REMEMBERING ROBERTO CLEMENTE By: Louis Cepeda Roberto Clemente died in a plane crash forty years ago this

coming December 31st, just a few months after becoming the first Latino in the major leagues to reach 3,000 hits. Roberto's mission on that tragic day was to help the people of another Latin country, whose lives had suddenly been horribly disrupted by a natural disaster. He mobilized and led a relief drive to bring food and medical supplies to survivors of a devastating earthquake in Nicaragua. Roberto didn't have to go to Nicaragua himself, but he felt the need to personally supervise the distribution of the plane's supplies to the earthquake victims. In truth he was concerned that Nicaraguas President Somoza and his cronies might use the food and medicine for political purposes. Roberto was right. Many years later, Managua, where the center of the earthquake occurred, was still a city under recovery. Since Roberto's tragic and untimely death, many Latinos have made it to baseballs big stage and contributed greatly to America's favorite pastime. Some have become legitimate superstars of the game like Albert Pujols, Pudge Rodriguez, Pedro Martinez, Miguel Cabrera, and Andres Gallaraga. A few like Rod Carew, Juan Marichal and Orlando Cepeda have actually made it to the Hall of Fame. But of the hundreds and hundreds of Latinos, who have played major league baseball over the last six decades, Roberto stands out as arguably the best player Latin America has ever produced. Roberto was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, on August 18, 1934. Even as a youngster playing on the sandlots of his hometown, he showed little fear of opposing pitchers, displaying a fiery, unyielding attitude that carried him to the major leagues by the time he was twenty. In 1955, Roberto became a Pittsburgh Pirate and a brilliant 18year career was underway. To watch Roberto in action on the field was to witness every key element of the game played to perfection. He glided under fly balls with the greatest of ease and agility, chased line drives into right center with the speed and grace of a jaguar in pursuit of prey, turning would-be spectacular catches into routine putouts.

He ran bases the only way he knew how, as hard and fast as his legs would let him. Whether it was a slow roller or a potential double-play ball, Roberto always hustled to first base, never giving less than 100% to his base-running, just like he never gave less than 100% to anything he did in the sport he loved so much. But if Roberto's talents as a rightfielder and runner were great, his ability to throw and hit were legendary. In fact, in his time, there wasn't a more respected outfielder's arm in the game. To illustrate this point, in the second game of the 1971 World Series between the Pirates and Orioles, Roberto ran down a Frank Robinson fly ball deep in the rightfield corner, did a complete spin, and fired a strike where he just missed getting a fast Merv Rettenmund advancing one base. Despite the fact that the runner was safe, Orioles catcher, Andy Etchbarren, said after the game," It was the greatest throw I ever saw by an outfielder." His hitting? Well, what can you say about a man who had a .317 lifetime average, led the National League in hitting four times, batted over .300 thirteen different years, hit safely in all 14 World Series games he appear in, and ended a fabulous career with his 3,000 hit on the very last day he would play baseball? Without a doubt, Roberto was the best pure hitter of his time. But despite all these tremendous achievements, Roberto had his problems with the American media. Although he was named to twelve All-Star teams and voted the National League's Most Valuable Player in 1966, Roberto felt cheated by the imagemakers, who made other athletes with lesser skills rich and famous. "The hell with them!" he remarked. "I make endorsements in Spanish countries and give the money to charity." Some writers resented Roberto's comments and retaliated by implying that his injuries were not always real, even though there were x-rays and medical diagnosis to substantiate them. A few labeled Robert "arrogant" for speaking his mind, for his strong sense of identity with the Latino culture and the underprivileged. "I love the poor people, the workers, the minority people, the ones who suffer," he onced declared to an interviwer. "They have a different outlook on life."

Unlike other Latin players, who attempted to assimilate into the American culture, Roberto, a black Puerto Rican, was extremely proud of his heritage. He refused to be tagged "Bob" by those who wanted to Americanize his name, and he often took to task those reporters who misquoted his Spanish or made fun of his accent. Roberto felt that a man should be respected for what he was, not by what others thought he should be. It was precisely this attitude, this unshakable commitment to the people and the island of his birth, that made Roberto so popular at home. In fact, so deep and profound was the love of Puerto Ricans for Roberto, that on notice of his death, the newly elected island Governor canceled all inaugural festivities, and declared three days of mourning for him. Puerto Rico had lost it most beloved son. There are those who say Roberto was the greatest right fielder of his time. One prominent New York sports writer once said, "Maybe some guys hit the ball further, and some throw it harder, and one or two run faster, although I doubt it. But nobody puts it all together like Roberto." The summer following his death, the Baseball Writers Association of America took the unprecedented action of waiving the five-year waiting period, and voted Roberto into the Hall of Fame. At the Cooperstown ceremonies, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn said of Roberto, " He was so very great a man, as a leader and humanitarian, so very great an inspiration to the young and to all in baseball, and to the people of his proud homeland, Puerto Rico." Or as Willie Mays so succinctly put it, "When we speak of great players, Roberto Clemente's name is always present." Statistical Lifetime Profile Games Played: 2,433 At Bats: 9,454 Hits: 3,000 Doubles: 444 Triples: 166 Home Runs: 240 Runs Scored: 1416

RBI: 1,305 Base on Balls: 621 Stolen Bases: 83 Lifetime Batting Average: .317 Gold Glove Winner: 1961-1972 All-Star Games: 14 World Series MVP: 1971