Each year, Major League Baseball (MLB) pauses to recognize the extraordinary talent and meritorious humanitarian service of its professional players. The Roberto Clemente Award honors the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Famer who died in a plane crash while transporting relief supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Since then, MLB has designated September 15 as Roberto Clemente Day. The 30 Major League Baseball clubs officially nominate one player from each team who best represents the classic American pastime through “extraordinary character” on and off the field, including community involvement and philanthropy.
Some of the most prominent baseball players to win the Roberto Clemente Award include Willie Mays, Cal Ripken Jr., Albert Pujols, Derek Jeter, David Ortiz, and most recently, Mookie Betts.
In addition to a $30,000 donation to charity, the recipient receives two distinct awards.
Two Tiers of Honor: Design and Composition
The MLB leads the ideation, official governance, and presentation of the current statuette Roberto Clemente Award, while corporate custom-award manufacturer FineAwards produced the engraved crystal Clemente Award from 1991 to 2015. After 2015, MLB moved to the cast-iron piece they present today.
The League-Wide Award: This award is a sculpture-style trophy, featuring a detailed, full-figure cast-iron statue of Roberto Clemente running down the first baseline. The sculpture is anchored to a thick, tiered dark-wood pedestal. A brushed metallic plaque affixed to the front face is custom engraved with the award’s criteria and an inscription celebrating the player’s extraordinary philanthropy. The MLB doesn’t publicly disclose design details of the statuette, but its estimated dimensions are approximately 10 to 12 inches in height.
Since 2022, a customized patch marking the 50th anniversary of Clemente’s death has also been added to the lineup of recognition products associated with the award. Players may wear a dedicatory “21” patch on the backs of their batting helmets and caps for the remainder of their major-league careers.
The Team-Nominee Award: The 30 club nominees are recognized locally with a modern, minimalist trophy. The version which FineAwards produced featured 3D subsurface engraving so that the image sits inside the crystal rather than on its surface, over a black marble base with standard sand etching for the winner and year. The etching featured a highly detailed likeness of Roberto Clemente in motion inside the glass, accented with high-quality MLB branding. The crystal measured 2.5 inches by 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches on a 1.75-inch base, and weighed 2 pounds.
In addition to the highly detailed laser-etched award, the overall winner now receives a second award: a statuette of the iconic player.
The Legacy Lives On
According to MLB, the “30 Club nominees for the 2026 Roberto Clemente Award include some of the game’s most philanthropic players, including 14 first-time honorees.” The nominees are active in awareness, advocacy, and fundraising across cancer, illness, and special needs; natural disaster relief; and outreach and education for underserved children and communities worldwide.