Colorado Rockies' Matt Holliday Named Recipient of the 2007 Roberto Clemente Award

09/05/2007 -- Matt Holliday today was named the Colorado Rockies recipient of the 2007 Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevrolet. He is now one of 30 Major League Club nominees for the national 2007 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. Today also marks the sixth annual Roberto Clemente Day, which was established by Major League Baseball in 2002 to honor the memory of Roberto Clemente and to officially recognize local Club recipients of the Roberto Clemente Award.

"Matt continues to be a quiet and humble leader in the Rockies community," Rockies Vice President of Community/Retail Operations Jim Kellogg said. "He is always willing to lend his support to many projects including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver and The Children's Hospital."

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Chevrolet, the official sponsor of the Roberto Clemente Award, and Matt will donate $7,500 to the Mike Coolbaugh Memorial Fund. Coolbaugh was the Tulsa Drillers coach killed during a game on July 22 in Arkansas. Chevrolet will also be making a $30,000 donation to the charity of choice of the national Roberto Clemente Award winner and a $30,000 contribution to Roberto Clemente Sports City in Puerto Rico.

The Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevrolet, is part of the company's official sponsorship of Major League Baseball, and recognizes those players who best exemplify 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 was killed on New Year's Eve 1972 while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. This award perpetuates Clemente's memory and character by recognizing current-day players who truly understand the value of helping others.

For the first time, fans can participate in the selection process of the national winner of the Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevrolet. From September 5 through October 5, 2007, fans can log on to mlb.com/chevy21 and vote for one of the 30 Club nominees. 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 will automatically be registered for a chance to win a trip to Game Three of the 2007 World Series, where the national winner of the Roberto Clemente Award, presented by Chevrolet will be announced.

Source: MLB