Liam Hendriks has been a wonderful addition for the White Sox, both on and off the field since he came to the team before the 2021 season. This year, he has continued to be recognized for his off-the-field contributions.
Hendriks was named the White Sox nominee for the 2022 Roberto Clemente Award. Funnily enough, Jake Diekman was named the Red Sox nominee for the 2022 Roberto Clemente Award – despite being traded to the White Sox during the season. MLB made this announcement earlier this afternoon.
As MLB writes: “The Roberto Clemente Award is bestowed annually to the player who best represents the game of Baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy, and positive contributions, both on and off the field.
Every year, each MLB Club nominates a player to be considered for the Award in tribute to Clemente’s achievements and character. This year’s list of nominees features players whose various community and philanthropic activities have focused on important issues ranging from awareness & fundraising to support those with cancer and other illnesses or special needs, education for young people, natural disaster relief, outreach to underserved children & communities in the United States and abroad, and more.”
Hendriks’ off-the-field contributions have become well-known to White Sox fans, as he and his wife Kristi have been active members in the Chicago community. Hendriks’ South Slydah Society is the most well-known way, however, he and his family have been outspoken supporters of the LGTBQ+ community and have spoken out against gun violence in Chicago. He has also partnered with organizations focused on animal welfare, including Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation, One Tail at a Time, Fetching Tails Foundation, Mission K-9, the Petco Foundation, and the Rescue Me Thursday campaign.
Here is some of MLB’s write-up on Hendriks on his nomination page:
“While three-time All-Star closer Liam Hendriks is an invaluable leader in the clubhouse, his efforts beyond baseball highlight an even greater dedication to driving positive social change. A tireless worker who leads by example, Hendriks’ South Slydah Society focuses on serving those most in need. It empowers selfless individuals and organizations and gives a voice to underrepresented communities. For the 33-year-old veteran pitcher, no task is too large or too small of an undertaking.
After donating nearly 1,400 meals from dozens of local, minority, and family-owned small businesses to essential workers during the public health crisis, Liam looked to this season with even greater philanthropic aspirations. He researched causes where he could make the greatest impact and provide immediate assistance. Through this effort, he identified three key pillars for giving back in 2022.”
You can read their entire write-up on Hendriks here.
This is Hendriks’ fourth nomination for the award, though he has never won. The only White Sox player to ever win the award was Paul Konerko, who was a co-winner with Jimmy Rollins back in 2014.
Fans have a say in who wins the award among the 30 representatives from each team. You can vote for Hendriks HERE, as well as learn more about each of the nominees.
Congratulations to Liam and his wife Kristi on making such an impact in the Chicago community. White Sox fans are lucky to have you.
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