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Wakefield receives Clemente Award

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Major League Baseball announced Thursday that Boston pitcher Tim Wakefield had won the 2010 Roberto Clemente Award.

The honor goes each year to a player who has combined outstanding play on the field with work in the community.

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Wakefield, 44, has raised almost $1 million over the past six years for the non-profit "Pitching for Kids" organization, which creates special projects so children can learn life skills. Wakefield received the award Thursday prior to the start of the second game of the World Series.

The special recognition was originally known as The Commissioner's Award. It was renamed in 1973 in honor of Clemente, who died in a plane crash on New Year's Eve, 1972 while helping transport relief supplies to earthquake-stricken Nicaragua.

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