June 18, 2009 Sox' Wakefield honored with ballfield by Franciscan Hospital Play video

(NECN: Boston, Mass.) - He's raised thousands of dollars, spent hundreds of hours and met with countless children from the Franciscan Hospital for Children during his long Red Sox career. Now Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield has gotten something back.

The hospital named its baseball field after the knuckleballer, dedicating "Tim Wake Field" to the pitcher in ceremonies Thursday. A clearly touched Wakefield suggested that his work at the hospital might even shine more brightly in his mind than his two World Series rings.

"I'm completely humbled. You do things because you want to and because you believe in the mission of the hospital," Wakefield said, saying that the naming gift "is probably the best thing that ever happened to me."

Wakefield has been the Red Sox nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, presented to the player who best reflects the spirit of giving back to the community, and since 1998, Wakefield has partnered with the Franciscan Hospital to bring patients to Fenway Park to spend time with him through the "Wakefield Warriors" program.