Five things you may not know about the great Roberto Clemente's life and career
Think you know Roberto Clemente, the former Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder who reached 3,000 hits his final season and is considered one of the greatest Latin players of all time?
Clemente was the first Hispanic player to accomplish many feats in the majors. He was the first to win a World Series as a starter, be named league MVP, be named World Series MVP and be elected to the Hall of Fame.
Most people also know Clemente died while flying relief supplies to Nicaragua, which had been struck by an earthquake. Clemente heard that the Nicaraguan army was stealing relief supplies meant for the people so decided to fly on the next supply plane. Shortly after takeoff from the San Juan, Puerto Rico airport on December 31, 1972, the plane crashed, killing Clemente and others on board.
Here are five things you may not know about Clemente:
No 5-year waiting period for the MLB Hall of Fame
Clemente became the second player to have the mandatory five-year waiting period waived to get into the Hall of Fame - the Yankees' Lou Gehrig was the first - when he was elected on March 20, 1973 only months after his tragic death.
The Baseball Writers’ Association of America held a special election to make Clemente a Hall of Famer.
Pirates were not the first MLB team to sign Clemente
The Brooklyn Dodgers signed Clemente as an amateur free agent prior to the 1952 season. However, the Pirates selected Clemente in the Rule 5 draft following the 1954 season after the Dodgers tried to hide him on a minor-league roster.
Clemente spent his entire career in Pittsburgh.
Willie Mays and Clemente share this honor
Clemente shares the record for most Gold Glove awards by outfielders with Willie Mays; both won 12.
Clemente was considered one of the best right fielders in the game with baserunners fearing his arm.
Hall of Fame had Clemente's name wrong on his plaque
Clemente's original plaque in Cooperstown, N.Y., had his name as: "Roberto Walker Clemente."
But the Latin American custom is that a person's given last name is followed by his mother's maiden name, thus he was born Roberto Clemente Walker.
His plaque was corrected in November 2000, 27 years after his election.
Clemente a champion for youth, underprivileged in Puerto Rico
Clemente was famous for hosting baseball clinics for underprivileged youth free of charge and being involved in many humanitarian efforts.
He took special interest in his native Puerto Rico, taking baseballs and gloves to sick fans and staging baseball clinics across the island that instructed thousands of children, most from poorer neighborhoods, in life matters as well as baseball.
“I get kids together and talk about the importance of sports, the importance of being a good citizen, the importance of respecting their mother and father,” Clemente once said. “Then we go to the ballfield and I show them some techniques of playing baseball."
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Pittsburgh Pirates Roberto Clemente Hall of Fame 3,000 hits
