Influential Journey: Remembering Roberto Clemente

For many years now, my biggest influencer has been Roberto Clemente, who played Major League Baseball in the 60’s and 70’s. Roberto Walker Clemente was born the youngest of seven children to Melchor and Luisa Clemente in Puerto Rico on August 18, 1934. Although growing up poor in Barrio San Anton in Carolina, he was happy and remained very close to his family and to his country and its inhabitants throughout his entire life. Roberto was an industrious young man and worked various odd jobs including milk delivery. He began playing baseball with his brothers and friends and was eventually signed for forty dollars a month by a professional hardball team in the Puerto Rican town of Santurce. His natural ability got him recognized by a Dodger scout and he was signed in 1954 to a minor league team in Montreal. His

The Surgency personality dimension includes dominance, extraversion, and high-energy with determination and is illustrated in this quote, “There was no doubting his greatness nor his influence on the champion Pirates. Clemente had played in the All-Star Game, the World Series, had won the Most Valuable Player award, and had led the National League in batting average four times.” (Thornley) The second personality trait is Agreeableness and includes traits of sociability and emotional intelligence and is well illustrated by these words:Garcia 3“In his life and death, Roberto lifted Puerto Rican identity to a new level in the world... Son of Carolina, Exemplary Citizen, Athlete, Philanthropist, Teacher, Hero of the Americas and the World. Believing the promised land was more than a vision, both Clemente and King sacrificed everything to help set into motion a righteous path toward peace, equality and justice for oppressed people throughout the world. On the door of the room Clemente used during Pirates Spring Training is a plaque that