By Mark Langill
Throughout his career with the Dodgers, Mookie Betts has displayed his versatility, whether in different positions on the field or spots in the batting order.
His extensive community work, ranging from Southern California to his native Nashville, Tennessee, has made Betts the Dodgers’ nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, Major League Baseball announced Monday.
The Roberto Clemente Award, presented by Capital One, is the annual recognition of a Major League player who best represents the game of Baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy, and positive contributions, both on and off the field.
As part of the program, each MLB Club nominates one player to be considered for the league-wide award in tribute to Clemente’s achievements and character. This is Betts’ first nomination for the award.
The Dodgers will honor Betts on the field before their game against the Colorado Rockies on Sept. 20.
Since making his debut in the Majors with the Boston Red Sox in 2014, Mookie Betts has been a premier player in both the American and National Leagues, collecting eight All-Star appearances, six Gold Gloves, six Silver Sluggers, a batting title and the 2018 AL MVP Award. In addition to his accolades, Betts has been on two World Series-winning and seven Postseason teams. The Dodgers acquired Betts in a trade with Boston before the 2020 season.
In 2021, Betts and his wife Brianna established the 5050 Foundation. The mission was simple: “Break barriers that hold kids back from their potential, particularly those who struggle medically and financially.”
The four pillars of the foundation represent the values of Mookie Betts: mental/emotional health, nutrition, financial literacy, and physical fitness.
Also in 2021, “50 Feeds LA” was launched in which Betts partnered with the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) to feed Angelenos in South Los Angeles. He has contributed more than $300,000 which has fed thousands over the past three holiday seasons. In 2023, alongside LADF and the Brotherhood Crusade, Betts handed out Thanksgiving meals to 1,500 families at Algin Sutton Recreational Center in South L.A. The rec center hosted the LADF’s third annual turkey giveaway as volunteers handed out meals, toys, and other supplies via drive-thru.
To introduce the 5050 Foundation to a broader audience, they launched the annual Mookie Betts + Friends Bowling Tournament in 2023. A portion of the proceeds from the 2024 event went toward field improvements at Jackie Robinson’s high school alma mater, John Muir that included dugout renovations, outfield widescreens, and other projects to boost the quality of the field offerings.
Betts and the 5050 Foundation made visits to UCLA Children’s Hospital, where they created the “Betts on Us Fund,” to help families of pediatric patients in need of financial assistance gain access to adequate health care support. In addition to the hospital partnership, Betts partnered with Crete Academy in South Los Angeles to help bring more than 700 underserved youth and their families to a Dodger game last September. The 5050 Foundation also hosted a financial literacy workshop this past January for three local high schools at Dodger Stadium, where students learned important financial literacy tools from seasoned Bank of America professionals.
Betts also created “Team Mookie” in Nashville. The elite boys’ basketball and Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team, 16U squad clinched the EYBL Championship League Title this past May.
Betts continues to be a regular part of the Dodgers’ community programming where he has entertained, mentored, and visited with Make-A-Wish program participants, UCLA health patients, local students, and student athletes and has been a staple of the team’s annual “Dodgers Love LA Community Tour.” He participates in the Dodgers’ annual Juneteenth activations and supports the team’s efforts to grow its African American fan base through his engagement in the annual Black Heritage Night programming and Jackie Robinson Day activations.
“Community work and helping others has always been important to me,” Betts says. “I never look for recognition because I feel like it’s a requirement for all of us to help others in need. I just try and be the best I can to everyone and hope that it’s meaningful. However, to be nominated and recognized for my commitment to the community and those around me is definitely an honor and leaves me encouraged to keep going.”
Betts named Clemente Award nominee was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.