He was the the first Caribbean and the first Latin-American player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame; he hit .317 over 17 years with exactly 3000 hits in a career cut short in a tragic plane crash. He was selected for 15 All-Star games, won 12 Gold Gloves as an outfielder, and led the NL batting tables for four years.
On top of that, he undertook countless opportunities to work with charities, always looking to make a difference in people’s lives.
When the MLB renamed its trophy to the player who "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team”, The Roberto Clemente Trophy, you know that Clemente's name will echo through the ages.
Given his quiet yet powerful presence, let's skip over the World Series and Championship games. A mid-season game feels more appropriate, so we'll turn to the 45-48 Pirates as they visit the 29-63 Expos in 1969. Can Pittsburg keep climbing back up, and reach .500 before the All-Star break?
Dave Van Horne and Russ Taylor will take you through the game.
You can find the boxscore here.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MON/MON196907170.shtml
This game was played on 17 July 1969.
The Pirate Who Everyone Loved Was Called Roberto Clemente, Pirates at Expos, 17 July, 1969. | Classic Baseball Radio podcast - Listen or read transcript on Metacast
