Difference between revisions of "Roberto Clemente"
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| − | '''Roberto Clemente''' was one of the greatest [[baseball]] players ever, particularly as an all-round player. He had a hit in every World Series game, was the 11th player to reach 3,000 hits overall, had the highest batting average of anyone in the 1960s and perhaps the finest arm of any outfielder ever. He won a record 12 Golden Gloves, and is ranked as the greatest 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. | + | '''Roberto Clemente''' was one of the greatest [[baseball]] players ever, particularly as an all-round player. He had a hit in every World Series game, was the 11th player to reach 3,000 hits overall, had the highest batting average of anyone in the 1960s and perhaps the finest arm of any outfielder ever. He won a record 12 Golden Gloves, and is ranked as the greatest 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]]. |
A devout [[Christian]] who was outspoken about his [[faith]] in [[God]], Clemente's career was tragically cut short when his relief plane crashed on a mercy mission to [[Nicaragua]] after a devastating [[earthquake]] there on December 31, 1972 (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 a mercy mission to [[Nicaragua]] after a devastating [[earthquake]] there on December 31, 1972 (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. | ||
Revision as of 05:01, November 12, 2021
Roberto Clemente was one of the greatest baseball players ever, particularly as an all-round player. He had a hit in every World Series game, was the 11th player to reach 3,000 hits overall, had the highest batting average of anyone in the 1960s and perhaps the finest arm of any outfielder ever. He won a record 12 Golden Gloves, and is ranked as the greatest defensive right fielder of all time.[1] Clemente was baseball's greatest humanitarian, and a strong argument can be made that he was an angel.
A devout Christian who was outspoken about his faith in God, Clemente's career was tragically cut short when his relief plane crashed on a mercy mission to Nicaragua after a devastating earthquake there on December 31, 1972 (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.
Clemente was so revered (primarily due to the circumstances surrounding his death) that Major League Baseball waived the required five-year waiting period for Baseball Hall of Fame induction in his case; he was inducted at the next voting session.[2]
Major League Baseball has honored him every September 9 (his birthday) since 2002 (as Roberto Clemente Day).[3] There have been repeated calls for MLB to retire his #21 across baseball as it did with Jackie Robinson.
Clemente used the number 21 because it is total number of all the letters in his full name: "Roberto Clemente Walker."
One reason Clemente hit so well in the World Series, and in clutch moments there, is that he was a good "bad ball hitter," so he was very difficult to pitch around in big games.
Was Clemente an angel?
Angels are known to take human form, and there are many examples in the Bible. Several aspects of Clemente's life, character, and public comments suggest he may have been angel:
- he had a super-human throwing arm, resulting in many spectacular plays, of the kind that might amuse God
- he had a carefree style while performing at the highest level, hitting in every World Series game
- he publicly spoke about God taking him from this world at any time
- his body was never recovered from a humanitarian mission after he attained precisely 3,000 hits
The successful film Heaven Can Wait, a Greatest Conservative Movie, adds to this issue (withou mentioning Clemente).
See also
References
- ↑ https://www.thereporter.com/2020/09/09/sieger-some-say-roberto-clemente-was-the-greatest-ever/
- ↑ Clemente is the only player for which the waiting period was waived. It is erroneously claimed that this was also done for Lou Gehrig, but at the time of Gehrig's induction there was no waiting period; in his case the baseball writers held a special election to induct him due to his ALS.
- ↑ https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/mlb-s-pirates-will-honor-roberto-clemente-wearing-his-number-n1239238