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| | [[File:Roberto Clemente 1965.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Roberto Clemente in 1965.]] | | [[File:Roberto Clemente 1965.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Roberto Clemente in 1965.]] |
| − | '''Roberto Clemente Walker''', nicknamed "The Great One," was one of the finest [[baseball]] players ever, particularly as an all-round player. He had a hit in every [[World Series]] game (and won those championships), was the 11th player to reach 3,000 hits overall, had the highest batting average of anyone in the 1960s and the finest arm of any outfielder ever. He won a record 12 [[Gold Glove]]s, and is ranked as the best defensive right fielder of all time.<ref>https://www.thereporter.com/2020/09/09/sieger-some-say-roberto-clemente-was-the-greatest-ever/</ref> Clemente was baseball's greatest humanitarian, and a strong argument can be made that he was an [[angel]]. He led the Pirates to two [[World Series]] championships, first in 1960 and again in 1971 while winning its MVP and batting .478. He ranks along with [[Willie Mays]], [[Hank Aaron]], [[Rogers Hornsby]], and [[Joe DiMaggio]] as one of the greatest righthanded hitters ever.<ref>https://bleacherreport.com/articles/440271-albert-pujols-and-the-20-greatest-right-handed-hitters-of-all-time</ref> '''''More sculptures (11) honor Clemente than any other athlete.'''''<ref>https://www.spanish.academy/blog/how-world-series-champion-roberto-clemente-served-impoverished-puerto-ricans/</ref> | + | '''Roberto Clemente Walker''', nicknamed "The Great One," was one of the finest all-round [[baseball]] players ever. '''''More sculptures (11) honor Clemente than any other athlete.'''''<ref>https://www.spanish.academy/blog/how-world-series-champion-roberto-clemente-served-impoverished-puerto-ricans/</ref> He had a hit in every [[World Series]] game (and won those championships), was the 11th player to reach 3,000 hits overall, had the highest batting average of anyone in the 1960s and the best arm of any outfielder ever. He won a record 12 [[Gold Glove]]s, and is ranked as the greatest defensive right fielder ever.<ref>https://www.thereporter.com/2020/09/09/sieger-some-say-roberto-clemente-was-the-greatest-ever/</ref> Clemente was baseball's greatest humanitarian, and a strong argument can be made that he was an [[angel]]. He led the Pirates to two [[World Series]] championships, first in 1960 and again in 1971 while winning its MVP and batting .478. He ranks along with [[Willie Mays]], [[Hank Aaron]], [[Rogers Hornsby]], and [[Joe DiMaggio]] as one of the greatest righthanded hitters ever.<ref>https://bleacherreport.com/articles/440271-albert-pujols-and-the-20-greatest-right-handed-hitters-of-all-time</ref> |
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| | A devout [[Christian]] who was outspoken about his [[faith]] in [[God]], Clemente's career was tragically cut short when his relief plane crashed on December 31, 1972 while taking off on a mercy mission to [[Nicaragua]] after a devastating [[earthquake]] had hit the country earlier in the year (he was traveling there due to political theft of relief supplies; it was believed that Clemente's presence would stop the thefts from occurring). In a much-watched interview of him on the field when asked about when he thought he would get his 3,000th hit, he said that you never know what will happen tomorrow because that is up to [[God]]; he would get his 3,000th hit in what would be his final game. | | A devout [[Christian]] who was outspoken about his [[faith]] in [[God]], Clemente's career was tragically cut short when his relief plane crashed on December 31, 1972 while taking off on a mercy mission to [[Nicaragua]] after a devastating [[earthquake]] had hit the country earlier in the year (he was traveling there due to political theft of relief supplies; it was believed that Clemente's presence would stop the thefts from occurring). In a much-watched interview of him on the field when asked about when he thought he would get his 3,000th hit, he said that you never know what will happen tomorrow because that is up to [[God]]; he would get his 3,000th hit in what would be his final game. |
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| | *he publicly spoke about God taking him from this world at any time. | | *he publicly spoke about God taking him from this world at any time. |
| | *his baseball bat was a substantial 5 ounces heavier than the bat used by a much-larger top slugger today,<ref>https://www.audacy.com/national/sports/aaron-judge-takes-bp-with-replica-roberto-clemente-bat</ref> and one of the heaviest bats ever used.<ref>https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1251649-20-biggest-bats-in-mlb-history#:~:text=The%20contributions%20Roberto%20Clemente%20made,the%20Pittsburgh%20Pirates%20in%201955.</ref> | | *his baseball bat was a substantial 5 ounces heavier than the bat used by a much-larger top slugger today,<ref>https://www.audacy.com/national/sports/aaron-judge-takes-bp-with-replica-roberto-clemente-bat</ref> and one of the heaviest bats ever used.<ref>https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1251649-20-biggest-bats-in-mlb-history#:~:text=The%20contributions%20Roberto%20Clemente%20made,the%20Pittsburgh%20Pirates%20in%201955.</ref> |
| − | *his body was never recovered from a humanitarian mission after he attained precisely 3,000 hits, although the plane was found. | + | *his body was never recovered from a humanitarian mission after he attained precisely 3,000 hits,<ref>https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/H_career.shtml</ref> although the plane was found. |
| | *he had an unusual way of catching fly balls (his basket catch), and in flailing his arms while running the base paths as though his arms were wings. | | *he had an unusual way of catching fly balls (his basket catch), and in flailing his arms while running the base paths as though his arms were wings. |
| − | *despite his quick speed,<ref>Clemente's speed was so quick that he is thought to be the only player who ever hit an inside-the-park grand slam in major league history.</ref> he disliked stealing bases perhaps due to a misperception about the legitimacy of it. | + | *despite his quick speed,<ref>Clemente's speed was so quick that he is thought to be the only player who ever hit an inside-the-park grand slam in major league history.</ref> he disliked stealing bases perhaps due to disfavoring stealing anything. |
| | *his nickname, "The Great One," is unusual and has a spiritual implication. | | *his nickname, "The Great One," is unusual and has a spiritual implication. |
| | *in [[Mystery:Does God Have a Sense of Humor?|God's style of humor]] reminiscent of the [[Gospels]] (including [[Saint Dismas]]), Clemente played for the only baseball team named after criminals (pirates). | | *in [[Mystery:Does God Have a Sense of Humor?|God's style of humor]] reminiscent of the [[Gospels]] (including [[Saint Dismas]]), Clemente played for the only baseball team named after criminals (pirates). |