MLB WORLD SERIES: YANKEES VS DODGERS

October 28, 2024

Salvador Perez

Robert Manfred

Roberto Clemente

Luis Clemente

Andy Navarrete

Yankee Stadium

Roberto Clemente Award Presentation

SIERA SANTOS: Good evening, everyone. My name is Siera Santos from MLB Network. It is my honor to welcome you to the official trophy presentation of Major League Baseball's most prestigious individual player honor, the Roberto Clemente Award, presented by Capital One.

The Roberto Clemente Award pays tribute to the late Hall of Famer's legacy, achievements, and character by recognizing a Major League player who best represents the game through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropic excellence, and positive contributions on and off the field.

MLB has been recognizing Major League players for their philanthropic work since 1971. This special recognition was named the Roberto Clemente Award in 1973 to immortalize the 15-time All-Star after he was tragically lost in a plane crash on New Year's Eve 1972 on his way to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.

Roberto's humanitarian spirit continues through the tremendous generosity and community work demonstrated by Major Leaguers all around our country and the world. Tonight is a celebration of his philanthropic legacy that grows stronger among players year after year.

The original name for this special honor was the Commissioner's Award. So it is fitting that I now welcome the Commissioner of Baseball, Rob Manfred, to present the trophy to this year's recipient.

ROB MANFRED JR.: That was a good name change if you think about it, from the Commissioner's Award to Roberto Clemente. It's a good name change.

I'd like to welcome everyone to the annual Roberto Clemente press conference. I want to begin by thanking Capital One -- Andy Navarrete is here with us again this year. Not only for the sponsorship of the award itself, but for their sponsorship of Roberto Clemente Day. They've been a great partner to Major League Baseball generally and to the Clemente Foundation. We appreciate it.

ANDY NAVARRETE: Thank you.

ROBERT MANFRED JR.: This is baseball's most prestigious award. It's a great award because it puts focus on the involvement and the philanthropic efforts that our players undertake throughout the year. It's also important because it carries on the legacy of the great Roberto Clemente.

Speaking of greatness, we have a number of former Roberto Clemente Award winners here with us in the stadium tonight. Jimmy Rollins, David Ortiz, Derek Jeter, Jon Smoltz, Al Leiter, Harold Reynolds -- I saw Harold earlier -- Clayton Kershaw, Anthony Rizzo, and last year's winner Aaron Judge are all in Yankee Stadium tonight, and that's a great thing.

I should also note we lost two former winners this year, Pete Rose, the first winner, and the great Willie Mays.

The nominees this year really did tremendous work in all of the Major League communities and, in fact, around the world. Just to mention a few: great support for the fight against ALS; wonderful efforts to support some of our military families; one that's near and dear to my heart, baseball development in underserved communities; and support for young children with serious medical conditions.

This year we have the first Kansas City Royal ever. You know the press release is out there already, no drama, but Salvador Perez, a well-deserving winner.

The good works that this man does are really unbelievable. In his home in Venezuela, his hometown, he does everything from providing food and medical care to providing a baseball field for baseball and softball and all the equipment in the league so that the kids have the equipment to play with.

Here in the United States, he's been active in the fight against ALS and other health causes. He supported Teach For America program in Kansas City. He gave a million dollars to the Royals Youth Academy, which is one of our very, very best, thanks in part to your generosity. He even stopped this year on the way to a game in order to play a little wiffle ball and promote baseball involvement.

The Clemente Award adds to a great list of career highlights for Salvy. He's a nine-time All-Star. He's a World Series champion of course in 2015. He won five Gold Gloves and was the fourth captain of the Kansas City Royals.

I really want to thank Sal and his wife Gaby for being here tonight and add my personal congratulations.

SALVADOR PEREZ: Thank you.

(Applause.)

SIERA SANTOS: Thank you so much, Commissioner Manfred. And Roberto Clemente's legacy, his incredible legacy, it lives on in part thanks to our next speakers. I'm proud to introduce two of Roberto's three sons, Luis Clemente, and Roberto Clemente Jr., and I'm proud to call you guys my friend.

LUIS CLEMENTE: Thanks, Siera, Mr. Commissioner. Thank you, Capital One. Thank you so much for your support for sponsoring the award and the Clemente Day.

Salvy, like we were talking earlier, it is very, very tough to go through all of the accolades and everything you guys do on the field, off the field, to show what MLB is all about, to show the goodwill that exists. What an amazing season, huh? It's been unbelievable. You guys make the young ones really want to watch baseball, want to play the game in all that you do.

You are an incredible example of what baseball is all about, and in the same fashion that Dad did things. I know people that he'd stop after games and he would play catch with just a random boy that he saw outside his front door, his patio.

When I saw you do that playing wiffle ball, it really said it all to me. You are a great, great recipient of the Clemente Award. We welcome you with open hearts.

Every Venezuelan, every Latino player should be extremely proud of you becoming this year's recipient. Thanks so much. Congratulations.

ROBERTO CLEMENTE JR.: Salvy, te amo.

SALVADOR PEREZ: Te amo. I need to start by saying te amo. That's how you say hello to your friends in Venezuela. The impact you've had in Venezuela and the United States really speaks volumes to who you are. Your infectious smile really comes across. And it's a true human that is actually wearing a baseball uniform for Kansas City. So I'm very proud to welcome you officially to the Clemente Award family.

(Applause.)

SIERA SANTOS: In 2022, Capital One became the presenting sponsor of not only the Roberto Clemente Award but also Roberto Clemente Day. To speak on their behalf, please welcome executive vice president and head of external affairs for Capital One, Andy Navarrete.

ANDY NAVARRETE: Thank you so much.

Salvy, just congratulations on this incredible honor. We were talking just before, and you shared maybe this is number one, maybe number two to World Series MVP back in 2015.

One of the things we were so excited about with this sponsorship of Major League Baseball was the opportunity to really give a platform not only to Roberto Clemente Day and this incredibly important award, but also Jackie Robinson Day and so many celebrations of the rich diversity that baseball gives us every single season.

I have to tell you -- one of the responsibilities that I wasn't aware of was the need to vote every year, and I have to tell you, just reading the submissions, extraordinary contributions that so many players are making across the league, it's just something not only to be celebrated, but to really be just recognized for the importance that baseball puts on giving back to the community.

But one of the things I love about this award is it celebrates not only off the field, but on the field performance. Salvy, you have a stat line that would make Roberto proud -- a perennial All-Star, multiple Golden Glove winner, the World Series MVP. You've just had an incredible career all with one organization, which I know just must mean such a great deal to you.

But in looking at all of the various activities that you have represented, not only the ones that the commissioner listed, but the one that stood out in your submission from me was your support of the Carlos Fortuna Foundation. I know he was someone you were very close to, and he passed away tragically. The notion of not only helping those in your home country and in your adopted hometown of Kansas City, but an opportunity to support just your fellow Latin community members in Colombia.

I heard the story of you during COVID when transportation was a problem, actually walking across the border to continue to support those activities. That is just the kind of overcoming of obstacles that I'm sure Roberto would have been very, very proud of.

So just honored to be sharing the stage with you. Congratulations on this incredible and very, very well deserved award. Thank you for everything that you are doing to the game.

SALVADOR PEREZ: Thank you.

SIERA SANTOS: Salvador, tonight you join the illustrious names of those who have received this prestigious honor. Additionally, as first mentioned, you have etched yourself in history as the very first Kansas City Royal to earn this award.

While Royals owner John Sherman wasn't able to be here tonight, he asked that we share the following statement: "The Kansas City Royals are certainly in this business to win baseball games, but it's much more important than that. Having an impact on a community is a big part of our mission, and Salvy is leading the charge for us."

Salvador, I'm sure you have a lot to say about this accomplishment, so the floor is yours.

SALVADOR PEREZ: Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. Thank you, Roberto Clemente family. Super excited to be here.

First I want to thank my mom. I want to thank God first, my mom, my wife, my friends, all the people who help me to make all these things happen.

Everything started -- driving after the game in Kansas City back to my house, my mom talked to me how we can do to make people, to make families happy. She knows where we're coming from. She know how hard she worked to get everything I need to play this game, beautiful game. I get back home and talk to my mom, yeah, let's start. Let's open up a foundation. Let's do some good things.

We know where we're coming from, but I don't want to sit here and talk about all the bad things. I just like to see what I can do to help, the key to make people happy.

Super excited. I read a lot about Roberto Clemente and how he was an amazing player. Something that touched me is the way he helped people outside the field. So I want to thank you guys too for continuing to do that for every kid, every foundation.

Just excited, excited to be here, excited for this award. I have to tell you, after winning a World Series, this is the second best award I ever got.

I got some Gold Gloves, Silver Slugger, World Series MVP, but this means a lot to me. Guys that know me know that I don't like to post on a lot of things that I like to do on social media. So for you guys to recognize that and be able to see what I do, it means a lot to me, guys. I appreciate that. Thank you for having me tonight. I'm so happy to be here. Thank you guys.

(Applause.)

SIERA SANTOS: Thank you and congratulations again to you, Salvador.

LUIS CLEMENTE: Siera, may I say something? I want to mention your fellow Venezuelan Carlos Carrasco who is also a recipient of the award.

SIERA SANTOS: Since we're not going to see it posted on social media, Salvy, where are you putting the trophy?

SALVADOR PEREZ: I think next to my bed. My wife asked the same question, where we going to put that one?

SIERA SANTOS: She's okay with it, though, right?

I'm going to open up the floor for questions.

Q. Salvy, when you were a young player, the charities and foundation works that you chose, of all the ones you could have chosen, what was near and dear to your heart that made you choose the ones you did?

SALVADOR PEREZ: When I was growing up, it was hard to buy supplies, like bats and baseballs. That's the one me and my mom talked about, like we should create like a Little League team. We got 220 kids in Venezuela. So we bring everything. They don't have to pay for anything.

So I think that's the one really near my heart. I know how hard it is to get things like that in Venezuela.

Q. Salvador, congratulations. Luis just mentioned it, a lot of guys look up to you, especially young guys. For someone who's just starting out in the Big Leagues, what would you say to them if they don't know where to start to start giving back to their community? What would you say to them?

SALVADOR PEREZ: We understand it's a long season. It's 162 games. But if you pick one day every month to just make some kids -- just one day. I know sometimes we're tired and we like to enjoy the off day at home, like we don't want to do anything. I get it. But just for two or three hours one day every month, just one day out of 30 days, 31 days, just one day go have fun, go make some kid happy, you know. They're never, never going to forget that.

When I get out in the wiffle ballgame, it's just a bunch of kids. I told myself should I stop or should I go home? So I decided to stop, and I think it was the right decision because they still talk to me about that day. I don't think they're never, never going to forget that moment, just to be there to play wiffle ball with these kids.

That's what I tell all the guys who try to follow me or try to be like me, outside the field, just take it one day once a month, and you're going to make some kids happy.

SIERA SANTOS: This concludes tonight's press conference.