Tampa Rays designated hitter, Montecristi’s Nelson Cruz won Major League Baseball’s prestigious Roberto Clemente Award. Cruz becomes the 50th baseball player to receive the award. He received the award during the Wednesday, 27 October 2021, World Series game at Houston’s Minute Maid Park.
The award recognizes a player who best represents the game “through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.” Cruz was nominated to the award by the Twins, that traded him to the Rays on 22 July.
41-year old Cruz is recognized for making substantial contributions to his remote Dominican Republic hometown of Las Matas de Santa Cruz in Montecristi. He has helped install a health clinic, police station (plus motorcycles and supplies for officers).
After a fire destroyed the home of a childhood friend, he donated a fire truck and other firefighting equipment (including uniforms for 80 firefighters) and supplies, as well as an ambulance and medical supplies to his hometown.
The media reports that Cruz helped out 1,200 families in Las Matas de Santa Cruz during the Covid-19 pandemic.
29 October 2021