More than 600 people attended the dinner at a downtown Boston hotel where designated hitter David Ortiz was presented with the Roberto Clemente Award as well as the Tim Wakefield Award for community service by a Red Sox player. Retired St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa was given the organization’s most prestigious honor, the Judge Emil Fuchs Award for long and meritorious service to baseball, named for the former owner of the Boston Braves.
Others honored included Chicago Cubs outfielder Tony Campana, who overcame Hodgkin’s lymphoma, as the Tony Conigliaro Award winner for dealing with adversity.
Jacoby Ellsbury was chosen as the Red Sox MVP after a year in which he finished second in the AL MVP voting. One year after playing in just 18 games because of injuries, Ellsbury batted .321 with 32 homers and 105 RBIs — all career highs — and had 39 stolen bases.
He also batted .358 with eight homers and 21 RBIs in September, one of the few bright spots for the Red Sox as they went 7-20 down the stretch to finish one game behind Tampa Bay in the AL wild-card race.
“I’m really looking forward to being with the guys,’’ Boston manager Bobby Valentine said, turning to Ortiz and saying: “That smile is part of any culture. So I want to see that smile.’’
Alluding to the reports of pitchers drinking beer and eating fried chicken in the clubhouse during games, Valentine said, “Josh Beckett’s presence has got to be the right presence, and he assures me that it is.’’
“One of my jobs is to get the guys to believe. Not to believe in me,’’ Valentine said. “But to believe that they deserve and they’re ready to win a championship.’’
Other honors included:
—Associated Press sports writer Howard Ulman with the Dave O’Hara Award for BBWAA service.
—Fenway Park architect Janet Marie Smith for her work on the ballpark’s renovations, in recognition of its 100th anniversary.
—Catcher Ryan Lavarnway as Red Sox minor league player of the year.
—Traded outfielder Josh Reddick with the Harry Agganis Award as Red Sox rookie of the year.
—Tampa Bay’s Joe Maddon as manager of the year.
—Texas general manager Jon Daniels as major league executive of the year.
