Roberto Clemente

Roberto Clemente Walker (August 18, 1934 – December 31, 1972) was a Major League Baseball right fielder and right-handed batter. He was elected to the Hall of Fame posthumously in 1973 as the first Latin American to be selected, and the only exception to the mandatory five-year post-retirement waiting period since it was instituted in 1954.

Clemente was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, the youngest of seven children. On November 14, 1964 he married Vera Zabala at San Fernando Church in Carolina, PR. The Clementes had three children, Roberto Jr., Luis Roberto and Enrique Roberto. Clemente played 18 seasons in the majors from 1955 to 1972, all with the Pittsburgh Pirates, winning the National League MLB Most Valuable Player Award in 1966. He was very helpful in his native Puerto Rico and in other Latin American countries, often delivering baseball supplies and food to them. He died in a plane crash on December 31, 1972 while en route to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. His body was never recovered. His dream of a sports city for the youth of Puerto Rico was realized two years later with the opening of Ciudad Deportiva Roberto Clemente in San Juan, PR.

Baseball accomplishments

Clemente also had one of the most powerful throwing arms in baseball history. Broadcaster Vin Scurry colorfully claimed, "Clemente could field the ball in New York and throw out a guy in Maryland." Clemente won 12 Gold Glove Awards for his outstanding defense (a record among outfielders, which he shares with fellow legend Willie Mays); he was reported to be able to throw out a runner from his knees. He recorded 266 outfield assists during his career.

Perhaps Clemente's greatest feat was leading the Pittsburgh Pirates to a five-game World Series victory over the Baltimore Orioles in 1971. He played in two World Series (1960 and 1971) and got a hit in all 10 games.

He is one of only four players (as of the end of the 2006 season) to have 10 or more Gold Gloves and a .300+ lifetime batting average. He is the only player to have ever scored a walk-off inside-the-park grand slam.

Long time broadcaster Tim McCarver calls Roberto Clemente "the greatest right fielder of all time".

The 1960s

While Clemente had begun to fulfill his potential, the Pirates continued to struggle through the 1950s, although they did manage their first winning season since 1948 in 1959. During the winter season of 1958-59 Clemente didn't play winter baseball in Puerto Rico; instead, he served in the United States Marine Corps Reserves. He spent six months in his military commitment at Parris Island, South Carolina, and Camp LeJeune in North Carolina. In Camp Lejeune he served as an infantryman. The rigorous training program helped Clemente physically. He added strength by gaining 10 pounds and said his back troubles had disappeared. He would remain in the reserves until September 1964. In 1960, however, the team broke through to a 95-59 record, a National League pennant, and a thrilling seven-game World Series victory over the Mantle-Maris New York Yankees. Clemente batted .310 in the series, hitting safely at least once in every game. His .314 batting average, 16 home runs, and stellar defense earned him his first trip to the All-Star game. Through the rest of the decade, Clemente firmly established himself as one of the premier players in baseball. For the rest of his career, he batted over .300 in every year save 1968, when he hit .291; he was selected to every All-Star game; and he was given a Gold Glove after every season from 1961 onwards. He led the National League in batting average four times (1961, 1964, 1965, and 1967), led the NL in hits twice (1964 and 1967), and won the MVP award for his 1966 season, when he hit .317 while setting career highs in home runs (29) and RBI (119).

Regardless of his unquestionable success, some (including, supposedly, Clemente himself) felt that the media did not give him the recognition he deserved. Despite being the offensive and defensive leader of the strong 1960 Pirates club, he finished only eighth in voting for the MVP that season; teammate Dick Groat received the award. In protest Clemente reportedly never wore his 1960 World Series ring. He was also labeled a hypochondriac due to nagging injuries early in his career, although he played in 144 or more games in each season from 1960 to 1967. The 1966 MVP award was, in the eyes of many Pittsburgh fans, a long overdue acknowledgment of his greatness.

In 1969, Pirates owner John W. Galbreath named one of his Thoroughbred horses Roberto. The colt raced in Ireland and England where he earned 1971 and 1972 champion honors and won the famed Epsom Derby.

The 1970s

In 1971, the Pirates again won the National League pennant behind Willie Stargell's 48 home runs and Clemente's .341 batting average and faced the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series. Baltimore had won 100 games and swept the American League Championship Series, both for the third consecutive year, and were the defending World Series champions. Undaunted, Pittsburgh came back from down two games to none in the series to win it in seven for the second time in Clemente's career. He was the clear star of the series, with an incredible .414 batting average (12 hits in 29 at-bats), typically spectacular defense, and a crucial solo home run in the deciding 2-1 Game 7 victory. His efforts earned him the World Series MVP award.

Chuck Thompson (working for NBC Sports along with Curt Gowdy) describing the Game 7 home run in the fourth inning off of the Orioles' Mike Cuellar: That ball is hit well...a Clemente home run and the Pirates lead 1-0!

Struggling with injuries, Clemente managed to appear in only 102 games in 1972, but still hit .312 for his final .300 season. On September 30 in a game at Three Rivers Stadium, he hit a double off Jon Matlack of the New York Mets for his 3,000th hit. It was the last at-bat of his career during a regular season, though he did play in the 1972 NLCS playoffs against the Cincinnati Reds. In the playoffs, he batted .235 as he went 4 for 17. His last game ever was at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium in the 5th game of the playoff series.

Death in airplane crash

A hero in his native Puerto Rico, Clemente spent much of his time during the off-season involved in charity work.

File:Managua antes del Terremoto.jpg

A view of Managua, prior to the 1972 earthquake which destroyed the city

When the city of Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, was reduced to rubble by a massive earthquake on December 23, 1972, Clemente (who had been visiting Managua three weeks before the quake) immediately set to work arranging emergency relief flights. He soon learned, however, that the aid packages on the first two flights had been diverted by corrupt officials of the Somoza regime, never reaching victims of the quake.

Clemente decided to accompany the fourth relief flight, hoping that his presence would ensure that the aid got delivered to quake survivors. But the airplane he chartered for a New Year's eve flight had a history of mechanical problems and sub-par flight personnel, and was overloaded by 5,000 pounds. It crashed into the ocean off the coast of Isla Verde, Puerto Rico immediately after takeoff on December 31, 1972. Clemente's body was never found, and his briefcase was the only thing recovered.Teammate Manny Sanguillen, a catcher and Clemente's best friend, was the only member of the Pirates not to attend Roberto's funeral. He chose instead to dive the waters where Clemente's plane had crashed, in a futile effort to find his friend.

Posthumous honors

Roberto Clemente Coliseum, named in honor of the baseball player

On March 20, 1973, the Baseball Writers Association of America held a special election for the Baseball Hall of Fame. They voted to waive the waiting period for Clemente, due to his death, and posthumously elected him for induction into the Hall of Fame, giving him 393 of the 420 available votes, or 92% of the vote. Since then, the Writers Association has made this exemption for all eligible players that die before their waiting period lapses, though it has only been exercised in practice for Darryl Kile, who died of a heart attack during the 2002 season.

Puerto Rico has honored Roberto Clemente's memory by naming the coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico Coliseo Roberto Clemente and a baseball stadium in Carolina, Puerto Rico Estadio Roberto Clemente. His native city, Carolina, named an avenue after him and realized his dream of establishing a sports complex where the youth could learn and practice sports in a healthy environment. Today this sports complex is called "Ciudad Deportiva Roberto Clemente" (Roberto Clemente Sports City). There is also a monument in his likeness created by Puerto Rican sculptor Jose Buscaglia Guillermety situated in Carolina.

The state of New York named a state park after him almost immediately after his death; he now has several schools and parks named after him.[1] The city of Miami, Florida named Roberto Clemente Park in the Hispanic neighborhood of Wynwood after him. Also, the Wynwood and the Beaches ASPIRA chapter named the Roberto Clemente Youth Club (RCYC) after him. This club is aimed at helping at-risk hispanic youth by instilling confidence and teaching them how to become successful while avoiding drugs and crime.

In an article in 1976 in Esquire magazine, sportswriter Harry Stein published an "All Time All-Star Argument Starter," consisting of five ethnic baseball teams. The Puerto Rican Clemente was the center fielder on Stein's Latin team.

In Pittsburgh, the 6th Street Bridge was renamed in his memory, and the Pirates retired his number 21 at the start of the 1973 season. The right field wall at the Pirates' PNC Park is 21 feet high in honor of Clemente. A statue of the outfielder stands outside the park; Clemente was the second Pirate so honored (Honus Wagner was the first). The City of Pittsburgh maintains Roberto Clemente Memorial Park along North Shore Drive in the city's North Side. In 2007 the Roberto Clemente Museum opened in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh. On the other side of the state, in eastern Pennsylvania, the Roberto Clemente Charter School, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, is named in Clemente's honor. A street in Pittsburgh's Oakland section is also named Roberto Clemente Place.

Two Connecticut cities honor Roberto Clemente with memorials: Hartford's Colt Park ball field and Bridgeport's Seaside Park. On January 1st of each year, Clemente fans gather at the Bridgeport memorial to honor his life and achievements.

Composer and pianist David Thomas Roberts wrote composition in new ragtime (now often referred to as Terra Verde) style titled "Roberto Clemente" (1979).

Posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002

MLB presents the Roberto Clemente Award every year to the player who best follows Clemente's example with humanitarian work. In 1973, Clemente was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. In 2002, Clemente was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2003, he was inducted into the U.S. Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame. There is also currently a campaign underway to have all major league teams retire Clemente's number. Supporters cite an influence on baseball at least as strong as that of Jackie Robinson, whose number is also retired throughout MLB.

In 1999, he ranked Number 20 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, the highest-ranking Latino player. Later that year, Clemente was nominated as a finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. Several Latino fans wrote letters saying that, as the greatest of all Latino players, he should have been awarded a spot on the team.

On October 26, 2005, Clemente was named a member of Major League Baseball's Latino Legends Team.

On August 17, 1984, the day before what would have been his 50th birthday, the United States Postal Service issued a postage stamp honoring Clemente. Designed by Juan Lopez-Bonilla, the spare clean design shows Clemente wearing his Pirates cap, with the Puerto Rican flag in the background.

The film Chasing 3000 (2006) chronicles two brothers who travel across country to see Clemente get this 3,000th hit. It was scheduled to be released in the United States on October 1, 2006, but has since been delayed. The film stars Ray Liotta, Keith David, Trevor Morgan, and Rory Culkin.

At the Major League Baseball All-Star game in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on July 11, 2006 many of the players on both teams wore yellow wristbands with the initials "RCW" in honor of Clemente. At the end of the 4th inning, Clemente was awarded the Commissioner's Historical Achievement Award by the Commissioner of Baseball, given to his widow. "Roberto was a hero in every sense of the word", Selig said.

Roberto Clemente Community Academy (commonly known as, Clemente High School or, Clemente) is a public secondary school located in the West Town community area of Chicago, Illinois, United States.

The school is a part of the Small School Initiative of Chicago Public Schools. The school was opened in between the academic year of 1974-1975 and was named in honor of Roberto Clemente.

See also

• Roberto Clemente, Jr.
• Players from Puerto Rico in MLB
• List of famous Puerto Ricans
• List of people who have disappeared
• Top 500 home run hitters of all time
• List of Major League Baseball players with 400 doubles
• List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples
• List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
• List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
• 3000 hit club
• List of Major League Baseball batting champions
• Major League Baseball hitters with three home runs in one game

Further reading

• David Maraniss, Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero, New York: Simon & Schuster, 2006

• Stew Thornley, Roberto Clemente's Entry into Organized Baseball: Hidden in Montreal?, "The National Pastime," Cleveland: Society for American Baseball Research, 2006

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference
• Roberto Clemente at the Baseball Hall of Fame
• Latino Sports Legends
• Society of American Baseball Research BioProject biography of Clemente

Accomplishments