New York, NY -- (Sports Network) - St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols was named the 2008 winner of the Roberto Clemente Award, bestowed on the player who combines outstanding play on the field with devoted work in the community.

Pujols, who hit .357 with 37 homers and 116 RBI during the season, was selected from a list of 30 nominees, one from each team.

For more than three years, Pujols has been at the center of his own family foundation, which has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for donations to children with Down Syndrome. The Pujols Foundation has served more than 500 families affected with Down Syndrome in the St. Louis area.

"I have always said; I would rather be remembered for what I do off the field, than for what I accomplish on it," said Pujols. "From that aspect, Roberto Clemente has always been a great inspiration for me. To have our work recognized in the same context as Clemente is truly one of the most humbling experiences of my life."

The award was originally called The Commissioner's Award, but was renamed in 1973 in honor of Clemente, who was killed in a plane crash on December 31, 1972 while helping transport relief supplies to Nicaragua, which had suffered an earthquake on December 23 that killed more than 6,000 people.