DENVER (AP) – Chicago Cubs All-Star first baseman Anthony Rizzo is the winner of the 2014 Branch Rickey award in recognition of his community work with pediatric cancer patients.
At 25, he’s the youngest person to receive the award – 4 1-2 months younger than last year’s winner, Los Angeles Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw.
Created by the Rotary Club of Denver in 1991, the Branch Rickey Award honors individuals in baseball who contribute to their communities and are strong role models for young people.
Each year, major league teams nominate a player, coach or executive, either active or retired, for the award. The award is named in honor of the late baseball executive known for creating the framework for the modern minor league farm system and for breaking baseball’s color barrier by signing Jackie Robinson, the first black player in the major leagues.
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