[mlbvideo id=”25461323″ width=”550″ height=”308″ /]

By Jon Weisman

Clayton Kershaw, winner of the 2012 Roberto Clemente Award, is the Dodgers’ nominee for the honor in 2014.

The award recognizes the MLB player “who best represents the game of baseball through positive contributions on and off the field, including sportsmanship and community involvement.”

“When you think about the Roberto Clemente award, you think about the man first and to be associated with him is an amazing thing,” Kershaw said. “To be nominated again for such an award and to be mentioned in the same breath as Roberto Clemente is very special and something I don’t take for granted. I’m truly humbled and honored to be nominated again.”

Fans may participate in the voting Wednesday through October 6 at ChevyBaseball.com. The fan vote winner will count as one vote alongside a voting body that includes Clemente’s widow Vera, Dodger broadcaster Jaime Jarrin, outgoing MLB commissioner Bud Selig and commissioner-elect Rob Manfred.

Steve Garvey is the only other Dodger to win the Clemente Award, in 1981. Adrian Gonzalez was the Dodgers’ 2013 nominee.

In the 43-year history of the award, established in 1971 and renamed for Clemente after his death on New Year’s Eve 1972, there have been no repeat winners.

“Clayton is one of the most dedicated and hardest working athletes on and off the field I’ve been associated with,” said Dodger president and CEO Stan Kasten. “If anyone is deserving of the Clemente Award a second time, Clayton is certainly the one.”