Yelich: 'Pretty special' being nominated for Clemente Award
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This story was excerpted from Adam McCalvy’s Brewers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
NEW YORK -- Christian Yelich is already at work to make sure his first big charity event earlier this season turns into an annual affair.
Yelich on Friday was nominated by the Brewers for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award, bestowed upon baseball’s best philanthropists. It’s Yelich’s first nod for the honor, which is named after the Hall of Famer and former Pittsburgh Pirate who died in a plane crash on New Year’s Eve in 1972 while delivering aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
Just to be mentioned in the same realm as Clemente is heady stuff for Yelich, who took his own community involvement to a new level in May when he hosted his “Home Plate Charity Benefit” and raised $100,000 for youth baseball programs in Milwaukee County.
“There are a ton of people working behind the scenes who deserve a lot of credit,” Yelich said. “It takes a long time to do stuff like that, but it’s all for good. The goal is for it to be annual. I have some texts on my phone just today that need answering.”
The concept of honoring Major League players for their philanthropic work was created in 1971 as the “Commissioner’s Award” and was renamed to the “Roberto Clemente Award” in 1973 in tribute to Clemente following his passing.
Yelich’s philanthropy spans multiple states and causes. He’s helped raise more than $1 million for wildfire victims via the group “California Strong” with former Brewers Ryan Braun and Mike Moustakas and Mike Attanasio, the son of Brewers principal owner Mark Attanasio. In Milwaukee, Yelich has been a supporter of the Beckum-Stapleton Little League and Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. He also lent time and funds to military initiatives, a particularly sentimental part of his philanthropy considering Yelich’s brother, Cameron, served in the Marines.
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“It started with things I was already interested in,” said Yelich. “And after that, it’s talking to Cecelia [Gore, executive director of the Brewers Community Foundation] and Katina [Shaw, the club’s vice president of community relations] and finding out where there’s the most need.
“Obviously, you always want to do more. I tried to start in one place, and as I’ve had more time here, I’ve been able to touch on different things. It’s getting to know Milwaukee and different areas of need and just going from there.”
An MLB blue-ribbon panel will select one league-wide winner of the Roberto Clemente Award presented by Capital One, who will be honored at the 2023 World Series. The panel includes representatives from the Commissioner’s Office, Capital One, 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 Jr. From now through the end of the regular season, fans can vote for their choice here, which has bios of every nominee. The winner of the fan vote will count as one vote from the panel.
The Brewers will recognize Yelich’s nomination on the field prior to their game against the Nationals on Sept. 15, which is Roberto Clemente Day throughout MLB. Yelich will wear Clemente’s No. 21 in that game, as will Victor Caratini, Andruw Monasterio, William Contreras, Willy Adames, Joel Payamps, Carlos Santana, Abner Uribe, Freddy Peralta, Elvis Peguero and coach Néstor Corredor.
“It’s so cool to be associated with that award,” Yelich said. “You see the nominees every year, and it’s just nice to be mentioned along with him and those other players. It’s pretty special. It’s nice to be at a point in your career where you’re able to do things like that.”