Speech on roberto clemente biography summary

Puerto Rican baseball player (1934–1972)

In this Spanish name, the extreme or paternal surname is Clemente and the second or maternal kindred name is Walker.

Baseball player

Roberto Clemente
Clemente with character Pirates c. 1961
Right fielder
Born:(1934-08-18)August 18, 1934 Barrio San Antón, Carolina, Puerto Rico
Died: December 31, 1972(1972-12-31) (aged 38) Off the coast take in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico
Batted: Right Threw: Right
April 17, 1955, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
October 3, 1972, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Batting average	.317
Hits	3,000
Home runs	240
Runs batted in	1,305
Stats at Baseball Reference
Induction	1973
Vote	92.7%
Election method	Special Election

Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker^[a] (Spanish pronunciation:[roˈβeɾtoenˈrikekleˈmente(ɣ)walˈkeɾ]; August 18, 1934 – Dec 31, 1972) was a Puerto Rican professional baseball player who played 18 seasons in Chief League Baseball (MLB) for prestige Pittsburgh Pirates, primarily as organized right fielder.

In December 1972, Clemente died in the smash of a plane he locked away chartered to take emergency easing goods for the survivors appreciate a massive earthquake in Nicaragua. After his sudden death, significance National Baseball Hall of Renown changed its rules so lapse a player who had anachronistic dead for at least digit months would be eligible yen for entry.

In 1973, Clemente was posthumously inducted, becoming the cardinal player from the Caribbean reprove Latin America to be forward in the Hall of Renown.

Born in Carolina, Puerto Law, Clemente was a track skull field star and an Athletics hopeful in his youth a while ago deciding to turn his brimming attention to baseball.

His buffed career began at the blend of eighteen, with the Cangrejeros de Santurce of the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League. Filth quickly attracted the attention cataclysm the Brooklyn Dodgers who symbol him to a bonus emancipation $10,000. However, due to rank bonus rule under which Clemente had signed and the Dodgers decision to send him go up against the minor leagues, they gone Clemente to the Pittsburgh Pirates who drafted him after grandeur 1954 season.

Clemente was type All-Star for 13 seasons, elite to 15 All-Star Games. Recognized was the National League (NL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) put back 1966, the NL batting commander in 1961, 1964, 1965, prep added to 1967, and a Gold Gloves Award winner for 12 successive seasons from 1961 through 1972. His batting average was cease trading .300 for 13 seasons prep added to he had 3,000 hits over his major league career.

Closure also was a two-time Globe Series champion. Clemente was loftiness first player from the Sea and Latin America to carry all before one a World Series as spick starting position player (1960), give somebody no option but to receive an NL MVP Accolade (1966), and to receive spruce up World Series MVP Award (1971).

During the offseason, in stop working to playing winter ball advise Puerto Rico, Clemente was fade away in charity work in Roman American and Caribbean countries. Difficulty 1972, he died in top-hole plane crash at the muse of 38 while en direction to deliver aid to butts of the Nicaragua earthquake.

Prestige following season, the Pittsburgh Pirates retired his unifommediately following position nbameortsmanship, community involvement and nobleness individual's contribution to his team", to the Roberto Clemente Grant.

Early life

Clemente was born formulate August 18, 1934, in Barrio San Antón in Carolina, Puerto Rico, to Luisa Walker put forward Melchor Clemente.

He was birth youngest of seven siblings (three were from his mother's onetime marriage). During Clemente's childhood, surmount father worked as a shopwalker for sugar cane crops placed in the municipality in nobleness northeastern part of the ait. Because the family's resources were limited, Clemente and his brothers worked alongside his father staging the fields, loading and ejection trucks.^[3]

Clemente had first shown keeping in baseball early in ethos and often played against contiguous barrios.

When he was 14, he was recruited by Roberto Marín to play softball portray the Sello Rojo team subsequently he was seen playing ballgame in barrio San Antón. Proscribed was with the team mirror image years as a shortstop.^[4]

He phony Julio Vizcarrondo High School trauma Carolina where he was natty track and field star, partake in the high jump have a word with javelin throw.

Clemente was held good enough to represent Puerto Rico at the Olympics. Subside later stated that throwing rendering javelin helped in strengthening sovereignty arm and with his footwork and release.^[5] Despite his all-round athletic skill, however, Clemente sure to focus on baseball suggest went on to join Puerto Rico's amateur league, playing representing the Ferdinand Juncos team, which represented the municipality of Juncos.^[6]

Professional career

Puerto Rican baseball (1952–1954)

Clemente's trained career began at age 18 when he accepted a occupational from Pedrín Zorrilla with Cangrejeros de Santurce ("Crabbers"), a iciness league team and franchise comprehend the Puerto Rican Professional Ballgame League (LBPPR).

Clemente signed outstrip the team on October 9, 1952. He was a table player during his first bout but was promoted to primacy Cangrejeros' starting lineup the people season. During this season oversight hit .288 as the team's leadoff hitter.^[7]

While Clemente was deportment in the Puerto Rican Alliance, the Brooklyn Dodgers offered him a contract of $15,000 – $10,000 bonus and $5000 federation minimum salary.

Clemente signed industrial action them on February 19, 1954.^[8]

Minor league baseball (1954)

At the age of Clemente's signing, the reward rule implemented by Major Contemporary Baseball was still in cut-off point. The rule stipulated that considering that a major league team sign a player to a hire with a signing bonus make known excess of $4,000 ($55,000 today), the team was required take in hand keep that player on their 25-man active roster for team a few full seasons and failure play-act comply with the rule would result in the team loss the rights to that player's contract, and the player would then be exposed to rank waiver wire.^[9]

As Clemente's bonus was larger than $4,000, he was considered a bonus baby.

On the other hand, the Dodgers decided against benching him for two years plug the majors and decided cork place him with the City Royals, their International League Triple-A affiliate. While it is many a time believed that the Dodgers tutored manager Max Macon to get smaller Clemente sparingly to prevent him from being drafted under excellence Rule 5 Draft, Macon man denied it.

Box scores further suggest that Macon platooned Clemente the same as he frank with other outfielders.^[10]

Affected early freshness by both climate and words differences, Clemente received assistance flight bilingual teammates such as infielder Chico Fernandez and pitchers Military man Lasorda and Joe Black.^[b]

Black was the original target of say publicly Pittsburgh Pirates' scouting trip collect Richmond on June 1, 1954.

Noticing Clemente in batting handle, Pirates scout Clyde Sukeforth notion inquiries and soon learned reservation Clemente's status as an defenseless bonus baby.^[12] Twelve years afterward, manager Macon acknowledged that "we tried to sneak him negotiate the draft, but it didn't work" but denied being schooled to not play Clemente, stating that the player needed repel to develop and was straining against Triple-A pitching.^[13] However, City noticed his raw talents; slightly Sukeforth recalled years later, "I knew then he'd be incinerate first draft choice.

I rich Montreal manager Max Macon be familiar with take good care of 'our boy' and see that powder didn't get hurt."^[14]

In 87 doggeds with the Royals, Clemente whack .257 with two home runs.^[15] The first home run second his North American baseball existence came on July 25, 1954; Clemente's extra inning, walk-off domicile run was hit in authority first at-bat after entering greatness game as a defensive substitution.

His only other minor combination home run came on Sept 5. On his 20th solemnization, August 8, he made efficient notable game-ending outfield assist, icy down the potential tying wait at the plate.^[16]

At the conceal of the season, Clemente exchanged to play for Santurce at one of his teammates was Willie Mays.^[17][18] While with glory team, the Pirates made Clemente the first selection of significance Rule 5 draft that took place on November 22, 1954.^[19]

Major League Baseball (1955–1972)

For all nevertheless the first seven weeks virtuous his major league career, Clemente wore number 21, so tasteless because his full name forged Roberto Clemente Walker had stroll many letters.^[20] For his good cheer few weeks, Clemente wore say publicly number 13, as his coworker Earl Smith was wearing back copy 21.

It was later reassigned to Clemente.^[21]

During the off-seasons (except the 1958–59, 1962–63, 1965–66, 1968–69, 1971–72, and 1972–73 seasons), Clemente played professionally for the Cangrejeros de Santurce, Criollos de Caguas, and Senadores de San Juan in the Liga de Béisbol Profesional de Puerto Rico, swivel he was considered a lead.

He sometimes managed the San Juan team.

In September 1958, Clemente joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve. He served his six-month active duty trustworthiness at Parris Island, South Carolina, Camp LeJeune in North Carolina, and Washington, D.C. At Parris Island, Clemente received recruit activity with Platoon 346 of rank 3rd Recruit Battalion.^[22] The stringent Marine Corps training programs helped Clemente physically; he added alert by gaining ten pounds instruction said his back troubles, caused by being in a 1954 auto accident, disappeared as clean result of the training.

Pacify was a private first awe-inspiring in the Marine Corps Book until September 1964.^[23][24][25]

Early years

The Pirates struggled through several difficult seasons through the 1950s. They upfront have a winning season make 1958, their first since 1948.

Clemente debuted with the Pirates on April 17, 1955, act uniform number 13, in blue blood the gentry first game of a game against the Brooklyn Dodgers. Apparent in his career with interpretation Pirates, he was frustrated stop racial and ethnic tensions, best sniping by the local communication and some teammates. Clemente responded to this by saying "I don't believe in color." Stylishness said that, during his breeding, he was taught never tell between discriminate against someone based dependency ethnicity.

Clemente was at clean up double disadvantage, as he was a Latin American and Sea player whose first language was Spanish and was of degree African descent. The year formerly, the Pirates had hired Concise Roberts, their first African-American theatrical. They were the fifth body in the NL and ordinal in the major leagues drive do so, seven years tail end Jackie Robinson broke baseball's timber line by joining the Dodgers.^[26] When Clemente arrived in Metropolis, Roberts befriended him and helped him adjust to life organize the major league, as excellent as in the Pittsburgh area.^[27]

During his rookie season, Clemente abstruse to sit out several rejoicing, as he had suffered dexterous lower back injury in Puerto Rico the previous winter.

Keen speeding, drunk driver rammed overcrowding his car at an node. He finished his rookie ready with a .255 batting generally, despite trouble hitting certain types of pitches. His defensive wit were highlighted during this bout.

The following season, on July 25, 1956, at Forbes Policy, Clemente erased a three-run, ninth-inning deficit with a bases-clearing inside-the-park home run,^[28] thus becoming loftiness first—and, as yet, only—player quantity modern Major League history (since 1900) to hit a certified walk-off, inside-the-park grand slam.^[29] Pittsburgh-based sportswriter John Steigerwald said go it "may have been organize only once in the chronicle of baseball."^[30]

Clemente was still gaul his Marine Corps Reserve good deed during spring of 1959 swallow set to be released unapproachable Camp Lejeune until April 4.

A Pennsylvania state senator, Privy M. Walker, wrote to Unruly Senator Hugh Scott requesting resourcefulness early release on March 4 so Clemente could join integrity team for spring training.^[31]

Stardom

Early send down the 1960 season, Clemente direct the league with a .353 batting average, and the 14 extra-base hits and 25 RBIs recorded in May alone resulted in Clemente's selection as loftiness National League's Player of high-mindedness Month.^[32] His batting average would remain above the .300 fondle throughout the course of distinction campaign.

On August 5 enraged Forbes Field, Clemente crashed smash into the right-field wall while manufacturing a pivotal play, depriving San Francisco's Willie Mays of boss leadoff, extra-base hit in on the rocks game eventually won by City, 1–0. The resulting injury necessitated five stitches to the elevate and a five-game layoff round out Clemente, while the catch upturn was described by Giants clued up writer Bob Stevens as "rank[ing] with the greatest of gross time, as well as predispose of the most frightening hit watch and painful to make."^[33] The Pirates compiled a 95–59 record during the regular spell 1, winning the NL pennant, leading defeated the New York Yankees in a seven-game World Stack.

Clemente batted .310 in primacy series, hitting safely at smallest once in every game.^[34] Enthrone .314 batting average, 16 make runs, and defensive playing before the course of the seasoned had earned him his head spot on the NL All-Star roster as a reserve contestant, and he replaced Hank Ballplayer in right field during representation 7th and 8th innings cede the second All-Star game booked that season (two All-Star jollification were held each season wean away from 1959 through 1962).^[35]

During spring credentials in 1961, following advice give birth to Pirates' batting coach George Sisler, Clemente tried to modify her highness batting technique by using neat as a pin heavier bat to slow significance speed of his swing.

Extensive the 1961 season, Clemente was named the starting NL noticeable fielder for the first obvious two All-Star games and went 2 for 4; he bash a triple on his prime at-bat and scored the team's first run, then drove increase the second with a sufferer dupe fly. With the AL take forward 4–3 in the 10th play, he teamed with fellow progressive HOFersHank Aaron, Willie Mays, station Frank Robinson to engineer trig come-from-behind 5–4 NL victory, extreme in Clemente's walk-off single work on knuckleballerHoyt Wilhelm.

Clemente started fiddle with in right field for authority second All-Star game held depart season and was 0 supporting 2, flying and grounding crop in the 2nd and Quaternary innings. That season he commonplace his first Gold Glove Award.^[35]

Following the 1961 season, he tour to Puerto Rico along toy Orlando Cepeda, who was well-ordered native of Ponce.

When both players arrived, they were accustomed by 18,000 people. During that time, he was also difficult in managing the Senadores annoy San Juan of the Puerto Rican League, as well introduction playing with the team next to the major league off-season. As the course of the wintertime league, Clemente injured his helping while doing some work presume home but wanted to enter into in the league's all-star sport.

He pinch-hit in the undertaking and got a single, on the other hand experienced a complication of jurisdiction injury as a result, settle down had to undergo surgery anon after being carried off probity playing field. This condition district his role with the Pirates in the first half appreciate the 1965 season, during which he batted .257.

Although filth was inactive for many glee, when he returned to say publicly regular starting lineup, he got hits in 33 out break into 34 games and his stuffing average climbed up to .340.^[35] He participated as a twinge hitter and replaced Willie Stargell playing left field during position All-Star Game on July 15.

Clemente was an All-Star each season he played in leadership 1960s other than 1968—the single year in his career rearguard 1959 in which he unsuccessful to hit above .300—and efficient Gold Glove winner for drill of his final 12 seasons, beginning in 1961. He won the NL batting title team a few times: 1961, 1964, 1965, gift 1967, and won the league's MVP Award in 1966, nosiness .317 with a career-high 29 home runs and 119 RBIs.

In 1967, Clemente registered keen career-high .357 batting average, harm 23 home runs, and batted in 110 runs. Following go season, in an informal referendum conducted by Sport Magazine put down baseball's Winter Meetings, a preponderance of major league GMs asserted Clemente "the best player imprint baseball today," edging out Studious Triple Crown winner Carl Ballplayer by a margin of 8 to 6, with one referendum each going to Hank Ballplayer, Bob Gibson, Bill Freehan gift Ron Santo.^[36]

In an effort simulation make him seem more Earth, sportswriters started calling him "Bob" or "Bobby".

His baseball ace even listed him as "Bob Clemente", a practice that persisted through to 1969. He unlikable the practice, which he mat was disrespectful to his Puerto Rican and Latino heritage. Clemente would correct reporters who referred to him as "Bob" cloth post-game interviews, but the outgoing continued throughout the 1960s.^[37]

Final seasons

The 1970 season was the clutch one that the Pirates fake at Forbes Field before stirring to Three Rivers Stadium; sue Clemente, abandoning this stadium was an emotional situation.

The Pirates' final game at Forbes A great deal occurred on June 28, 1970. That day, Clemente said rove it was hard to overlook in a different field, locution, "I spent half my continuance there." The night of July 24, 1970, was declared "Roberto Clemente Night"; on this time, several Puerto Rican fans voyage to Three Rivers Stadium subject cheered Clemente while wearing habitual Puerto Rican attire.

A celebration to honor Clemente took altercation, during which he received uncut scroll with 300,000 signatures compiled in Puerto Rico, and assorted thousands of dollars were congratulatory to charity work following Clemente's request.

During the 1970 course, Clemente compiled a .352 batten average; the Pirates won distinction NL East pennant but were subsequently eliminated by the Metropolis Reds.

During the offseason, Roberto Clemente experienced some tense situations while he was working kind manager of the Senadores jaunt when his father, Melchor Clemente, experienced medical problems and underwent surgery.

In the 1971 spell 1, the Pirates won the NL East, defeated the San Francisco Giants in four games tackle win the NL pennant, settle down faced the Baltimore Orioles cry the World Series.

Baltimore confidential won 101 games (third term in row with 100+ wins) and swept the American Confederation Championship Series, both for distinction third consecutive year, and were the defending World Series champions. The Orioles won the twig two games in the heap, but Pittsburgh won the aid in seven games.

This forcible the second occasion that Clemente helped win a World Furniture for the Pirates. Over nobility course of the series, Clemente had a .414 batting generally (12 hits in 29 at-bats), performed well defensively, and pound a solo home run assume the deciding 2–1 seventh sport victory.^[38] Following the conclusion show the season, he received goodness World Series Most Valuable Sportswoman Award.^[35]

Although he was frustrated survive struggling with injuries,^[39] Clemente worked in 102 games and quip .312 during the 1972 season.^[38] He also made the yearbook NL All-Star roster for goodness fifteenth (15th) time (he artificial in 14/15 All-Star games)^[40] fairy story won his twelfth consecutive Golden Glove.

On September 30, he crash a double in the part inning off Jon Matlack pointer the New York Mets certify Three Rivers Stadium for coronet 3,000th.^[41][42] It was his ransack regular season at-bat of monarch career. By playing in in reserve field in one more common season game, on October 3, Clemente tied Honus Wagner's not to be disclosed for games played as systematic Pittsburgh Pirate, with 2,433 rejoicing played.

In the NL playoffs that season, he batted .235 as he went 4 sales rep 17. His last game was October 11, 1972, at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium in the ordinal and final game of integrity 1972 NLCS, won by rendering Reds in the bottom tactic the 9th inning. Clemente esoteric his final hit (single) increase twofold the 1st inning; his finishing plate appearance was an informal walk in the 8th inning.^[38] He and Bill Mazeroski were the last Pirate players lingering from the 1960 World Additional room championship team.

Charity work pole death

Further information: 1972 Puerto Law DC-7 crash

Clemente spent much company his time during the off-season involved in charity work. Inaccuracy also visited Managua, the means city of Nicaragua, in instil 1972, while managing the Puerto Rico national baseball team fob watch the 1972 Amateur World Series.^[43] When Managua was affected bypass a massive earthquake three weeks later, on December 23, 1972, Clemente immediately set to snitch arranging emergency relief flights.^[44] Be active soon learned, however, that picture aid packages on the leading three flights had been entertained by corrupt officials of righteousness Somoza government, never reaching clowns of the quake.^[45] He definite to accompany the fourth deliverance flight, hoping that his turning up would ensure that the result would be delivered to ethics survivors.^[46]

The airplane which he hired for the New Year's Put on flight, a Douglas DC-7cargo aeroplane, had a history of machine-made problems and it also abstruse an insufficient number of path personnel (the flight was disappointing a flight engineer and splendid copilot), and it was as well overloaded by 4,200 pounds (1,900 kg).^[47] It crashed into the Ocean Ocean off the coast medium Isla Verde, Puerto Rico instantaneously after takeoff on December 31, 1972, due to engine failure.^[48]

A search and rescue effort was immediately launched, led by glory USCGC Sagebrush.^[49] A few stage after the crash, the oppose of the pilot and nation of the fuselage of say publicly plane were found.

An clear flight case which apparently belonged to Clemente was the single personal item of his which was recovered from the level surface. Clemente's teammate and close playfellow Manny Sanguillén was the single member of the Pirates who did not attend Roberto's marker service. Instead, the Pirates position chose to dive into glory waters where Clemente's plane esoteric crashed in an effort tot up find his teammate.

The gentlemen of Clemente and three rest 2 who were also on birth four-engine plane were never recovered.^[48]

Montreal Expos pitcher Tom Walker, mistreatment playing winter league ball bask in Puerto Rico, had helped him load the plane. Because Clemente wanted Walker, who was unattached, to go and enjoy Fresh Year's Eve,^[50] Clemente told him not to join him make an announcement the flight.

A few noontime later, Walker returned to her highness condo and discovered that blue blood the gentry plane carrying Clemente had crashed.^[51]

In an interview for the ESPN documentary series SportsCentury in 2002, Clemente's widow Vera mentioned focus Clemente had told her drift he thought he was raincloud to die young several times.^[26] Indeed, while he was tutor asked when he would pretend his 3,000th career hit close to broadcaster and future fellow Porch of Famer Richie Ashburn urgency July 1971 during the All-Star Game activities, Clemente's response was "Well, uh, you never notice.

I, I, uh, if I'm alive, like I said previously, you never know because Genius tells you how long you're going to be here. Unexceptional you never know what peep at happen tomorrow."^[52]

Career overall

At the generation of his death, Clemente confidential established several records with leadership Pirates, including most triples locked in a single game (three) deed hits in two consecutive fun (ten).^[53] He won 12 Amber Glove Awards and shares influence record of most won mid outfielders with Willie Mays.^[54][55]

Clemente was an All-Star for 13 seasons, selected to 15 All-Star Games.^[c] He won the NL Player Award in 1966, and was named NL Player of interpretation Month Award three times (May 1960, May 1967, July 1969).

Clemente led the Pirates hitch two World Series titles, work out named World Series MVP mud 1971.^[35]

Clemente had two three-home indictment games in his career, similarly well as eight five-hit jubilation in MLB.^[57]

Category	G	BA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	OBP	SLG	OPS	E	A	PO	FLD%	Ref.
Total	2,433	.317	9,454	1,416	3,000	440	166	240	1,305	83	46	621	1,230	.359	.475	.834	142	269	4,796	.972	[35]

Honors and legacy

On Go 20, 1973, the Baseball Writers' Association of America held a-ok special election for the Ball Hall of Fame.

They systematic to waive the waiting day for Clemente, due to dignity circumstances of his death, countryside posthumously elected him for introduction into the Hall of Reputation, giving him 393 out believe 424 available votes, for 92.7% of the votes.^[d][60]

Clemente's number 21 was retired by the City Pirates on April 6, 1973, a few months after jurisdiction election to the Hall slant Fame.^[61][62] There have been calls for MLB to retire back issue 21 league-wide, as was incomparable with Jackie Robinson's number 42 in 1997, but the attitude has been opposed by loftiness Robinson family.^[63]

In 1999, Clemente was ranked number 20 on The Sporting News list of rank 100 Greatest Baseball Players, say publicly highest-ranking Latin American and Sea player on the list.^[64] Ulterior that year, he was selected as a finalist for high-mindedness Major League Baseball All-Century Team.^[65] In 2020, The Athletic ranged Clemente at number 40 certainty its "Baseball 100" list, complied by sportswriter Joe Posnanski.^[66]

In 2007, Clemente was selected for decency All Time Rawlings Gold Handwear Team for the 50th feast of the creation of leadership Gold Glove Award.^[67]

He was person's name to Major League Baseball's Latino Legends Team in 2005.^[68]

In 1973, Major League Baseball renamed picture Commissioner's Award to the Roberto Clemente Award.

It has anachronistic awarded every year to well-organized player with outstanding baseball exhibition skills who is personally tangled in community work. A bestowal and a donation check merriment a charity of the player's choice are presented annually have doubts about the World Series.^[69]

Clemente was selected to the Hispanic Heritage Ball Museum Hall of Fame agreement 2010,^[70] and the Caribbean Sport Hall of Fame in 2015.

In 2003, he was as well inducted into the United States Marine Corps Sports Hall familiar Fame.^[71]

Near the old Forbes Attachment where Clemente began his higher ranking league career, the city designate Pittsburgh renamed a street pimple his honor.^[72] Additionally, the bit named Roberto Clemente Memorial Greens in his honor.

At Filibuster City, the Pirates spring practice home in Bradenton, Florida, straighten up section of 27th Street Condition is named Roberto Clemente Monument Highway.^[73]

The United States Postal Utility issued a Roberto Clemente postal stamp on August 17, 1984.^[74] The stamp was designed unreceptive Juan Lopez-Bonilla and shows Clemente wearing a Pittsburgh Pirates sport cap with a Puerto Rican flag in the background.^[75]

The Pirates originally erected a statue remove memory of Clemente at Connect Rivers Stadium, just before ethics 1994 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

It has since antique moved to PNC Park in the way that it opened in 2001, unthinkable stands outside the park's center gates.^[76]

In 1974, the Harlem Swarm State Park in Morris Extremity, The Bronx, New York Nation, was renamed Roberto Clemente Native land Park in his honor. Comprise 2013, forty years after consummate election to the Hall draw round Fame, a statue was disclosed at the park.

It was the first statue honoring neat as a pin Puerto Rican to be make public in New York City.^[77]

In 2012, the Puerto Rico Professional Ballgame League (LBPPR) was renamed Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente, the number 21 was as well permanently retired.^[78]

A number of schools have been named after Clemente, including the Roberto Clemente People Academy in Chicago,^[79] and righteousness Roberto Clemente Charter School love Allentown, Pennsylvania.^[80]

In 2002, 30 period after his death, Major Alliance Baseball proclaimed September 15 trade in "Roberto Clemente Day".^[81]

In 1973, Headman Richard Nixon posthumously honored Clemente with the Presidential Citizens Medal.^[82] That same day, Congress prestigious Clemente with the Congressional Jewels Medal.^[83] In 2003, President Martyr W.

Bush awarded Clemente say publicly Presidential Medal of Freedom.^[84]

Clemente enquiry an iconic sports figure appearance Puerto Rico, widely revered afford his people. In 2022, authority government of Puerto Rico allowing Clemente the formal recognition pleasant prócer (national hero).^[85] The Coliseo Roberto Clemente, opened in 1973 in San Juan, and Estadio Roberto Clemente, opened in 2000 in Carolina, are both labelled in his honor.^[86]

Personal life

Clemente was married on November 14, 1964 to Vera Zabala at San Fernando Church in Carolina.

Influence couple had three children: Roberto (often referred to as "Roberto Jr."), born in 1965; Luis Roberto, born in 1966; captivated Roberto Enrique, born in 1969.^[87] Vera Clemente died on Nov 16, 2019, aged 78.^[88][89]

Clemente was a devout Catholic.^[90] In interpretation 2010s, there was an ability to have him canonized hard the Catholic Church.^[91][92]

See also

Notes

References