Pirates centerfielder Andrew McCutchen is the winner of the 2015 Roberto Clemente Award.
The Clemente Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball player that “best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual’s contribution to his team.”
For McCutchen, winning the award was special, not only because of the honor in being selected, but because of who it is named after.
“I feel like it means a bit more to me … because of it being Roberto Clemente and him playing for the Pirates, wearing the same uniform,” McCutchen said after received the award from MLB commissioner Rob Manfred.
McCutchen is the first Pirates player to the win the award since Willie Stargell was honored in 1974.
Each MLB team selects one nominee for the award toward the end of their season. A voting panel of fans and media then selects the winner. This season, there is only one winner, after a winner from each league was selected in 2014.
Since 1973, the award – originally called the Commissioner’s Award – has been named after legendary Pirates right fielder Roberto Clemente. Clemente was a noted humanitarian, and tragically passed away in 1972 while on an aid mission to Nicaragua.
Photo credit: ESPN
