MLB WORLD SERIES: CARDINALS v RED SOX

October 26, 2004

Roberto Clemente

Edgar Martinez

Harold Reynolds

Allan H. "Bud" Selig

HAROLD REYNOLDS: My name is Harold Reynolds. I am from ESPN. I was the recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award in 1991. Tonight we are here to honor Roberto Clemente in presenting this year's winner, who is Edgar Martinez from the Seattle Mariners. Let me introduce our esteemed panel up here. To my right here is Carol Fulp. She is with John Hancock, she is the vice-president of community relations there, and she is going to speak in a minute. No introduction to the gentleman next to her, Commissioner Bud Selig. Edgar Martinez in the middle and Roberto Clemente, Jr.;. Also Roberto's other son Luis is here, and their mother Vera is not here today. Edgar's wife Holli and his son Alex. Those are the people that are going to participate in this event we have right now. First I want to turn it over to the Commissioner. Mr. Selig, go ahead.

BUD SELIG: Thank you, Harold. And good evening everybody. I was trying to do a little rain dance, to make sure the rain stops. I've had many years ago of doing that, as a few of you know. Hopefully we will start on time tonight. The Roberto Clemente Award is given annually in Roberto's honor to the baseball player who combines outstanding skills on the baseball field and dedicated work in the community. Roberto Clemente's passion for the game of baseball, and his commitment in making a difference in the lives of those in need, transcend time and continue to have an impact to this day. This year's winner is Edgar Martinez. I congratulate him for his outstanding and record-setting baseball career, but frankly more importantly for the support both he and his wife, Holli, have provided to the Seattle community. Edgar and Holli have given back in numerous ways throughout the years, contributing countless hours, funds and resources to charitable organizations and programs that have had a positive impact on children and families throughout the Pacific Northwest. Since 2001 much of Edgar and Holli's efforts have been devoted to the Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy. The couple has been instrumental in helping raise funds and awareness for muscular dystrophy. In recognition of his community service and selection as a 2004 Roberto Clemente Award recipient, Edgar will receive a $25,000 donation from John Hancock financial services, which will be given to the charity of his choice, Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy. John Hancock will also make a $30,000 contribution in Edgar Martinez's name to the Roberto Clemente Sports City in Puerto Rico. I'd like to thank John Hancock Financial Services for its continued support of Major League Baseball and the Roberto Clemente Award, and these extremely generous and charitable donations. And I'd also like to thank the Clementes, Luis and Roberto, Jr., for their continued support in the great legacy of their father. And I'd like to close, on the last Saturday night of the season I was in Seattle when Edgar and his wife, Holli, were honored, and I've been in this sport for almost 40 years and I don't think I've ever seen a night where there was more love and affection shown to a player. And it was obvious to me that as great a player as Edgar Martinez has been on the field, he's been a greater human being off the field.

ROBERTO CLEMENTE, JR.: Thank you, Harold. Well, mom wanted to be here today. She cannot be happier to actually have the first Puerto Rican to win the Roberto Clemente Award, Edgar Martinez. That's something she misses, and she'll be talking to you soon, Edgar. We are honored that Edgar Martinez is winning this award, and thanking John Hancock to give us the opportunity to give this award out to people like Edgar Martinez. And people have always asked me what player reminds me of my father. There are a couple of players that remind me of my father on the field, but off the field I always close with the comment that as a person there's no one as classy as a humanitarian as Edgar Martinez. It's a pleasure for me to be here today giving this award to Edgar Martinez. Thank you.

CAROL FULP: Thank you, Harold, and Commissioner and also my good friend, Roberto, and a special thank you to you, Edgar Martinez. It is a pleasure to be the presenting sponsor for the Roberto Clemente Award. And this award and this year means so very much. Edgar's work along with Holli's assistance has been so deep in the city of Seattle and we really could not think of a better awardee this year. And that's why we literally stepped up to the plate to give to Edgar's nonprofit of choice, Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy. In addition, we really do want to continue the legacy of Roberto Clemente. It was he who wanted to insure children in Puerto Rico had a safe and nurturing environment to go and play sports. So we had the opportunity to commit $30,000 to the Roberto Clemente Sports City in Puerto Rico, and that means so much to us. But it is really the partnership with Major League Baseball that is incredibly tremendous, from Commissioner Selig to Bob Dupuy to all the wonderful people in Major League Baseball that partner with us across the country, ensuring that so many inner-city kids have the opportunity to participate in Roberto Clemente Life Skills Workshops. That really is deep work for us. So Edgar, I want to welcome you to the Roberto Clemente family. It's a wonderful partnership, it's a wonderful privilege and we couldn't think of a better person deserving of the Roberto Clemente Award. Congratulations, Edgar.

EDGAR MARTINEZ: Thank you. Good evening. Thank you, Harold, for the wonderful words. To Ms. Fulp, thank you, and also thank you for the donation, to the parent project. To Mr. Selig for also being here and those kind words. And also I want to take the opportunity for thank you for the DH award that was given to me that Saturday night in Seattle. I was especially honored by that award. To the Clemente family, to Mrs. Vera, that's not here, I hope that everything is okay at home. And to Luis and Roberto Clemente, Jr., also, thank you. To me it's an honor to receive this award and I will treasure this, and just by looking at this award it just brings so many memories and it means a lot to me. When I started playing baseball, I think it happens because I was watching the World Series where Clemente played in 1971, I believe, and after that series, I went outside in my house and I started playing in the yard, backyard, and I was hooked on baseball after that. And it's very special to me that now that I retire, my last award is Roberto Clemente Award. That's how things happen in life sometimes. But I started my career looking at Roberto, and right now I'm getting this award. It means a lot to me. I want to thank everyone here and especially to the Clemente family.

EDGAR MARTINEZ: It means a lot. I think it surprised me at the beginning when I heard that I was the first one, because I know that there are players in Puerto Rico, where they are also involved in the community, and they like to help the community. But it means a lot. Clemente was my idol as a child, and being able to get this award is very special to me.

ROBERTO CLEMENTE, JR.: It shows how tough it is to actually win the award, that's how I see it. There are so many players doing so much in the community. But for Edgar to be the first one, it is very special for us. The work of Edgar throughout the year since I've met him, what he has done and what he and Holli have done in their community has been wonderful, but as a person, I truly believe that he's the right guy to be the first?

EDGAR MARTINEZ: Roberto was very unique in playing the game. I didn't see him play in person, but I watched many of his highlights and he was a very unique player. It would be really hard to imitate Roberto Clemente. His style of fielding was very complicated for me to try it. But he was the best. He was the best Latin player and one of the best in baseball history. And his humanitarian efforts were something that I never knew personally, but I heard many things he did. It was an example at the time, and still today he is an example for younger players, and still today for me.

EDGAR MARTINEZ: I think the organization works really hard to facilitate the players to get involved in the community, and the players also care about the community and as a group sometimes with teams you get players that do that. And for the last few years we have teams that care about the community. It's a great place to play. The community is just a great community.