Roberto Clemente was not only a great player on the field, but he was a greater person off the field. Clemente is one of the most beloved figures in baseball history. He had exactly 3000 hits in his major league career before he died in a 1972 plane crash while taking supplies to Nicaraguan earthquake victims. Roberto Clemente is no doubt one of the best players to have played the game of baseball and one of the greatest people.
The night of July 4, 1970 was declared "Roberto Clemente Night". On this day, several Puerto Rican fans traveled to Three Rivers Stadium and cheered Clemente while wearing traditional Puerto Rican dress. Major League Baseball presents the Roberto Clemente Award every year to the player who best follows Clemente's example with humanitarian work.
Because of his goodwill and his dedication to helping his fellow man, Roberto Clemente State Park was named after the baseball great. The State Park gets many visitors from Englewood Cliffs. Roberto Clemente State Park is a great place to spend time for folks traveling from Englewood Cliffs. Puerto Rico also honored Clemente's memory by naming the coliseum in San Juan the Roberto Clemente Coliseum. There are also two baseball parks named after him in Carolina. One is a professional park called Roberto Clemente Stadium, and the other is a Double-A park.
Born in small barrio San Anton in Carolina, Puerto Rico, Roberto Clemente was the youngest of seven children and was raised in a modest home with mother Luisa and father Melchor. He demonstrated interest in baseball early in his life and would often play against neighboring barrios. His professional career began when Pedrín Zorilla offered him a contract with the Santurce Crabbers of the LBBPR. Clemente debuted with the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 17, 1955 in the first of a double header against the Brooklyn Dodgers. He is also the first Hispanic to win a World Series as a starter in 1960, win a league MVP award in 1966 and win a World Series MVP award in 1971.
At the ceremony in 1973, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn honored him by creating the "Roberto Clemente Award", the highest award in baseball for sportsmanship and community activism.
The night of July 4, 1970 was declared "Roberto Clemente Night". On this day, several Puerto Rican fans traveled to Three Rivers Stadium and cheered Clemente while wearing traditional Puerto Rican dress. Major League Baseball presents the Roberto Clemente Award every year to the player who best follows Clemente's example with humanitarian work.
Because of his goodwill and his dedication to helping his fellow man, Roberto Clemente State Park was named after the baseball great. The State Park gets many visitors from Englewood Cliffs. Roberto Clemente State Park is a great place to spend time for folks traveling from Englewood Cliffs. Puerto Rico also honored Clemente's memory by naming the coliseum in San Juan the Roberto Clemente Coliseum. There are also two baseball parks named after him in Carolina. One is a professional park called Roberto Clemente Stadium, and the other is a Double-A park.
Born in small barrio San Anton in Carolina, Puerto Rico, Roberto Clemente was the youngest of seven children and was raised in a modest home with mother Luisa and father Melchor. He demonstrated interest in baseball early in his life and would often play against neighboring barrios. His professional career began when Pedrín Zorilla offered him a contract with the Santurce Crabbers of the LBBPR. Clemente debuted with the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 17, 1955 in the first of a double header against the Brooklyn Dodgers. He is also the first Hispanic to win a World Series as a starter in 1960, win a league MVP award in 1966 and win a World Series MVP award in 1971.
At the ceremony in 1973, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn honored him by creating the "Roberto Clemente Award", the highest award in baseball for sportsmanship and community activism.