September 18, 2020
Today is Roberto Clemente Day throughout major league baseball. The Roberto Clemente Award is given annually to a player who demonstrates the values Clemente displayed in his commitment to community and understanding the value of helping others. Nominees from every club will be announced today. The winner is announced during the World Series.
On September 9, for the first time since Clemente’s number was retired in 1973 following his tragic death on Dec. 31, 1972, a Pittsburgh Pirates player took the field wearing No. 21. Everyone did, in fact. Every person on Pittsburgh’s roster and coaching staff donned a white No. 21 jersey. The effort to get Major League Baseball’s approval was led by their new manager, Derek Shelton. All Latin players around baseball also wore No. 21. Sympathy is growing to retire Roberto’s number – a Latin ballplayer – like Jackie Robinson’s No. 42 – a Black ballplayer – was retired throughout baseball.
Danny Torres, writing for baseballhall.org says it very well. “Every September, Roberto Clemente Day is celebrated around the baseball world. His storied name is synonymous with moral excellence, compassion and charitable work.
“Whether it was in his adopted home of Pittsburgh, his native soil Puerto Rico, or even the largest country in Central America, Nicaragua, the fans and followers have never forgotten this selfless living soul. Our memories are not only of a proud ballplayer who had an extraordinary career but also about the character and courage of a human being affectionately called ‘The Great One,” Hall of Famer Roberto Walker Clemente.
Managua, the capital city of Nicaragua, was hit by a massive earthquake on December 23, 1972. Clemente (who visited 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 three flights had been diverted by corrupt officials of the Somoza government, never reaching victims of the quake. He decided to accompany the fourth relief flight, hoping that his presence would ensure that the aid would be delivered to the survivors. The airplane he chartered for a New Year’s Eve flight, a Douglas DC-7 cargo plane, had a history of mechanical problems and an insufficient number of flight personnel (missing both a flight engineer and copilot), and was overloaded by 4,200 pounds. It crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Isla Verde, Puerto Rico immediately after takeoff on December 31, 1972 due to engine failure. Roberto Clemente’s body was never recovered.
Steve Blass, Pirates pitcher and team mate of Roberto said, “He felt he had to go to Nicaragua on New Year’s Eve. Only he could wrestle with the wrongdoings of how relief goods were being distributed. It was his mission and he had to be true to himself; a humanitarian. And that’s the Roberto I remember.”
This video is a tribute to “The Great One” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dO1CesFJ-s.
👉 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13 KJV).
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Great clip. I remember him and I remember the crash. Thanks for sharing this powerful video. And also it brought back other names I'd almost forgotten: Orlando Cepeda and Manny Sanguillen.
ReplyDeleteSeveral readers have said that September 9 was Roberto Clemente Day. I yield to them (I had read a report that it was today because it was the day the Clemente Award nominees were met). I regret my error, but still I am pleased that there seems to finally be a move to retire 21 throughout baseball.
ReplyDeleteYou are allowed to err on occasion.
ReplyDeleteTo err is human; to forgive, divine. (Alexander Pope)