Since 1999, the 25th anniversary of Hank Aaron breaking Babe Ruth's all-time home run record, Major League Baseball has recognized the best offensive performer from each league with the Hank Aaron Award. This year, your own Andruw Jones was the recipient of the National League award. But that wasn't the only award Andruw pulled in during recent weeks. Last week, Jones was also named Sporting News Major League Player of the Year. And that's just the beginning. Jones is sure to grab his eighth consecutive gold glove award and garner serious consideration for MVP honors in the National League.
Not to be outdone by his teammate, John Smoltz earned a prestigious award of his own this week when he was named the recipient of Major League Baseball's Clemente award, named in honor of the legendary Hall of Famer, Roberto Clemente. One can argue that the Clemente award is the most important of all awards as it recognizes the player who gives the most of himself both on and off the field. John Smoltz has been a community leader and a active participant in several charities across the country. He is more than just a leader. He is someone that our children can truly idolize.