Subscribe to our Free Newsletter, This Month in Sports ReferenceFind out when we add a feature or make a change. He led the National League in batting four times during the 1960s and starred in the 1971 World Series. became the first Hispanic player to reach 3,000 career hits. hits. The next year he went to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates and made his major league debut in 1955. He Baseball’s most talented outfielders are still compared to Clemente. Roberto Clemente, the great Puerto Rican Hall of Fame baseball star, who is known for his community work as well as his athletic prowess, is honored … Get exclusive access to content from our 1768 First Edition with your subscription. He won 12 Gold Gloves, the award given to the best fielding player in each position in the league.

   vs. BRO 4 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, Last Game: Although the media tried to call him “Bob” or “Bobby” and many of his baseball cards use “Bob,” Clemente explicitly rejected those nicknames, stating in no uncertain terms that his name was Roberto.    View Roberto Clemente's Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos). Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. He became the first Latino inducted into the Hall. Who has the all-time most career Major League Baseball innings pitched with 7,356, a record that many observers consider to be unbreakable? Omissions?

enjoyed perhaps his finest season in 1966, batting .317 with a career-best 29 homers and 119 RBIs to win the NL Most Valuable Player Award.

Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker was born on August 18, 1934, in Carolina, Puerto Rico. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Julio C. Vizarrondo (Carolina, Puerto Rico). He headed relief efforts in Puerto Rico after a massive earthquake hit Nicaragua in late December 1972. The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball, Salaries may not be complete (especially pre-1985) and may not include some earned bonuses, Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. American baseball superstar Alex Rodriguez won three MVP awards and hit nearly 700 home runs over his 22-year career, but saw his reputation tainted through his link to performance-enhancing drugs. (Age 20-242d, https://www.biography.com/athlete/roberto-clemente. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. Mickey Mantle played for the New York Yankees from 1951 to 1968, and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.

Are you a Stathead, too? Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Or write about sports? Near the end of his career, Clemente commented, “My greatest satisfaction comes from helping to erase the old opinion about Latin Americans and Blacks.” A close friend of Clemente’s, Spanish-language sportscaster Luis Mayoral, added, “Roberto Clemente was to Latinos what Jackie Robinson was to Black baseball players. Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan established records with his 5,714 strikeouts and seven no-hitters during his 27-year Major League Baseball career. A trailblazing player in the Negro Leagues, baseball pitcher Satchel Paige also became the oldest rookie in Major League history and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Often referred to as "The Great One," Clemente was the first Latin American player elected to the baseball Hall of Fame. Exceeded rookie limits during 1955 season, View Player Bio with a .351 average, slugged 23 homers and won his first of 12 consecutive Gold Glove Awards for fielding excellence. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1955 season Full Name: Roberto Clemente Nicknames: Arriba or The Great One. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Some defensive statistics Copyright © Baseball Info Solutions, 2010-2020. from the SABR BioProject, More Roberto Clemente Pages at Baseball Reference, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Thursday, October 22, 12:56AM. For 18 seasons Clemente delighted fans with his hitting ability, daring base running, and strong throwing arm. Copyright © 2000-2020 Sports Reference LLC. He was given a $10,000 bonus—very high by the standards of the times—but was sent to the minor leagues for the 1954 season. Baseball legend Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's hallowed mark of 714 home runs and finished his career with numerous big league records. Only in 2000 was it changed to its proper Latin American form, Roberto Clemente Walker. He died in a plane crash to deliver goods to Nicaragua in 1972. At the time, only 10 other players had reached this mark. Clemente married Vera Zabala in 1963, and they had three sons. He hit his stride in 1960, batting .314 with 16 home runs and 94 RBIs to earn his first All-Star berth and help the Pirates win the World Series. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). He spoke up for Latinos; he was the first one to speak out.”. Roberto Clemente is remembered today as one of the game's best all-around right fielders, with one of the best arms in baseball.