Clemente Award nomination has special meaning for Pittsburgh native Bednar
Alex Stumpf
@AlexJStumpfThis story was excerpted from Alex Stumpf¡¯s Pirates Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
PITTSBURGH -- Ever since coming to the Pirates in 2021, David Bednar has proudly worn that he is a Pittsburgh kid playing for his hometown team. It¡¯s a dream come true for the Mars, Pa., native, and he¡¯s always made sure that his impact is not just on the baseball field, but also in the community.
¡°I was one of those kids in the stands, one of those kids who always came to games,¡± Bednar said. ¡°To be able to give back and put a smile on someone¡¯s face is huge for me.¡±
Bednar¡¯s philanthropy has not gone unnoticed, and the two-time All-Star is now a three-time Roberto Clemente Award nominee.
¡°It¡¯s a huge honor,¡± Bednar said. ¡°Obviously, what Roberto meant to this city and baseball as a whole ¨C and all of his efforts on and off the field ¨C is truly incredible. I want to try and carry his legacy on.¡±
This year, the new cornerstone of Bednar¡¯s philanthropic endeavors has been his work with Lending Hearts, a local pediatric cancer organization. At a gala in February, Bednar was named the 2024 Lending Hearts Friend Award winner, where he was accompanied by 8-year-old Kennedy Pavlisko, who was battling B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, as the honorees for the evening. Pavlisko told Bednar that later that month she would get to ¡°ring the bell¡± to signify she was cancer-free. While at Spring Training, Bednar and Connor Joe -- a cancer survivor himself -- sent her a message to congratulate her, and then he hosted her and her family at PNC Park on July 2, where Kennedy threw out the first pitch to him.
Bednar¡¯s impact in the community extended well beyond Lending Hearts, too. He¡¯s connected with other pediatric cancer patients and their families in other cities for special on-field experiences, where he presents them with custom Pirates jerseys, autographs and pictures. He also hosted a clinic at PNC Park in June for other pediatric cancer patients through Lending Heart.
In November, he joined the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and Pirates community team for a Thanksgiving dinner distribution event, as well as leading a donation effort of more than 500 boxes of stuffing for Light of Life Rescue Mission, a Pittsburgh-area homeless shelter. During Spring Training, Bednar was one of over 20 uniformed Pirates staff who participated in the team¡¯s Miracle League Fantasy Camp event, where he helped distribute medals, spent time with athletes and celebrated what these young athletes can do.
It will also be the third academic school year for Chill Mobile, a retrofitted RV which offers students across the Pittsburgh region a calming space where they can learn evidence-based coping skills and participate in practical and interactive experiences, with the goal of not only improving individual mental health, but of extending the conversation into the larger community and reducing the stigma surrounding mental health and wellness. Bednar has been involved with the project since its inception.
If that all seems like a lot, well, you can see why manager Derek Shelton has said Bednar doesn¡¯t say no to any charitable endeavor in his home city.
¡°We're talking about David, who is here year-round,¡± Shelton said. ¡°Anything that the Pirates have, I think he is willing to do and participate in -- whether it's giving away turkeys at Thanksgiving or giving away toys during the holidays. The fact that he lives here and is from here makes it more special."
While this is Bednar¡¯s third time being the team¡¯s nominee, the honor has not lost its luster.
¡°It¡¯s still equally special,¡± Bednar said. ¡°To be nominated for this is incredibly humbling. There¡¯s so many people doing great things, and everybody [is] moving the needle forward and [to] carry on [Clemente¡¯s] legacy as best we can.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a big piece of not only my playing career, but also my life,¡± Bednar added later. ¡°I¡¯m fortunate to have great role models in my parents, and now my wife is equally about giving back and helping out the community. To have that support system and having everyone pulling in the same direction is huge, along with with Pirates Charities and Bob Nutting. They all do a great job giving back and spreading a lot of love throughout the community.¡±