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07/23/2003
Roberto Clemente: A Life Lost, But Not Forgotten
Baseball legend receives U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom
Washington -- Roberto Clemente, a native of Puerto Rico and the first Latino enshrined in major league baseball's Hall of Fame, is remembered for being an all-star both on and off the ball field.
Though he died 31 years ago, Clemente continues to be an inspiration for sports fans of all ages. A number of schools and parks are named for him, and he was the second baseball player to appear on a U.S. postage stamp (Jackie Robinson was the first).
Ironically, Clemente's extraordinary dedication to helping others led to his own demise. The legendary right-fielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates died at age 38 in a 1972 New Year's Eve plane crash while traveling to deliver relief supplies to victims of a devastating earthquake in Nicaragua. But his charity to others lives on, as signified at a July 23 White House ceremony where Clemente was one of 11 Americans in the arts, sports, politics, science, and business awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States' highest civilian honor.
The honor is reserved for individuals the president deems to have made especially meritorious contributions to the national interests of the United States, to world peace, to culture, or to other significant public or private work.
President Bush said at the White House ceremony that Clemente would have been 69 years old next month.
"Millions of Americans remember hearing the news that Roberto Clemente had been lost on a mission to help the people of Nicaragua after an earthquake," said Bush. "His full name was Roberto Clemente Walker, and in an era of [Willie] Mays, and [Mickey] Mantle, and [Hank] Aaron, he ranked as one of the greats. He was a young man with a quick bat, a rifle arm and a gentle heart."
Bush added: "The true worth of this man, seen in how he lived his life and how he lost his life, cannot be measured in money. And all these years later, his family can know that America cherishes the memory of Roberto Clemente."
A Clemente biographer once said about him that "this was a man who could have lived a luxurious life away from the troubles of society and the poverty he faced as a child, yet he was not like that. He gave up his life trying to help other people in need."
His son, Roberto Clemente, Jr., said in an interview that "I know Dad is looking down upon on us and is very proud of what his legacy has done for our [Hispanic] culture."
Clemente, Jr., now a broadcaster for the ESPN sports network and formerly a Spanish-language play-by-play announcer for the New York Yankees, said "our kids are learning about my dad in school and in the history books, and they have someone to look up to."
Of his father, Clemente, Jr., said: "This kid from Carolina, Puerto Rico, grew up to be a baseball player, but not only that, he grew beyond the game of baseball. He became a hero, and 31 years after his death he's still receiving accolades for being the man he was. Baseball is really secondary to the legacy he left as a human being."
Clemente died the way he lived -- as a fierce competitor, known for his uncommon generosity and good heart. Major League Baseball annually presents the Roberto Clemente Award to a player who combines outstanding playing ability with community service work. A statue of Clemente stands near the stadium in Pittsburgh where the Pirates now play.
Clemente himself once said that "anytime you have an opportunity to make things better and you don't, then you are wasting your time on this Earth."
Every New Year's Eve, fans still leave flowers on the beach about a kilometer from where Clemente's plane crashed off the coast of Puerto Rico. At the time of the crash, he was looking for land to establish a "Sports City" for the underprivileged children in his hometown of Carolina. Today, Sports City, established by Roberto Clemente, Jr., is a thriving sports-recreation center in Puerto Rico.
The younger Clemente described the sports complex as his father's legacy, fulfilling the baseball player's life-long dream to give something back to the poor children of his native Puerto Rico.
In addition, the non-profit Roberto Clemente Foundation in Pittsburgh, also established by his son in 1993, aims to improve the lives of inner-city youth. The Foundation provides recreational programs and educational incentives, while teaching young people the importance of community service.
Another legacy is Roberto Clemente State Park -- located not far from baseball's legendary Yankee Stadium along the Harlem River in the New York City borough of the Bronx -- which offers a variety of recreational and cultural activities. The annual Roberto Clemente Week at the park celebrates the famed baseball star's life with a series of special events.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani said Clemente "played baseball with a passion that was matched only by the community service he performed for his beloved Puerto Rico." Giuliani said Clemente's "deeds and actions as a humanitarian and ballplayer have inspired generations of Americans."
Clemente played for the Pittsburgh Pirates his entire major league career, from 1955 to 1972. He was four-time National League batting champion, the league's most valuable player in 1966, a 12-time Golden Glove winner for fielding proficiency, and the most valuable player in the 1971 World Series when the Pirates beat the Baltimore Orioles. Clemente was the 11th player to have 3,000 hits in his major-league career. In 1973, Clemente was elected to the baseball Hall of Fame, with the standard five-year waiting period waived because of his untimely death.
In 2002, an exhibit of art and memorabilia opened at the Museum of Puerto Rican Art in San Juan that paid tribute to the Pittsburgh great.
Perhaps a school child summed up Clemente's life best when he wrote: "I admire Roberto Clemente because he died trying to do good. Unlike some athletes that use their money for bad stuff, Clemente perished in a plane crash taking supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. I can try to be like Clemente by working as hard at what I do as he did and be as kind and caring as he was."
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
Notable Hispanic Athletes in the U.S.