SAN FRANCISCO - Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins and White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko received the Clemente Award, the first time two players have shared US baseball's prestigious honor for community service.
Jimmy Rollins of the Philadelphia Phillies has long supported J-Roll's Aces, a charitable ticket program, and the J-Roll's Readers program, each of which is dedicated to directly working with and enhancing the lives of inner-city students
The two were presented with the award shortly before the start of game three of the World Series, Major League Baseball's best-of-seven championship final featuring the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals.
Rollins has long supported J-Roll's Aces, a charitable ticket program, and the J-Roll's Readers program, each of which is dedicated to directly working with and enhancing the lives of inner-city students.
During his time in Philadelphia, he has also hosted major fundraisers to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, Prevent Child Abuse, Pennsylvania, The Food Trust, SHARE Food Program and St. Christopher's Foundation for Children, raising more than $1 million.
This season, Rollins also passed Mike Schmidt and became the Phillies' all-time hits leader.
Konerko and his wife, Jennifer, founded the Bring Me Home Campaign in 2007 as a family effort with former White Sox teammate Jim Thome and his wife, Andrea.
They partnered with the White Sox and Children's Home and Aid to help raise awareness, generate support, recruit foster parents and advocate for the needs of foster children and their families.
Within its first seven years, the Bring Me Home Campaign has raised nearly $450,000. Konerko also supports a variety of White Sox Charities efforts and hosts various groups at home games, including Patient Airlift Service (PALS) for Patriots and Make-A-Wish children and their families.
Candidates are nominated by their teams for the award, which honors the legacy of late Pittsburgh Pirates star Roberto Clemente of Puerto Rico, who was killed in a plane crash while taking relief supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua on New Year's Eve 1972.
Fan votes help decide the winner, combined with votes from a panel that includes Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig and commissioner-elect Rob Manfred and Clemente's widow, Vera Clemente.
Rollins and Konerko tied in this year's final vote.