Ex-Nat Bell: 'An honor' to be Clemente Award nominee

WASHINGTON -- It wasn’t long after Josh Bell was traded to the Nationals from the Pirates on Christmas Eve 2020, that he received a phone call from the community relations department. His involvement in Pittsburgh had been noteworthy, and Bell was eager to make an impact with his new club.

Bell shared his passion for books; the team told him about the Nationals Philanthropies' Youth Baseball Academy. He became the official player ambassador, and a strong connection was quickly forged.

"From the time I went [to the Academy], I had a special relationship there," Bell, now a member of the Padres, said. "I felt like my time [in Washington, D.C.] was obviously ups and downs on the baseball field … but the time in the community was all good."

For his efforts during his nearly two seasons as a member of the Nats, Bell was named their nominee for the 2022 Roberto Clemente Award. The distinct honor is presented annually to the player "who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field."

"He was unbelievable, he really was," said Nationals manager Dave Martinez. "Forget about what he did for us in our clubhouse, on the field -- it goes beyond that for him. He’s a people person, he loves people. You can see that. There would be nobody better than him to accept this award. I’m proud of him. He was one of my favorites here just because of who he is as a person."

Bell shared his love for reading with the launch of the Josh Bell Book Club in 2021, a monthly program in which he selected books written to inspire being and becoming better people. He engaged with fans through virtual conversations.

Bell expanded the book club concept this season to reach Black children who were at a crossroads because of their environment or past choices and had expressed an interest in self improvement. He worked with the D.C. Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy, whose mission is to help at-risk youth.

Through this partnership, Bell and two dozen cadets read and discussed "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne. He hosted a kickoff gathering at the ChalleNGe Academy and another at the conclusion of the reading at Nationals Park, which included a book discussion, a meeting with Black executives at the Nationals and tickets to the game.

"This year was a special one," Bell said. "It was a little program to almost steer kids the right way that had gotten in a bit of trouble. I guess it was a choice between that program and a juvenile detention center -- and they chose that program. … Hopefully they're talking about positive energy, thinking good thoughts, gratitude journals. Stuff like that is an awesome opportunity for me to unplug away from the game and try to help the community."

Bell’s contributions also included hosting Youth Baseball Academy scholar athletes at Nationals Park, coordinating visits with players and coaches to the Academy, and being the face of the Academy’s fundraising initiatives.

The nomination is particularly meaningful for Bell since he began his career and played five seasons in Pittsburgh, where Clemente played 18 seasons. (Bell also was previously nominated for the award as a member of the Pirates.) But its connection actually dates further back to his childhood, when Bell was raised with an emphasis of helping others.

"Especially getting drafted by the Pirates, you learn all about him from the moment you get drafted," Bell said. "He was my mom’s favorite player, so she always told me about him. Her eyes would be glued to the TV whenever he was playing. It’s the second time now that I’ve been nominated, and I think back about Pittsburgh and what he meant to that community and now what he's meant to the game, all across the board. His name will forever be remembered.

"It’s definitely cool. It’s definitely special. It’s definitely an honor."