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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted at 2:34 p.m., Saturday, October 25, 2008

MLB: St. Louis' Pujols wins Roberto Clemente Award

By DAN GELSTON
Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA — Albert Pujols has an MVP award and a World Series ring.

What the St. Louis slugger really wants is to be remembered for his charity work.

He was today when he was presented with the 2008 Robert Clemente Award, given annually to a major league player who combines community service with excellence on the field.

Pujols received the award in a ceremony at Citizens Bank Park before Game 3 of the World Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Philadelphia Phillies. He was selected from 30 nominees, one from each major league team, by a committee that included commissioner Bud Selig and Vera Clemente, Roberto's widow.

He was honored for his work with the Pujols Family Foundation, which helps the lives of children and young adults with Down syndrome. The foundation has helped more than 500 families affected by Down syndrome in the St. Louis area, with various programs and fundraising events.

Pujols has a daughter who was born with Down syndrome.

He joins a list of Roberto Clemente Award winners that has 13 Hall of Famers, including Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripken Jr. and Ozzie Smith. Retired Houston Astros second baseman Craig Biggio won the award last year.

Phillies Game 3 starter Jamie Moyer won the award in 2003.

Clemente was a Hall of Fame right fielder with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He died in a plane crash on New Year's Eve 1972 while trying to deliver relief supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. He finished his career with exactly 3,000 hits.