The Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award is awarded by the Commissioner of Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 to a group or individual who has made a "major impact on the sport" of baseball. It is not an annual award; rather, the Commissioner presents the trophy at his discretion. The trophy is a gold baseball sitting atop a cylindrical silver base, created by Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany & Co. is an American jewelry and silverware company. As part of its branding, the company is strongly associated with its Tiffany Blue , which is a registered trademark.- History :...

  The award has been presented twelve times by Commissioner Bud Selig

Bud Selig

Allan Huber "Bud" Selig is the ninth and current Commissioner of Major League Baseball, having served in that capacity since 1992 as the acting commissioner, and as the official commissioner since 1998...

: ten times to players, once to a team, and once to a non-player. Mark McGwire

Mark McGwire

Mark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St...

 and Sammy Sosa

Sammy Sosa

Samuel Peralta "Sammy" Sosa is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder. Sosa played with four Major League Baseball teams over his career which spanned from 1989-2007....

 were the first to receive the award for their parts in the 1998 Major League Baseball home run record chase. The most recent recipient is Ken Griffey, Jr.

Ken Griffey, Jr.

George Kenneth "Ken" Griffey, Jr. , nicknamed "Junior" and "The Kid", is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and during his final years, designated hitter...

 (2011), who received the award in part for his role as an ambassador of baseball. The 2001 Seattle Mariners

2001 Seattle Mariners season

The Seattle Mariners' 2001 season was the 25th since franchise inception, and ended with the Mariners winning their third American League West division title, with a record of 116-46. The team set an American League record for single-season wins, and tied the Major League record set by the Chicago...

 won the award as a team for posting a 116–46 record one season after losing Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez

Alexander Emmanuel "Alex" Rodriguez is an American professional baseball third baseman with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Known popularly by his nickname A-Rod, he previously played shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers.Rodriguez is considered one of the best...

 to the Texas Rangers

Texas Rangers (baseball)

The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...

. Roberto Clemente

Roberto Clemente

Roberto Clemente Walker was a Puerto Rican Major League Baseball right fielder. He was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, the youngest of seven children. Clemente played his entire 18-year baseball career with the Pittsburgh Pirates . He was awarded the National League's Most Valuable Player Award in...

, the 2006 awardee, is the only player to receive the award posthumously; his award was accepted by his wife, Vera.

Three years after McGwire and Sosa were honored, Cal Ripken, Jr.

Cal Ripken, Jr.

Calvin Edwin "Cal" Ripken, Jr. , nicknamed "Iron Man", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and third baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles ....

 and Tony Gwynn

Tony Gwynn

Anthony Keith "Tony" Gwynn, Sr. , nicknamed Mr. Padre and Captain Video, is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is statistically one of the best and most consistent hitters in baseball history. He played his entire 20-year baseball career for the San Diego Padres...

, both of whom retired during the 2001 season

2001 Major League Baseball season

The Major League Baseball season finished with the Arizona Diamondbacks defeating the New York Yankees in a Game 7 of the 2001 World Series. The attacks of September 11 pushed the end of the regular-season from September 30 to October 7. Because of that, the World Series was not completed until...

, each received the award and were honored at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game

Major League Baseball All-Star Game

The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...

. Although Ripken retired before the game, he was elected to the American League

American League

The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...

 All-Star team as a starter at third base

Third Base

is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...

; Gwynn was later added as an honorary member of the National League

National League

The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...

 team and both were honored during the game. During the first inning of the game, Rodriguez, who had been elected the starter at shortstop—the position at which Ripken played for most of his career—switched positions with Ripken for the first inning of the game as a tribute. Including the presentation of the award to the Mariners following the season, the 2001 season's three awards are the most presented in a single year.

Barry Bonds

Barry Bonds

Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...

 received the award in 2002, becoming the third player so honored for breaking the single-season home run record

Major League Baseball single-season home run record

The Major League Baseball record for the number of home runs has changed many times over the years.-Single-season records:- Progression :Summarized from The Baseball Encyclopedia for older information, and from various news stories for newer information:...

. Bonds was the first of two players to receive the award that season, along with Rickey Henderson

Rickey Henderson

Rickey Henley Henderson is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four stints with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Nicknamed The Man of Steal, he is widely regarded as the sport's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner...

. The award was given in each year from 2004 until 2007: Roger Clemens

Roger Clemens

William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...

 was honored during the 2004 All-Star Game

2004 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

The 2004 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 75th playing of the midseason exhibition baseball game between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 13, 2004 at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas,...

, and Ichiro Suzuki

Ichiro Suzuki

, usually known simply as is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Seattle Mariners. Ichiro has established a number of batting records, including the sport's single-season record for hits with 262...

 was presented with the award for breaking the single-season hits

Hit (baseball)

In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....

 record in 2005. Rachel Robinson

Rachel Robinson

Rachel Robinson is a former nurse and the widow of baseball player Jackie Robinson. She was born in Los Angeles, and attended the University of California, Los Angeles. There, she met Jackie in 1941, and they married in 1946. A baby, Jackie Robinson, Jr., was born to her in November 1946...

 was honored in 2007, receiving the award for establishing the Jackie Robinson Foundation

Jackie Robinson Foundation

The Jackie Robinson Foundation is a non-profit organization which gives scholarships to minority youths for higher education, as well as preserving the legacy of Baseball Hall of Fame member, Jackie Robinson. The foundation was founded by Rachel Robinson, the wife of Jackie, in 1973, a couple of...

. She was the first woman and the first non-player to be thus honored.

Awardees

Winners of the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award, with image, year presented, and description of his or her "major impact"

Awardee(s)	Image	Year presented	Achievement
			Bonds set the Major League Baseball single-season home run record with 73 in the 2001 season. He also amassed 137 runs batted in, 177 walks Base on balls A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08... , and an .863 slugging percentage; the last two broke records set by Babe Ruth Babe Ruth George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935... . Bonds later went on to surpass both Ruth and Hank Aaron as the all-time Major League Baseball home run leader.
			Clemens won seven Cy Young Award Cy Young Award The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955... s during his career (six at the time of the award presentation), posted six seasons in which he won Win (baseball) In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...  20 or more games (career-high 24 wins in 1986), and won 354 games in his career. Clemens is only the fourth pitcher to surpass 4,000 strikeout Strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters.... s and appeared in 10 All-Star Games Major League Baseball All-Star Game The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...  in his 24-year career.
			Clemente is the only posthumous recipient of the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award. He led the league in batting average Batting average Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...  four times in his career, notching his 3,000th hit Hit (baseball) In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....  in the 1972 season (September 30). Inducted into the Hall of Fame National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...  after his death at sea, Clemente was recognized not only for his statistical Baseball statistics Statistics play an important role in summarizing baseball performance and evaluating players in the sport.Since the flow of a baseball game has natural breaks to it, and normally players act individually rather than performing in clusters, the sport lends itself to easy record-keeping and statistics...  achievements over his 17 seasons, but for his humanitarian contributions.
			Griffey was retired at the time of his award after having hit over 600 home runs, winning a MVP award in 1997, and being named to the All-Century Team Major League Baseball All-Century Team In 1999, the Major League Baseball All-Century Team was chosen by popular vote of fans. To select the team, a panel of experts first compiled a list of the 100 greatest Major League Baseball players from the past century...  over the course of his career. Commissioner Bud Selig Bud Selig Allan Huber "Bud" Selig is the ninth and current Commissioner of Major League Baseball, having served in that capacity since 1992 as the acting commissioner, and as the official commissioner since 1998...  described Griffey in a statement, saying he "was a gifted all-around player with a perfect swing, a brilliant glove and a childlike joy for the game. From the time he was just 19, Ken represented Major League Baseball with excellence and grace, and he was one of our sport's greatest ambassadors not only in Seattle and Cincinnati, but also around the world. I am most appreciative for all of Ken's contributions to our national pastime."
			Gwynn played 20 seasons with the San Diego Padres San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times... , amassing 15 All-Star Major League Baseball All-Star Game The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...  appearances and leading the league in batting average Batting average Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...  8 times. His .338 average ranks him 20th on the all-time list. Gwynn was the 1999 recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award Roberto Clemente Award The Roberto Clemente Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball player who "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team", as voted on by baseball fans and members of the media. It is named for Hall of Fame... , won five Gold Glove Award Gold Glove Award The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the... s, and notched a .306 career average in the post-season Major League Baseball postseason The Major League Baseball postseason is an elimination tournament held after the conclusion of Major League Baseball's regular season. It consists of one best-of-five series and two best-of-seven series... .
			During his 25-season career, Henderson set numerous Major League Baseball records, including most runs scored Run (baseball) In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured... , most stolen base Stolen base In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate... s in a season and a career, and most leadoff home run Home run In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process... s in league history. Henderson began play at the age of 20 with the 1979 Oakland Athletics 1979 Oakland Athletics season The 1979 Oakland Athletics season involved the A's finishing 7th in the American League West with a record of 54 wins and 108 losses. Only 306,763 paying customers showed up to watch the A's in 1979, the team's worst attendance since leaving Philadelphia.... , and continued through the 2003 season, playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...  at age 44. Henderson continued to play after his unofficial retirement from Major League Baseball, appearing for several independent league teams.
			McGwire's name is linked with that of fellow 1998 award winner Sammy Sosa Sammy Sosa Samuel Peralta "Sammy" Sosa is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder. Sosa played with four Major League Baseball teams over his career which spanned from 1989-2007....  for their part in the Major League Baseball home run record chase of that season. McGwire ended the 1998 season with 70 home run Home run In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process... s, the first player ever to reach the mark in a season and only the fifth player to break 60 home runs. McGwire finished his career with 583 home runs.
			Ripken broke one of baseball's "unbreakable" records by playing in 2,131 consecutive games. His durability earned him the nickname "Iron Man", referencing Lou Gehrig Lou Gehrig Henry Louis "Lou" Gehrig , nicknamed "The Iron Horse" for his durability, was an American Major League Baseball first baseman. He played his entire 17-year baseball career for the New York Yankees . Gehrig set several major league records. He holds the record for most career grand slams...  (the "Iron Horse"), the player whose record he broke. Ripken would finish his career with 2,632 consecutive games played Games played Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...  out of his 3,001 career games. He played for the Baltimore Orioles Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...  for 21 seasons, hitting 431 home runs and redefining the role of the shortstop Shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...  in baseball.
			Robinson, wife of pioneer Jackie Robinson Jackie Robinson Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947... , is the only woman and the only non-player to win the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award. In honor of her "contribution and sacrifice to the legacy of her husband", Selig presented the award to Robinson for her work with the Jackie Robinson Foundation Jackie Robinson Foundation The Jackie Robinson Foundation is a non-profit organization which gives scholarships to minority youths for higher education, as well as preserving the legacy of Baseball Hall of Fame member, Jackie Robinson. The foundation was founded by Rachel Robinson, the wife of Jackie, in 1973, a couple of... . The Foundation has awarded more than $14 million in scholarships to students in need.
			After the 2000 season, the Mariners lost shortstop Shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...  Alex Rodriguez Alex Rodriguez Alexander Emmanuel "Alex" Rodriguez is an American professional baseball third baseman with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Known popularly by his nickname A-Rod, he previously played shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers.Rodriguez is considered one of the best...  to the Texas Rangers Texas Rangers (baseball) The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...  via free agency. Adding Orix BlueWave outfielder Ichiro Suzuki Ichiro Suzuki , usually known simply as is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Seattle Mariners. Ichiro has established a number of batting records, including the sport's single-season record for hits with 262...  from the Japanese league, the 2001 Mariners 2001 Seattle Mariners season The Seattle Mariners' 2001 season was the 25th since franchise inception, and ended with the Mariners winning their third American League West division title, with a record of 116-46. The team set an American League record for single-season wins, and tied the Major League record set by the Chicago...  won their division with a 116–46 record, 14 games ahead of the second-place Oakland Athletics Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum.... . Suzuki finished with a team-high .350 batting average Batting average Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :... , winning the Rookie of the Year award, and was named the league's Most Valuable Player. In the second round of the playoffs 2001 American League Championship Series -Game 1:Wednesday, October 17, 2001 at Safeco Field in Seattle, WashingtonGame 1's starting date was the latest ever for a League Championship series. The Yankees took a 1–0 lead on a Chuck Knoblauch single that scored Jorge Posada in the second, then increased it to 3–0 on a Paul O'Neill home run... , the Mariners were defeated by the New York Yankees New York Yankees The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division... .
			Sosa and Mark McGwire Mark McGwire Mark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St... 's chase for the single-season home run record thrust the National League Central National League Central The National League Central Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was created in 1994, by moving two teams from the Western Division and three teams from the Eastern Division of the National League...  division into the spotlight, but Sosa's Chicago Cubs Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...  finished ahead of McGwire's St. Louis Cardinals St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...  in the division standings, second to the 102-win Houston Astros Houston Astros The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field... . Thus, Sosa was the recipient of the 1998 Most Valuable Player Award, though his 66 home runs placed him 4 behind McGwire's record of 70. Sosa went on to be the only player in Major League Baseball history to collect three 60-home-run seasons (1998, 1999, 2001).
			In breaking a record many thought "unbreakable", Ichiro led the major leagues with a .372 batting average Batting average Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...  in the 2004 season by amassing 262 hits. The previous record had been set in 1920 by George Sisler George Sisler George Harold Sisler , nicknamed "Gentleman George" and "Gorgeous George," was an American professional baseball player for 15 seasons, primarily as first baseman with the St. Louis Browns...  of the St. Louis Browns (257). Ichiro also led the league in at-bats (704), plate appearance Plate appearance In baseball statistics, a player is credited with a plate appearance each time he completes a turn batting. A player completes a turn batting when: He strikes out or is declared out before reaching first base; or He reaches first base safely or is awarded first base ; or He hits a fair ball which... s (762), and intentional walks (19).