WATCH: Former Yankee Derek Jeter Discusses the Roberto Clemente Award and the Life of the Selfless Pirates Outfielder: “…Because It’s Not Just About What You Did on the Field”

Amongst Jeter’s extensively long list of achievements is the Roberto Clemente Award that he won alongside the World Series in 2009. Markedly, Derek Jeter made his first MLB and Yankee appearance in 1995. He spent his entire 20-year-long MLB career with the Yankees and won five World Series Championships with them, one as the Captain.

The main intention of the Roberto Clemente Award is to give recognition to players who contribute to the community outside the ballpark. The criterion for the award is a “Commitment to community and understanding the value of helping others.”

Where does Derek Jeter place the Roberto Clemente Award in his list of achievements?

Derek Jeter, who is a 2009 Roberto Clemente Award winner, spoke highly of the award. In an interview with Harold Reynolds and Pedro Martinez, Jeter says that he considers the Clemente Award right at the top with all the other major awards. He said, “It sits right there up at the top because it’s not just about what you did on the field.”

Jeter, while raising the importance of helping the community, said, “I think you go around and you ask everyone in the game about Roberto Clemente. The first thing that comes to mind is all the work that he did in the community. He tragically passed away giving relief aid, emergency aid. It really is unfortunate, but I think then your mind goes to just what he stood for. Not just his stats on the field and the act that he’s a Hall of Fame baseball player, but just how much giving back to the community meant to him.”

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Markedly, Roberto shockingly passed away in 1972. In the middle of his peak baseball career, while helping with earthquake relief work in Nicaragua, he met with a plane crash and lost his life.

Roberto Clemente’s MLB career

Roberto Clemente lived a life of success and selflessness. While he was a champion on the field, he won everyone’s hearts off the field as well. He made his MLB debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1955. His 17-year-long MLB career, came to an end in 1972 with his tragic death in a plane crash. During this career, he appeared on 15 All-Star teams and won two World Series Champions. Moreover, he also won a National League and World Series MVP. He entered the MLB Hall of Fame in 1973 and the Pirates retired his jersey number 21.

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