Today, MLB is celebrating Roberto Clemente Day to honor him in what will be, in December, the 50th anniversary of his passing.
Clemente is a beloved and respected figure among baseball fans, even newer generations who didn’t know him.
His impact was so big that stories were told from generation to generation about his on-field talent and off-the-field charity work and empathy towards the community.
Today, there will be quite a celebration at Citi Field, in New York, at 7 p.m. ET.
There, the New York Mets will host the Pittsburgh Pirates: past winners of the Roberto Clemente award and his sons will be at the stadium to celebrate and honor a great man.
Everybody in uniform will don Clemente’s number 21 as a tribute.
“Today we proudly wear No. 21 in honor of Roberto Clemente. One of the best players in the history of MLB and the greatest humanitarian our sport has ever seen. #Retire21,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton tweeted.
Today we proudly wear No. 21 in honor of Roberto Clemente. One of the best players in the history of MLB and the greatest humanitarian our sport has ever seen. #Retire21 pic.twitter.com/wnGbvgAJsM
— Derek Shelton (@derekshelton) September 15, 2022
Clemente Is Still A Hero In Pittsburgh
Shelton is right in every word: Clemente was one of the greatest players of his time, and perhaps the one with the most sensitivity towards what happened in his surroundings.
He died while on a mission to give food and supplies to the victims of an earthquake.
It happened in 1972.
On the field, Clemente was magnificent: a true winner, he took home two World Series trophies with the Pirates, including a World Series MVP award in 1971.
He won 12 Gold Gloves, four batting crowns, and an NL MVP in 1966.
He retired with a .317 batting average, 3,000 hits, 240 home runs, and 1,305 RBI.
He was, and still is, the pride of the Latino community.
There will be no one like him.
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