Melvin Mora Named Orioles' Recipient of the 2008 Roberto Clements Award
3B Melvin Mora today was named the Baltimore Orioles' recipient of the 2008 Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevy. He is one of 30 Major League Club nominees for the national 2008 Roberto Clemente Award, which is given annually to the Major League Baseball player who combines outstanding skills on the baseball field with devoted work in the community. Tomorrow will mark the seventh annual Roberto Clemente Day, which was established by Major League Baseball in 2002 to honor the legacy of Roberto Clemente.
The Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevy, is part of Chevy's official sponsorship of Major League Baseball, and recognizes those players who best represent the game of baseball through sportsmanship, community involvement and positive contributions to their teams. The award is named for Clemente, a 12-time All-Star and Hall of Famer who died on New Year's Eve 1972 while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. This award perpetuates Clemente's legacy and character by recognizing current-day players who truly understand the value of helping others.
Fans are encouraged to participate in the selection of the national winner of the Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevy. From September 3rd through October 5th, 2008, fans can log on to www.chevy.com/clemente and vote for one of the 30 Club nominees.
Melvin and his wife, Gisel, have a strong and very meaningful affiliation with Baltimore's Mount Washington Pediatric Hospital, whose mission is to improve the health and well being of all children who are ill, injured, or in need of help, through providing the highest quality pediatric services in a nurturing environment. They became sponsors of Mt. Washington's annual golf tournament, with the outing being named in their honor the past three years. Through this event and other activities, the Mora family has helped raise in excess of $540,000 in support, which has been used to purchase medical equipment, make capital improvements, and purchase items such as toys and clothing.
Each year Mora donates thousands of dollars towards the OriolesREACH Gameday Experience program. The money donated is used to purchase game tickets, transportation, t-shirts, and food vouchers for underprivileged children. Melvin's contribution allows children to experience a Major League ballgame who otherwise would not be able to do so because of financial restraints.
In 2005, Melvin started the Melvin Mora Foundation to fund educational, medical and other areas of need in his native Venezuela. This year, the Orioles and the Mora Foundation formed a partnership in which equipment donated during the annual Cardboard to Leather program will be sent to Venezuela in October to benefit the Mora Foundation.
The Orioles will recognize Melvin's nomination in a pre-game ceremony before the Tuesday, September 9 game against the Cleveland Indians.
The fan vote winner will be tallied as one vote among those cast by the selection panel, which includes Vera Clemente, wife of the late Hall of Famer, and Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. Participating fans automatically will be registered for a chance to win a trip to Game Three of the 2008 World Series, where the national winner of the Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevy will be announced.
As the official sponsor of the Roberto Clemente Award, Chevy will donate $7,500 to the charity of choice of each of the 30 Club recipients. Chevy also will donate $30,000 and a Chevy vehicle to the national winner's charity of choice and an additional $30,000 will be donated by Chevy to Roberto Clemente Sports City, a not-for-profit organization in Carolina, Puerto Rico, designed to provide recreational sports activities for children.
