“I know the feeling of being in a city - and a team winning a championship - as a young person, and then seeing the impact in the community, seeing the excitement for days, for weeks, for long stretch of time, and how special it can be.”

Canadian-American former professional baseball first baseman

Joey Votto is a Canadian-American former professional baseball first baseman, born in 1983. He played his entire 17-year Major League Baseball career with the Cincinnati Reds, from 2007 to 2023, and became known as one of the game’s most disciplined hitters. Votto was a six-time MLB All-Star and won the National League Most Valuable Player Award and the Hank Aaron Award in 2010. He also won the Tip O'Neill Award seven times and the Lou Marsh Trophy twice. Known for working the count and reaching base, he finished his career near the top of several offensive categories, including walks, on-base percentage, and on-base plus slugging.