Albert Pujols has been named as the St. Louis Cardinals nominee for the 2011 Roberto Clemente Award. Each year, each of the 30 MLB clubs nominates the player who, in the words of Major League Baseball “best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual’s contribution to his team.”

This year, fans can cast their vote on-line for the player they consider most deserving of the award, joining the votes cast by a special selection committee that includes MLB Commissioner Bud Selig and Vera Clemente.

The description on the voting page for Albert Pujols reads as follows:

“Albert and Deidre Pujols founded The Pujols Family Foundation in May 2005. Over the past six years it has served more than 800 families affected by Down syndrome in the greater St. Louis area. Through various charity events Albert raises almost $500,000 yearly for his foundation and the Albert Pujols Adult Down Syndrome Wellness Center. His donations have allowed the center to become a pioneer in the field of offering specialized care for adults with Down Syndrome.

The foundation’s international outreach has brought medical assistance to more than 2,600 impoverished children in the Dominican Republic and funded the completion of a vocational school for the Orfanato Niños de Cristo orphanage, along with providing 300 beds to families in Haitian Bateys. All together, the Pujols Family Foundation has hosted more than 55 different programs and events in 2010, and is already on pace to exceed that number in 2011. In addition, Albert has signed thousands of dollars in memorabilia benefiting more than 45 organizations, including Ronald McDonald House, Autism Speaks, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Albert is also active with the Make-A-Wish® Foundation and the Caps for Kids.”

Please show your support for Albert and the Pujols Family Foundation by casting a vote for Albert, and spread the word!