Craig Biggio
photo by Tim Evearitt (file photo)
Less than a month after he said goodbye to baseball and hello to retirement, Craig Biggio was given the highest off-the-field honor in baseball -- the 2007 Roberto Clemente Award.
With 3,060 hits and 291 home runs Biggio will undoubtedly be remembered first for his offensive contributions during his 20-year Major League career. But it's quite possible the veteran second baseman is as recognizable to those in his adopted home of Houston for his affiliation with the Sunshine Kids as he is for his on-field accomplishments.
The Clemente Award recognizes the player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team. It is named in honor of the former Pirates outfielder whose spirit and goodwill will always be remembered. Clemente died in a plane crash while attempting to transport relief supplies to earthquake-stricken Nicaragua on Dec. 31, 1972.
Biggio, the 2005 winner of the Hutch Award and the recipient of the 2006 "Heart and Hustle" Award, made it a hat trick this year, winning the top community service honor.
Biggio was presented the Clemente Award during a pregame ceremony prior to Game 3 of the World Series in Denver.
Clemente's wife, Vera, and their sons, Luis and Roberto Jr., were part of the presentation, as they are every year.
Since the early 1990s, the Biggios have been the main spokespeople for The Sunshine Kids, a support group for children with cancer and their families. They host an annual baseball party at Minute Maid Park, at which more than 100 children with cancer play baseball, with Biggio serving as the pitcher.
They also host a holiday party at the Sunshine Kids house in Houston that the Biggios helped restore and furnish. Through the annual Sunshine Kids Celebrity Golf Classic, Biggio has raised more than $2.5 million for the organization over the last 16 years.
Chevrolet, the sponsor of the Clemente Award, donated $30,000 and a brand new 2008 Chevy Silverado in Craig's name to the Sunshine Kids Foundation. Chevrolet also will donate $30,000 to the Roberto Clemente Sports City in Puerto Rico.
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From MLB.com
Biggio should make it into the Major League Hall of Fame.
photo by Tim Evearitt (file photo)