Nelson Cruz is Espy-cially proud…
The 2020 ESPYS aired on Sunday, with the 39-year-old Dominican professional baseball player taking home a trophy.
Cruz, an outfielder and designated hitter for the Minnesota Twins, won the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award at the ESPYS, which celebrate the best in sports.
Cruz,a six-time All-Star who has hit 401 career home runs, took part in a Zoom interview three weeks ago with producers from ESPN as they recorded content in advance of the ESPY Awards.
Cruz was one of five finalists for the award, and had the opportunity to discuss the extensive charity work he does in his native Dominican Republic, as well as the United States.
But in the middle of their interview, the producers informed him that he’d won the award.
“I just started crying man,” said Cruz. “It touched me pretty good.”
Here’s a look at all of this year’s ESPYS winners:
Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award
Nelson Cruz, Minnesota Twins
Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year
Los Angeles Dodgers
Corporate Community Impact Award
Burton Snowboards
Can’t-Stop-Watching Moment
Jackson State Manager Thomas “Snacks” Lee Drills 3
Jimmy V Award for Perseverance
Taquarius Wair, Mesabi Range College
Pat Tillman Award for Service
Kim Clavel, Boxing
Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award by Bristol Myers Squibb
WNBA and WNBA Players Association, Maryam Shojaei
Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award Presented by UFC
The Hilinski Family
Arthur Ashe Courage Award
Kevin Love, Cleveland Cavaliers
Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award Honorees
Joel Apudo, Batouly Camara, Ally Friedman, Javonn Islar, Elijah Murphy, Chelsea Quito and Niah Woods
Sports Philanthropist of the Year Award
Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation
League Humanitarian of the Year Award
National Football League