Kansas Metropolis Royals catcher Salvador Perez received the Roberto Clemente Award, Main League Baseball’s prestigious honor awarded yearly to the participant whose humanitarian efforts exemplify off-the-field service.
The 34-year-old, who has spent all 13 years of his main league profession with Kansas Metropolis, is the primary Royals participant to win the award and was lauded for his generosity not solely in his adopted hometown however in Valencia, Venezuela, the place Perez grew up, and Colombia, the place his contributions honor a minor league pitcher who died of most cancers.
“Once we do one thing, we do as a result of it is coming from my coronary heart,” Perez stated. “I do not love to do issues as a result of anyone ask me to do it. Once I sit with my mother and need to do one thing, we simply do. We do not have to publish something on social media. I do not like that. If I do, I do it for my coronary heart. I need to make folks comfortable.”
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Perez, the Royals’ captain who is among the most beloved athletes in Kansas Metropolis sports activities historical past, performed on Roberto Clemente Day this 12 months in Pittsburgh, the place the Corridor of Fame outfielder spent every of his 18 seasons. Perez later donated his catcher’s gear from that day to the Clemente Museum. Clemente, the Corridor of Fame outfielder for the Pirates, died in a airplane crash making an attempt to ship assist to Nicaragua after a devastating 1972 earthquake. Clemente, esteemed for his philanthropy throughout Latin America — together with his native Puerto Rico — was 38.
“I’ve learn loads [about] Roberto Clemente. I do know he was a tremendous participant, however he was even higher exterior the sphere,” Perez stated. “In order that made him tremendous particular and made this award tremendous particular.”
Perez stated he’s proudest of his work in Venezuela, a rustic ravaged by political instability and meals insecurity. Alongside together with his mom, Yilda Diaz, who raised him alone, Perez distributes meals and kitchen provides to almost 2,000 homes close to Valencia yearly and has supplied assist to greater than 10,000 households within the space. Lately, a youth league Perez owns has supplied baseball for 220 youngsters, providing free gear and clinics that promote schooling and security.
“The whole lot begins the place you are coming from,” Perez stated, “so that you make it to this stage, you may have alternative to assist folks.
“Venezuela is a part of my coronary heart, too,” he continued. “That is the nation that give me alternative. And I began taking part in baseball once I was 4 years previous, so it means loads to me. However political and all that, it is type of arduous to speak about that. Issues occur for a motive. I consider in God, and I feel sooner or later all the pieces’s going to alter for the nice manner.”
Venezuela’s neighbor to the west, Colombia, has been helped by Perez as effectively via the Carlos Fortuna Basis. Fortuna, a pitcher from the Dominican Republic within the Royals group, died in 2013 of liver most cancers on the age of twenty-two. Monica Ramirez, the Royals’ schooling/ESL & Latin American initiatives coordinator, helped create the inspiration to foster parental schooling, significantly in low-income Latin American nations. She met Perez when he was 16, shortly after he signed with the Royals. Perez calls Ramirez “my second mother” and when she requested him to help within the basis’s efforts, he stated he jumped on the alternative.
Throughout Kansas Metropolis — the place Perez is thought for his postgame watercooler showers of teammates affectionately known as the Salvy Splash — he’s a constant determine locally. From his $1 million donation to the town’s City Youth Academy, to his work with native ALS and childhood most cancers organizations, cost for surgical procedures to restore cleft lips in youngsters and donations to native police, Perez hopes his huge swath of service can encourage different gamers to be charitable.
“Generally you need to relaxation,” he stated. “Even if you happen to suppose sooner or later each month, simply sooner or later each month. That is it. Someday each month attempt to make some child comfortable. Do one thing. Even get your social media, make folks comfortable. Have an image with anyone. Simply sooner or later each month. I feel that is going to alter the world.”
A nine-time All-Star, Perez has received 5 Gold Gloves and was MVP of the 2015 World Sequence.
He posted usually sturdy numbers this 12 months, main the Royals to the playoffs for the primary time in 9 seasons and hitting .271/.330/.456 with 27 residence runs and 104 RBIs. Over his profession, Perez is batting .267/.303/.459 with 273 residence runs and 916 RBIs in 1,552 video games.
