Passage V

Roberto Clemente in Right Field

[1]

Roberto Clemente, the Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder from 1955 to 1972, was one of baseballs most gifted athletes. He was entitled the National League Batting Champion four times, the National League Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1966, and the World Series MVP in 1971. In recognition of his fielding skills, he was awarded twelve consecutive Gold Gloves. In 1973, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

[2]

While Clemente’s achievements in the sport of baseball are impressive. His charity work off the field has marked himself as one of the greatest humanitarians in professional sports. Tragically, it was during one of his goodwill missions that Clemente’s life was cut short. In 1972, Clemente died in a plane crash while delivering relief supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.

[3]

[1] At the time of his death, Clemente was planning long-term humanitarian projects, which were designed to last for years. [2] A few years later, his wife Vera, fulfilled this dream by founding the Roberto Clemente Ciudad Deportiva (Sports City) in Puerto Rico. [3] Each year, this 304-acre sports, counseling, and education center provides thousands of Puerto Rican youths the chance for a better life. [4] One of them was for children a sports complex in his homeland. (71)

[4]

In 1993, Clemente’s eldest son, Roberto Clemente Jr., established the Roberto Clemente Foundation. The foundation’s primary funding project, the RBI (Reviving Baseball in the Inner City) Program, offers baseball, softball, and educational opportunities for disadvantaged Pittsburgh-area teenagers.

[5]

Clemente’s example has also motivated major leaguers to participate in humanitarian projects. Since 1970, Major League Baseball has presented an award annual recognizing the player who best exemplifies the principals of sportsmanship and community service. In 1973, the award was renamed the Roberto Clemente Award.

[6]

While Clemente’s exemplary baseball record remains fixed for the ages, the effects of his generosity continue to expand, as the story of his life is told to others.