Essay On Robert Clemente

Robert Clemente is a Puerto Rican baseball player that came to America to play baseball. He is most known for playing with the Pittsburgh Pirates but he also played for the Brooklyn Dodgers’ minor league team, Montreal. He participated in charity for his fellow countrymen. He also has an amazing talent in baseball; he would teach baseball when he came to visit them. Although many judged him without seeing his talent, others thought he had a talent through what they heard.

Robert Clemente was born August 18, 1934 in Carolina, Puerto Rico. He worked in the field and harvested sugar cane. Roberto’s dad, Melchor, became a foreman at a sugar business. His father as well retailed meat and in the future bought a truck. His mother, Luisa, worked

on a farmstead household. The Clemente family appreciated schooling, they wanted their youngest child to be an engineer. Robert soon engaged in poor people’s base practice, and hitting tin cans with a stick.
Roberto’s high school years passed quickly.

He went to Julio C. Vizarrando High School. In addition to baseball, Roberto also ran track and did javelin throwing. Many said Roberto was natural, while others say he firmly played other sports to develop his baseball skills. Roberto Clemente signed on October 9, 1954 with the Sancture Crabbers; the Puerto Rican winter baseball team, for $5,000. The Brooklyn Dodgers saw Roberto and wanted to sign him.

In 1953- 1954, nine different major league baseball teams wanted to sign Roberto. When he was deciding which team, he picked the Brooklyn Dodgers because they asked him to sing first. They signed him for $10,000 per year. He played on the Montreal farm team for a while because the Dodgers were trying to hide Roberto from the other teams. On November 22, 1954, the Pittsburgh Pirates drafted Roberto on their minor league team. Roberto had his major league debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 17,

1955.
Roberto Clemente could hardly speak English and in Pittsburgh they didn’t have a Hispanic community. Roberto was being told racial comments by the opposing team and he knew other were saying them too. Later in 1960, the Pittsburgh Pirates achieved the greatest accomplishment of winning the World Series and Roberto also came in 8th place for The Most Valuable Player. In 1961, Roberto recorded 27 outfield assists and won the first of many 12 Golden Gloves. In 1964 he won the All Star game, on the National League team. On November 14, 1964, he married Vera Cristina Zabala in San Juan, Puerto Rico. They then had 3 children together, Roberto Jr., Luis Roberto, and Enrique Roberto.
In 1965, Clemente won his third All Star game with the NL team.

In 1966, he won The Most Valuable Player with the record of 29 home runs and 119 runs batted in, RBIs. In 1967, Clemente won his fourth, and final, All Star game with the NL team. On October 17, 1971, the Pittsburgh Pirates won the World Series against the Baltimore Orioles. He was named World Series Most Valuable Player. On September 30, 1972, it was his last game of the season, with a career hit 3,000. He dedicated the hit to “the Pittsburgh fans and the Puerto Rican people.” On December 23, 1972, a disturbing quake hit Nicaragua. Roberto decided to gather supplies for the quake survivors. On December 31, 1972, the plane Roberto was in shortly crashed, after takeoff, into the ocean. On August 6, 1973, Roberto was inducted into the Hall of Fame. He was the first Latin- born player to be

honored.
Roberto amazed people with his talent, even though some didn’t pay attention to his abilities and just saw his skin color. He moved people by his works in charity. The children of Puerto Rico thank him for teaching them how to play baseball. After his death, people realized how good of a player he was along with his gratitude towards others. This is why people honor and respect him a person and a ball player.