On Friday night, Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo won the Roberto Clemente Award, and the very next day he once again proved why he was honored.
Rizzo, who won the award given to players who excel on the field and embrace charitable endeavors away from the diamond, received a $25,000 check in honor of the award. Instead of pocketing the money or throwing a party, he instead chose to give it away.
According to Cubs reporter Carrie Muskat, Rizzo donated the $25,000 to Puerto Rico hurricane relief efforts in honor of Clemente’s charitable legacy.
Clemente, a legendary player for the Pittsburgh Pirates and a Puerto Rico native, died in 1972 in a plane crash as he was flying to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. MLB waived the five-year waiting period for induction into the Hall of Fame, enshrining Clemente in 1973.
Rizzo won the Clemente Award as a result of his charitable efforts, including $3.5 million in donations to Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago. The Anthony Rizzo Foundation helps families whose children are dealing with cancer by covering various expenses and medical costs so that the families can focus on getting their kids healthy.