creating the 5050 Foundation, Betts has partnered with the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) to feed Angelenos in South L.A.
“I think it’s done wonders. Covid really helped a lot in a way, where it created an opportunity for me to give back to the communities,” Betts answered when asked if his charitable work helped him get more comfortable with the Dodgers.
“Once I was able to do that, I feel like I really became an L.A. native. Now that I’m embedded in the community, it’s a blessing to know everywhere I go, there’s a fan or someone I can bring a smile to. That’s what makes it fun.”
Sept. 15th marks the annual Roberto Clemente Day, which was established by Major League Baseball to honor Clemente’s legacy as a humanitarian and to formally acknowledge all 30 nominees of the Roberto Clemente Award.
The concept of honoring Major League players for their philanthropic work was created in 1971 as the “Commissioner’s Award.” The recognition was renamed to the “Roberto Clemente Award” in 1973 as tribute to Clemente following his passing while delivering relief supplies for earthquake victims in Nicaragua on Dec. 31, 1972.
“I think it’s an honor in itself to be nominated. He did so much. It’s kind of unexplainable, so just to know I’ve done a quarter of things he did is a blessing,” Betts said of Clemente’s impact.
When will 2024 Roberto Clemente Award winner be announced?
The league-wide winner of the Roberto Clemente Award will be honored at the 2024 World Series following selection by a blue-ribbon panel.
The group includes representatives from the Commissioner’s Office, MLB-affiliated networks (MLB Network, FOX Sports, ESPN and TBS), MLB.com, the National Baseball Hall of Fame, as well as Roberto’s children, Enrique, Luis and Roberto Clemente, Jr.
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