Roberto Clemente was also a United States Marine. He joined the Corps after the 1958 season ended and spent 6 years in the Marine Corps Reserve. Semper Fi Roberto.
Clemente was the SECOND Latin American player to win a Most Valuable Player award. In 1965 Cuban shortstop Zolio Versalles won it playing for the Minnesota Twins in the American League. And he played the Organ and Harmonica, never before heard or read about him playing Guitar.
My Hero like my father and as a Boricua... #21... I currently play age 65 and over Senior Softball tournaments... I wear #21 on my Uniform tops... Plus, my All-Time MLB Outfielders.... #44 Aaron in LF, #24 Mays in CF and #21 Clemente in RF....
could you imagine a dodgers team with jackie robinson and roberto along with the rest of the great players back then man they would never lose. the mistake the dodgers made was trying to hind him in montreal and the pirates found him and picked him in the rule 5 draft thank you dodgers your loss was our gain. rip roberto you may have been the finest human being to ever live.
i think it's time for major league baseball to do the right thing and retire robertos number league wide the same way the did jackie robinson jackie was a great player and had to face a lot of idiot racists. but clemente endured the same things and even gave his life to try and help others if that's not deserving of that honor nothing is. i have great respect for jackie but even more the great roberto.
