Roberto Clemente
| Birthdate | 8/18/1934 |
| Death Date | 12/31/1972 |
| Debut Year | 1955 |
| Year of Induction | 1973 |
| Teams | Pirates |
| Position | Right Field |
Roberto Clemente had 12 Gold Gloves and exactly 3,000 hits; his humanitarian efforts go far beyond his considerable baseball accomplishments.
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Roberto Clemente was a Hall of Fame player and true humanitarian
Roberto Clemente was a Hall of Fame player and true humanitarian
A fan favorite in the US and across Latin America, Roberto Clemente was one of the most exciting players in the history of the game. He broke in with the Pirates in 1955 and spent his entire 18-year career in Pittsburgh.
Along the way the great Clemente earned a World Series ring in 1960 and again in 1971 as Series MVP. The 1966 NL MVP, Clemente wore the batting crown in ’61, ’64, ’65, and ’67.
A complete player, Clemente was blessed with speed and an outstanding arm. Those attributes and his ability to read the ball off of the bat earned him the Gold Glove Award in 12 consecutive seasons.
The Puerto Rico native was a man of firsts. He was the first Latin American player to earn an NL MVP Award and to receive a World Series MVP Award.
A humanitarian, Clemente spent much of his time in the offseason helping others. When Managua, Nicaragua was hit with a massive earthquake on December 23, 1972, he took action.
Clemente immediately began setting up emergency relief flights. Corrupt government officials in Nicaragua diverted the aid in the initial three flights he arranged. Seeing this, Clemente decided to accompany the fourth flight.
Believing his presence might ensure the aid reach the victims, Clemente chartered a cargo plane for a New Year’s Eve flight. Sadly, the plane crashed due to engine failure shortly after takeoff from Puerto Rico.
Clemente perished in the crash.
The Baseball Writers’ Association of America voted to waive the 5-year waiting period for Clemente’s eligibility for the Hall of Fame. In March of ’73 they held a special election and voted him into Cooperstown.
The image shown here is a personalized autograph of the Pirate great who finished with exactly 3,000 hits.
Clemente's comebacker derailed Bob Gibson's 1967 campaign
Clemente's comebacker derailed Bob Gibson's 1967 campaign
Roberto Clemente hit a comebacker that Bob Gibson never forgot. It came in the fourth-inning on July 15, 1967.
In his autobiography Stranger to the Game, Gibson wrote about the encounter.
“We were ahead 1-0 when my old pal Clemente led off the fourth with the Pirates’ first hit – a line drive off my right shin.
“I couldn’t get up right away, and Bob Bauman rushed out to check my leg and spray ethyl chloride on it. I said, ‘I hate to tell you, Doc, but you’re spraying the wrong place.’ He advised me to take a look, and I saw what he saw – a dent in the skin the shape of a baseball. It was odd that I couldn’t feel where I had been struck, but since I couldn’t feel it, I wasn’t particularly worried. I told Doc to put a little tape on it and let me get back to work.
“Willie Stargell was the next batter, and I walked him. Then Bill Mazeroski popped out, and the count was three and two on Donn Clendenon when I tried to put a little extra on the payoff pitch and collapsed.
“The fibula bone had snapped above the ankle. I was taken to Jewish Hospital, my leg was put in a cast, and I was out of the pennant race for nearly eight weeks.”
Shown here is Bob Gibson’s contract for the 1974 season. Though past his prime by the time he signed it, the year was a memorable one for one of baseball’s best pitchers.
At Busch Stadium on July 17th that year, Gibson struck out Cesar Geronimo for his 3,000th career K.
In 1971 Roberto Clemente became the first Spanish-speaking World Series MVP
In 1971 Roberto Clemente became the first Spanish-speaking World Series MVP
Roberto Clemente’s 18-year big league career included team and individual success. Named to 15 All Star Games, Clemente was a 12-time Gold Glove Award winner. He finished his career with a .317 average and exactly 3,000 hits.
The Puerto Rican born right fielder helped his team win two World Series. In his first Fall Classic in 1960, Clemente hit .310 as Pittsburgh vanquished the might New York Yankees.
Eleven years later he was even better.
In the ’71 World Series Clemente led both teams in batting with a .414 average. His 12-for-29 performance included two doubles, a triple, and two home runs. His OPS was an astounding 1.210. For his efforts he was named the World Series Most Valuable Player.
Shown here is a letter from baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn. He writes about baseball’s showcase event of 1971.
“The World Series is the premier event of American Sports.
“No other event has been able to capture its special appeal or match its magnificent history.”
Baseball’s chief then references the Pirates victory made possible by Clemente’s heroics.
“Never in the previous 68 Series has its penchant for dramatics been better displayed than in the superb 1971 encounter between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Baltimore Orioles.”
Clemente was a stellar performer in World Series competition
Clemente was a stellar performer in World Series competition
Roberto Clemente earned a ring both time his teams made the World Series. The Hall of Famer was a stellar performer in October, hitting .362 with a .534 slugging percentage.
In the 1960 against the Yankees, Clemente had nine hits and three runs scored. Despite being outscored 55-27 in the Series, the Pirates vanquished New York in a 7-game thriller.
Clemente’s next Fall Classic appearance was dominant. Against the three-time defending American League champion Orioles, Clemente led the way. With the Series again going 7 games, Clemente had a dozen hits, five going for extra bases. His slash line was a sizzling .414/.452/.759. The performance made him the easy choice for World Series MVP.
Shown here is a ticket to Game 2 of the ’71 Series signed by Frank Robinson. The ’66 Fall Classic MVP, Robinson went 3-for-4 with two runs scored in the Baltimore win. Clemente did his part in the defeat, recording two of the the Pirates eight hits. For more on Frank Robinson, click here.
Roberto Clemente ended his career with elite numbers
Roberto Clemente ended his career with elite numbers
Roberto Clemente passed away on New Year’s Eve in 1972. The 38-year old left an impressive baseball legacy.
The final hit of the outfielder’s career was his 3,000th. A 12-time Gold Glover played in 15 all-star games. He finished with a lifetime .317 average and 1,305 runs batted in.
In the collection is this Brewers lineup card from August 26th, 1985. The contest featured designated hitter Ted Simmons in the cleanup spot.
In the game Simmons slugged a two-run homer off of the Indians Neal Heaton. The two RBI brought his career total to 1,305 to pass Hall of Fame outfielder Enos Slaughter and match the great Clemente.
Simmons himself reached Cooperstown in 2020. Primarily a catcher during his 21-year big league career, Simmons ranks among the greatest offensive performers at his position.
At the time of his retirement, Simmons 1,389 career runs batted in ranked 44th at the time. Among the Hall of Fame hitters behind him on the list are fellow catchers Johnny Bench, Ivan Rodriguez, and Mike Piazza.
Filled out and signed at the bottom by Brewers manager George Bamberger, this lineup card spent the game in the pocket of umpire Don Denkinger. The Brewers order featured Hall of Famer Robin Yount batting second two spots ahead of Simmons.
None better!!!