LIFE SKILLS BIOGRAPHIES

R
C 
 21st
Century
Skills Library

LIFE SKILLS BIOGRAPHIES

R
C 

Vicky Franchino

Cherry Lake Publishing

A n n A r b o r, M i c h i g a n
Published in the United States of America by Cherry Lake Publishing
Ann Arbor, MI
www.cherrylakepublishing.com

Content Adviser: Bruce Markusen, Author and Historian, Cooperstown, New York

Photo Credits: Cover and pages 1, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 25, 26, 29, 31, 32,
34, 35, 36, 43, © Bettmann/Corbis; page 13, © Lucien Aigner/Corbis; page 38, Photo
courtesy of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum; page 41, © Tannen Maury/
epa/Corbis

Copyright ©2008 by Cherry Lake Publishing

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any
form or by any means without written permission from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Franchino, Vicky.
Roberto Clemente / by Vicky Franchino.
p. cm.—(Life skills biographies)
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN-13: 978-1-60279-073-5 (hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-60279-073-6 (hardcover)
1. Clemente, Roberto, 1934–1972—Juvenile literature. 2. Baseball players—Puerto Rico—
Biography—Juvenile literature. I. Title. II. Series.
GV865.C45F73 2007
796.357092–dc22
[B] 2007004443

Cherry Lake Publishing would like to acknowledge the work of

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills.
Please visit www.21stcenturyskills.org for more information.
 C  

Introduction 4

C H A P T E R O N E

Life in Puerto Rico 6

C H A P T E R T W O

A Life in Baseball Begins 12

C H A P T E R T H R E E

The Ups and Downs of Life in Professional Baseball 18

C H A P T E R F O U R

Becoming a Team and Community Leader 26

C H A P T E R F I V E

The Beginning of a Legend 35

Timeline 44

Glossar y 46

For More Information 47

Index 48

About the Author 48

 I  

B aseball players are usually remembered for their

athletic skills. Roberto Clemente is one baseball star
whose accomplishments off the field were just as
important as those on it.
A professional baseball player for nearly 20 years,
Clemente had an impressive list of achievements.
He was only the 11th player in the Major Leagues to
have 3,000 hits in his career. He helped his team, the
Pittsburgh Pirates, win the World Series twice, and he
received 12 consecutive Gold Glove Awards for fielding.
But when people hear his name today, they remember
more than a baseball player. They remember a man of
great dignity who worked to gain equality for Latino
ballplayers—and Latino people—a man who cherished
his Puerto Rican heritage, and a man who knew it was
important to help others.

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 As Clemente once said, “Any time you have an
opportunity to make a difference in this world and you
don’t, then you are wasting your time on Earth.”

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 CHAPTER ONE

L  P  R 

Cutting sugarcane, as Roberto Clemente’s father

did, is a physically demanding job.

R oberto Clemente Walker was born on August 18, 1934, in Carolina,

Puerto Rico. (In the Puerto Rican tradition, his mother’s maiden name is
given last.) His parents were Luisa and Melchor Clemente, and Roberto
had five older brothers and two older sisters. Both of Roberto’s parents
worked at a sugarcane plantation. Luisa did laundry for the owner of
the plantation. She started her job in the middle of the night so that she

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could be home to care for her children during the ife
day. Melchor cut sugarcane and eventually became
a foreman and supervised other workers. He often
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Through their actions,

held more than one job to support his family.
Luisa and Melchor
Sometimes Melchor ran a grocery store out of his Clemente taught
house, and other times he used the family truck to their son valuable
make deliveries. These were difficult jobs that paid lessons about hard
work, sacrifice, and
very little, but Roberto’s parents did them gladly in
the importance of
order to take care of their family. helping others. They
Although much of Roberto’s time was spent worked long hours
helping his family, there was always time for play. and sometimes went
without food so that
His favorite game to play was baseball. There
their children wouldn’t
wasn’t usually enough money to buy bats and be hungry. They taught
balls, but that didn’t stop Roberto. He would Roberto that every
make a bat from a tree branch and a ball from a person was equal,
regardless of skin color
tin can, and spend hours playing. When he wasn’t
or wealth.
playing baseball, he was listening to it on the radio
or riding his bike to Sixto Escobar Stadium in
the nearby city of San Juan. There he would wait
patiently in hopes of seeing one of the baseball
stars as they left the stadium. His favorite player
was Monte Irvin. Irvin played for the Negro
Leagues during the regular baseball season in the
United States and for the San Juan team—the
Senators—during the Winter League (which was

LIFE SKILLS BIOGRAPHIES: R C  7

 held there because the weather in Puerto Rico is mild enough to play
baseball outdoors year-round). Sometimes Roberto would wait at the
stadium in the hopes of seeing his favorite player, and eventually he was
brave enough to ask Irvin for his autograph. The two became friends and
were often together at the stadium. Little did they guess that Roberto
would one day become a major league baseball player and have the
chance to play against his longtime hero!

Roberto’s hometown of Carolina, Puerto Rico, is about 13 miles (21 kilometers)

from San Juan (above), the island’s largest city, which is on the coast.

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 ife
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When he was young,

Roberto asked his
father for a bicycle. His
father told him that he’d
have to find a way
to earn money for the
bike, and so Roberto
did. Each morning, he
hauled a heavy can of
milk for a neighbor and
received a few pennies
in pay. It took him
nearly three years to
save his money, but he
kept working until he
had earned his bike.

Monte Irvin, who played for the New York

Giants in the Major Leagues, also played
in the Winter Leagues in Puerto Rico.

Roberto’s parents wanted their children to have

an easier life than they had. They knew Roberto loved
baseball, but his mother believed that education was
the best way to have a better life. Roberto was a fine

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 Playing on a Winter League team, such as the San Juan Senators, was a
popular way for Major League players to hone their skills in the off season.

student, but it was obvious that baseball was more important to him than
school. Luisa sometimes got upset that Roberto spent so much of his time
playing baseball. Once she even threw his bat into the fire. Luckily, he was
able to save his bat before it was completely destroyed. His mother later said
that she had made a mistake when she tried to stop him from playing ball.
As a teenager, Roberto continued to spend all his free time practicing
and playing baseball. A man named Roberto Marín came to watch him play.

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Marín was a salesman who was in charge of finding
players for his company’s softball team. Once he ife
saw how well Roberto could play, Marín asked him
to join his team. Roberto was just 14 years old, and
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People often describe

within two years he was also playing for the Juncos, a Roberto as the best
baseball team in the Puerto Rican Double-A League. natural athlete they
To top it off, Roberto was still playing for his high ever saw, but he was
also one of the hardest
school baseball team and was a star on the track
working. Even as a
team. In fact, Roberto was so good at track-and-field young boy, Roberto
events that he was seriously considered for Puerto understood that it
Rico’s 1952 Summer Olympic team! But baseball was took time and effort to
excel at something. He
his favorite sport, and Roberto decided to dedicate
often carried a small
himself to being the best baseball player he could be. rubber ball with him
that he would squeeze
to make his arms and
hands stronger. He
spent hours practicing
his hitting, fielding,
and throwing.

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 CHAPTER TWO

A L  B  B

Roberto’s career in baseball began before he graduated from high school.

A fter watching Roberto play for nearly four years, Marín knew that the
teen had enough talent to play professional baseball. Marín spoke to his
friend, Pedrín Zorrilla, who was the owner of a popular Winter League

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team, the Santurce Cangrejeros. Many of the Winter League players were
young men who wanted a chance to show their skills. The league was also
popular with experienced players from the Major Leagues and the Negro
Leagues in the United States who wanted to keep in shape during the off-
season and earn some extra money.
Zorrilla also helped scout new players for the Brooklyn Dodgers
baseball team in the United States. He invited Roberto to attend a tryout

The Newark Eagles played in the Negro Leagues in

the United States in the 1930s and 1940s.

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 The Brooklyn Dodgers, who played at Ebbets Field in New York City, were one of the
best teams in the Major Leagues in the mid-1950s. They won the World Series in 1955.

that was being held for the Cangrejeros and the Dodgers. This was an
exciting opportunity for Roberto because Al Campanis would be there.
Campanis was the Dodgers’ head scout for Latin American talent.
Campanis wasn’t expecting much from the tryouts because they were open
to everyone, not just talent found through his scouts.

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 Seventy-two hopeful players showed up for tryouts.
At first, things went poorly, just as Campanis had ife
expected. He didn’t see anyone good enough to play
professional baseball. But then it was Roberto’s turn.
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The Cangrejeros’
He threw a ball from home plate to center field. His manager, Buster
throw was fast and perfect. Campanis asked for uno “Buzz” Clarkson, told
más, or “one more,” and this one was perfect, too. Then Clemente that he’d
be a great player
Roberto ran the 60-yard dash in just 6.4 seconds—the
someday, but he
world record at the time was 6.1 seconds. And he ran needed to improve
uno más in the same time. Campanis was suddenly his batting skills.
glad he’d attended the tryouts. When he batted, he
dragged his left foot
Campanis wanted to sign Roberto to the Brooklyn
and would swing at
Dodgers right away, but there was one problem. almost every pitch,
According to the rules of Major League Baseball, a leaving him with a
player had to be at least 18 years of age before he could poor batting average.
Clemente took
sign a contract. Roberto was only 17.
Clarkson’s advice and
The Puerto Rican league didn’t have this rule, diligently worked to
however, so Campanis’s loss was Zorrilla’s gain. Zorrilla improve his batting. He
offered Roberto a $400 bonus and a salary of $40 per became an excellent
batter, winning four
week to play for the Cangrejeros. This was a fortune to
batting titles during his
Roberto and his family—his father was paid much less professional career.
for his hard work at the plantation. Roberto discussed
the offer with his parents. They knew how much this
opportunity meant to him and agreed that he could
sign on with the Cangrejeros.

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 On the Cangrejeros, Clemente played with Willie Mays (right).

Clemente was thrilled to play on a Winter League team. It would be his

first chance to play against Major League players from the United States,
and he was determined to do his best. But his excitement soon turned
to frustration when he found himself spending most of his time on the
bench. Zorrilla believed that young players could easily be discouraged if
they played against experienced professional ballplayers and didn’t do well.
He thought these players would do better in the long run if they spent
their early days on the team practicing and learning.
Clemente was upset when he didn’t get to play, but he didn’t let that
stop him from working hard and learning all he could. His hard work

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 ife
eventually paid off, and he became the Cangrejeros’
regular right fielder. He shared the outfield with two
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excellent ballplayers: Bob Thurman, who’d long been Clemente adapted

to varied roles and
a star in the Negro Leagues, and Willie Mays, who
responsibilities
played for the New York Giants. Playing with these throughout his career
talented and experienced men helped Clemente to and excelled in
become an even better ballplayer—and the scouts them. He took being
a role model to
began to notice him.
Puerto Rican children
The Brooklyn Dodgers had been keeping an eye especially seriously. He
on Clemente and wanted to sign him to the team. remembered when he
In 1954, they offered him a $10,000 bonus, plus a was a child, people
always said, “Babe Ruth
$5,000 salary. He couldn’t believe his good fortune.
was the best there was.
He could earn more money than he’d ever dreamed They said you’d really
of, playing the game that he loved. Plus he’d get have to be something
to play with the Dodgers, one of the most famous to be like Babe Ruth.
But Babe Ruth was an
teams in baseball. But before he actually signed the
American player. What
contract, the Milwaukee Braves approached him we needed was a
with a much higher offer. He couldn’t decide what Puerto Rican player they
to do and turned to his mother for advice. She told could say that about,
someone to look up to
him that it was important to keep his word, and he
and try to equal.” When
signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers. he played baseball,
Clemente was excited to join a Major League Clemente knew that
team. He knew that he was playing not only for he was playing as a
representative of all
himself, but for all the people of Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rican people.

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 CHAPTER THREE

T U  D  L

 P   B 

Jackie Robinson (crossing home plate), who was the first African American
to play in the Major Leagues, played for the Montreal Royals in 1946.

A lthough Clemente had signed with the Dodgers, he was sent to play
for their farm team, the Montreal Royals. Clemente was a talented right
fielder, but the Dodgers already had all the outfielders they needed on
their team. Most people believe the Dodgers signed him because they
recognized his talent and wanted to keep their rival, the New York Giants,
from getting him. But some people believe that Clemente was sent to
Montreal because there were already many players of color on the Dodgers
team. In the 1950s, white players were more common and accepted.

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 Clemente had been excited to move to Brooklyn.
A lot of Spanish-speaking people lived there, and
ife
many of them were from Puerto Rico. Everything
in Montreal—a city in Canada—was strange and
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Throughout his long

difficult. The weather was much colder than it was career in baseball,
in Puerto Rico. Plus most people spoke French, and Clemente was often
injured or suffered from
he didn’t have many people he could talk to. He was
illness, had to deal
very lonely, still a teenager and living away from with prejudice, and
home for the first time. was often lonely. But
Clemente’s life was full of new experiences. he never gave up. He
stayed focused and
One of the most upsetting was his first exposure
continued to work hard
to prejudice. In Puerto Rico, the color of a person’s through these problems
skin had never seemed important. But when the and disappointments.
Royals traveled to places in the southern part of
the United States, the black players were not
allowed to stay in the same hotels or eat in the
same restaurants.
But he loved baseball and thought that as long
as he had the chance to play, he would be able to
overcome the hardships he found in Montreal.
Unfortunately, he found himself on the bench
much more than on the field. The Dodgers
supposedly didn’t want any other team to realize
what a good player they had, so Clemente didn’t
get to play very often.

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 The Pittsburgh Pirates drafted Clemente (second from left) in 1954.

The Dodgers were worried they would lose Clemente. There was a
rule in Major League Baseball that a rookie had to play on his regular
team if he received a bonus of more than $4,000. If he played on a farm
team, the player could be picked by another team during a special draft.
This rule had been created to keep the teams that had more money
from keeping all the good players for themselves. The Dodgers had paid
Clemente $10,000 and sent him to Montreal. They were taking a big risk!
The draft was set up so that the worst team had the first choice when
it came to picking players. That year, the worst team was the Pittsburgh
Pirates. And they did, indeed, have their eyes on Clemente. The Pirates’
general manager, Branch Rickey, had his scouts watching Clemente. They

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liked what they saw and were waiting for their
chance to draft him. 21 st
Century
Clemente didn’t know about the Dodgers’ plans.
All he knew was that he wasn’t playing very often,
C ontent
Clemente had an
no matter how well he did. He was so angry that he amazing career in
almost quit the Royals. Howie Haak, a scout for the baseball, especially
considering his many
Pirates, came to see Clemente and told him that if he
injuries and illnesses.
left Montreal before the season was over, he wouldn’t He severely injured
be allowed to play for another team. Haak convinced his leg, had multiple
Clemente to finish the season so that Pittsburgh surgeries on his elbow,
had serious back
could draft him.
problems, and had
On November 22, 1954, Pittsburgh added malaria. Clemente
Clemente to its team. After years of losing more always looked for
than 100 games a season, Pittsburgh was working solutions to relieve his
many pains. He did
hard to build a better team. The Pirates believed that
special exercises and
Clemente might be able to help them do just that. was very careful about
The Pirates’ home field, Forbes Field, was a what he ate. In the off-
challenge to Clemente. It was a larger field than he season one year, he
even went and trained
was used to, and he decided that he wouldn’t worry
with the U.S. Marine
about hitting home runs; instead, he’d perfect his Corps! The difficult
line drives. He also worried about fielding balls off workouts helped him
the right field walls at Forbes, which were oddly to be stronger and to
feel better.
shaped and covered with ivy. He practiced for hours
and eventually knew just how a ball would fall
depending on where it hit the wall.

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 Though he faced many difficulties off the field, Clemente
(crossing home plate) was amazingly successful on it.

Life off the field was a struggle, too. Clemente often experienced
prejudice. The 1950s were not an easy time to be a person of color in the
United States. Schools had only been desegregated since 1954, and it had
been less than 10 years since the first person of color, Jackie Robinson,
had been signed to a Major League team. There were very few black or
Latin American people in Pittsburgh and Clemente was both, which
made his life even more difficult. In the United States, he was viewed as
a black man because of the color of his skin, but American blacks did

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not easily accept him because he came from another country. When
Clemente first moved to Pittsburgh, he lived in a hotel. He missed his
family and life on the island of Puerto Rico. A friend found a family for
him to live with. They were warm and welcoming and helped Clemente
adapt to life in the United States.
Life on the road was even more difficult, especially when they traveled
in the South. Spring training was held in Florida, a state that was extremely
segregated. Sometimes Clemente was not even allowed to attend events
that honored the Pittsburgh Pirates because of the color of his skin. The
other black players told him to ignore these injustices, but Clemente
wouldn’t. He had been raised to be proud of his heritage and didn’t believe
it was right to ignore prejudice.
Back home in Puerto Rico, Clemente was famous and people looked
up to him. But in the United States, he was often treated poorly because
he was black. To make matters worse, he also faced prejudice because he
was from Puerto Rico. Although he worked hard to improve his English,
many sportswriters thought it was funny to pick on his pronunciation
and grammar mistakes. Others accused him of “hotdogging,” or showing
off. In fact, one writer described him as a “Puerto Rican hot dog” before
he had even seen Clemente play. Clemente was upset that people believed
certain things about him based on where he was from and the color of his
skin, and he worked hard to prove that people were wrong to judge him
because of these things.
Clemente also ran into problems with his own team. Even if players
didn’t call him names to his face, some of them made negative comments

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 about other black players. Clemente knew that they
earning probably felt the same about him.
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Clemente knew that he could prove himself
on the baseball field. He played well during his
One time early in his
career, Clemente was first seasons with the Pirates, but not as well as
so frustrated and upset he wanted to. He became known for trying to hit
by his team’s poor every ball that came his way. Pitchers realized this
play that he began
and would throw bad pitches just to strike him out.
to destroy the team’s
batting helmets. The Over time, Clemente realized that he needed to be
team’s manager told more careful about the hits that he tried to make.
him that he was going Although Clemente sometimes disappointed his fans
to charge him $10 for
with his batting in the early years, he was never a
each broken helmet.
Clemente realized disappointment in the outfield. The fans knew they
that he couldn’t afford could count on Clemente for an exciting game.
to show his anger As the years passed, he often felt discouraged, but
this way and that
he never stopped trying to improve both his own
his behavior wasn’t
helping the problem. baseball skills and the performance of his team. In
Over the years, he 1960, his hard work paid off. He helped his team to
learned to control his win its first National League pennant in 33 years,
anger and use his
and, in an exciting seven-game series, the Pittsburgh
energy to become a
better player. Pirates became that year’s World Series champions.
Though Clemente had an outstanding season,
he still didn’t think he was completely accepted
by sportswriters. Baseball writers from across the
country select the National League’s Most Valuable

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 A fellow Pirate, Dick Groat once said that Clemente (sliding)
“was the greatest . . . talent I ever saw on a baseball diamond.”

Player (MVP), an award given to the player who has contributed the most
to his team during the season. He was ranked eighth in the voting, and
though he didn’t expect to win the MVP, he was surprised and hurt by his
low ranking. He believed that he had given his best to his team and that his
efforts hadn’t been appreciated. In fact, no one ever saw Clemente wear the
ring that the Pittsburgh players received for winning the 1960 World Series.
Clemente decided to prove that the sportswriters were wrong.

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 CHAPTER FOUR

B    T 
C  L 

Clemente regularly made spectacular catches in the outfield.

C lemente continued to play his best for Pittsburgh. Although the team
didn’t go to the World Series the next year, he ended the season with a .351
batting average. Usually anything higher than .300 is good, and a .400 for an
entire season is almost impossible to achieve. In 1961, he made the All-Star
team for the first time. Players, coaches, and managers chose the members of
the All-Star team. They knew he was one of the league’s best players.

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 It was a good year for Clemente in other
ways, too. He won his first Gold Glove, an ife
award that recognizes excellent defensive play
in the field. He also won the first batting title
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Clemente would dive or jump

of his career. When he returned to Puerto Rico for a ball, and once he even ran
after the regular season ended, he and fellow into a wall and hurt himself badly
Puerto Rican Orlando Cepeda, who played going after a ball—but he made
the catch! Plus, he had a very
for the New York Giants, were welcomed by
powerful arm. As broadcaster
thousands of cheering fans at the airport. Vin Scully once said, “Clemente
That year, Clemente played in the Winter could field a ball in Pennsylvania
League in Puerto Rico, as he did almost every and throw out a runner in New
York.” Though Clemente was
year he was in the Major Leagues. The Winter
naturally talented, he worked
League had became less popular as Major tirelessly to improve his already
League salaries went up and players didn’t need outstanding skills. In recognition
to earn extra money, but he never stopped of his skill in the outfield, he was
given the Gold Glove Award
playing in the Winter League. He thought that
12 times. This award is given to
this was a way to thank the Puerto Rican people nine players from each of the two
for their support. He returned to the island baseball leagues, the National
every year, and he had a very strong connection League and the American
League, every year.
with the people who lived there.
In 1963, he was especially glad that he
returned for the Winter League because that was the
year he met his future wife, Vera Cristina Zabala. She
came from a very traditional Puerto Rican family.
Clemente could not just ask her out; he had to be

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 introduced through family connections. They even had a chaperone on
their first date. But Clemente understood and respected the wishes of her
family and they came to see that he truly loved her. Clemente and Zabala
were engaged and married within a year, and over the next few years they
had three sons: Roberto Jr., Luis, and Enrique. All three boys were born in
Puerto Rico because Clemente was very proud of his heritage and wanted
his children to be Puerto Rican.
It was during these years that Clemente began to become a leader for
the Pittsburgh Pirates. Maybe it was because of his happy home life or
because there were more Latino players on the team—or because his fellow
players had come to appreciate what an excellent, hardworking ballplayer
he was. In 1966, the Pirates’ manager gave Clemente a challenge: to focus
on being a power hitter to help his team. He asked Clemente to try to hit
25 home runs and have 115 runs batted in or RBIs. This would be quite a
feat because Clemente had never had more than 20 home runs or 100 RBIs
in a season. But Clemente was never one to pass up a challenge. He worked
hard and by the end of the season he had 29 home runs and 119 RBIs. This
was nearly three times as many home runs and twice as many RBIs as he’d
had the previous season. In 1966, Clemente signed a $100,000 contract to
play for the Pirates—he was one of the few baseball players to earn this
much money.
After 10 long years of proving himself, Clemente was voted National
League MVP in 1966. This proved that Clemente’s abilities and
commitment were recognized by people beyond his team and the city of
Pittsburgh. He felt proud to be recognized for his achievements and knew

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 Clemente received the 1965 National League batting champion award.

that he was a role model and inspiration for many other people, especially
people of color.
Clemente was more than just an excellent ballplayer to the young Latino
players on the team, especially those who were new to the United States. He
was a friend and, in many ways, like a big brother. Clemente remembered
how difficult and lonely his adjustment to life in a new country had been. He
went out of his way to make life easier for the new players and their families.

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 Clemente helped them to learn English and to find
21Century
st
a place to live. He helped them to fit in. He became a

Content close friend and adviser to Manny Mota, who came to

Pittsburgh from the Dominican Republic (Mota later
In 1947, Jackie
Robinson became the went on to be a coach with the Los Angeles Dodgers).
first black man to play Clemente also helped Matty Alou to improve his
on a Major League hitting, working with him for hours and giving him
team when he joined
valuable advice. His efforts really paid off. In 1966 Alou
the Brooklyn Dodgers.
He helped to change was the best batter in the National League. Clemente
people’s beliefs about also befriended Manny Sanguillen, a player from
the talent and work Panama who had always looked up to him.
ethic of black players.
In both Puerto Rico and Pittsburgh, Clemente
Many people believe
that Roberto Clemente became known as a man who always made time to
played a similar role help others, especially children. He visited hospitals
for Latin American and clinics and began to raise money to build a sports
players. Today, nearly
center for children in Puerto Rico. He strongly believed
25 percent of all
baseball players in the that sports could make an important difference in a
Major Leagues have child’s life and wanted to give all children the chance
Latino heritage. to discover it. In the mid-1960s, he held baseball clinics
for poor children in Puerto Rico. It was the first step
toward achieving his dream of giving all children the
chance to play sports.
Perhaps one of the most important ways that he
helped others was by not tolerating prejudice. He knew
that many people thought Latino baseball players

30 21st CENTURY SKILLS LIBRARY

 Even away from the ballpark, Clemente made time for fans.

weren’t as good as white ones. Clemente worked hard to prove them wrong,
both on the baseball field and in everyday life. He always spoke proudly of
his Puerto Rican heritage and asked to be called by his true name, Roberto,
instead of a more American-sounding name like Bob or Bobby.
Unfortunately, Clemente continued to experience prejudice. Once
he and his wife went into an expensive furniture store in New York City.
Because Clemente was black, the clerk assumed that he could not afford

LIFE SKILLS BIOGRAPHIES: R C  31

 Clemente was very popular in Pittsburgh.

the nice furniture, and he began to show the Clementes cheaper furniture.
When the clerk realized that the man in front of him was a famous
baseball star, he began to treat him respectfully. Clemente was extremely

32 21st CENTURY SKILLS LIBRARY

angry and told the clerk that everyone should be treated the same,
regardless of their skin color or where they came from. He refused to buy
anything and left the store.
Even after a hard game, Clemente was never too tired to talk to his fans
and sign autographs. He said, “I sign 20,000 autographs a year. . . . I believe
that we owe something to the people who watch us. They work hard for
their money.”
The fans loved him and cheered when it was his turn to play. They
knew that once he took to the field, they could expect to see an exciting
game. In fact, he was so popular with Pittsburgh fans that shortly after
the team moved to a new stadium in 1970, they held Roberto Clemente
Night. During the celebration, he received a scroll that listed the signatures
of more than 300,000 people from the island of Puerto Rico. Clemente
was overcome with emotion as he spoke to the audience. He spoke of his
success in baseball as a success not just for him, but for all Latinos and
dedicated his efforts to all Puerto Rican mothers, athletes, and his family.
Clemente continued to be one of the best players in the Major Leagues,
even though he was older than many of the people he played with and
against. In 1971, he again helped to take the Pittsburgh Pirates to the
World Series. Although their opponents, the Baltimore Orioles, were
expected to win the series, Clemente knew that his team had the ability—
and the desire—to beat them.
During the series, he played some of the best baseball of his career. He
batted .414, and his excellent fielding helped the Pirates to win the series.
Sportswriters recognized Clemente’s efforts and talents and gave him

LIFE SKILLS BIOGRAPHIES: R C  33

 21 st
Century
C ontent
When Clemente first
played professional
baseball, most players
were white. But by
the late 1960s and
early 1970s, this was
changing. Players
of various races and
nationalities became
more common in
the Major Leagues.
Teammates were
learning more about
each others’ cultures
and languages.
On September 1,
1971, the Pittsburgh
Pirates were the first Clemente had four 200-hit seasons.
Major League team
to have an all-black
the series MVP award. As he accepted the award
lineup on the field. That
day, the Pirates beat on television, he shared a special message with his
the Philadelphia Phillies parents back in Puerto Rico, “En este, el momento
10 to 7. más grande de mi vida, les pido la bendición”
(“At this, the greatest moment of my life, I ask
your blessing”).

34 21st CENTURY SKILLS LIBRARY

 CHAPTER FIVE

T B     L

Clemente played 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

I n 1972, Clemente was 38 years old. He had been a professional baseball

player for more than half of his life, and his skill and hard work had finally
been recognized. But he had one more important goal to achieve in his

LIFE SKILLS BIOGRAPHIES: R C  35

 On September 30, 1972, Clemente’s double against the Mets became
his 3,000th hit. The umpire handed Clemente the ball he had hit.

career: he wanted to get 3,000 hits. At that time, only 10 Major League
players had reached that goal. Roberto knew he could be the 11th.
At the beginning of the 1972 baseball season, Clemente still needed 118
hits. Throughout the season, he struggled with injuries, and his fans waited
anxiously as he approached his goal during that summer. Finally, on
September 29, 1972, he had 2,999 hits. In an exciting game against the New
York Mets, he achieved what he thought would be his 3,000th hit. He was
on base, but the player who had fielded the ball made an error. A batter

36 21st CENTURY SKILLS LIBRARY

reaching base on a fielder’s error does not receive
credit for a hit. 21 st
Century
At first, he was angry and frustrated, but he later
said that he was glad the scorer didn’t call the ball a
C ontent
Roberto’s Kids is an
hit. He didn’t want anyone to be able to say that his organization that
3,000th hit shouldn’t count. collects donated
Then on September 30, 1972, Clemente made baseball equipment
from the United States
his 3,000th hit. He became the first Latin American
and Canada and gives
player to reach this milestone. it to children in Latin
The Pittsburgh Pirates lost in the play-offs to American countries. As
the Cincinnati Reds, and their season was over. Luis Clemente, Roberto’s
youngest son said,
Clemente returned to Puerto Rico to rest and
“Roberto’s Kids, . . . in
enjoy time with his family and friends, but his the Clemente tradition
rest didn’t last for long. On December 23, 1972, a of giving and caring
terrible earthquake struck the country of Nicaragua, for others, . . . is truly
making a difference by
which is located in Central America. Although
touching and inspiring
Clemente didn’t have any close ties to the country, so many lives.”
he had visited it recently and wanted to help the
Nicaraguans. He quickly agreed to be in charge of
Puerto Rico’s efforts to collect money, food, and
supplies for those affected by the earthquake.
Clemente worked tirelessly to gather goods
and get them to the people of Nicaragua. When he
learned that many of the donated items were not
reaching the people who needed them, he decided to

LIFE SKILLS BIOGRAPHIES: R C  37

 travel to Nicaragua
himself. He would
make sure that
the supplies were
delivered safely.
Unfortunately,
he never made it
to Nicaragua. His
plane left from San
Juan on December
31, 1972, but it soon
developed engine
trouble and crashed
into the ocean.
People all
over Puerto Rico
mourned their lost
hero, a man who
proudly represented
his country and
Clemente was inducted into the heritage and
Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973.
tirelessly devoted
his time to those less fortunate. The country’s new governor postponed
his inauguration while boats and divers searched for Clemente. One of
the divers was Manny Sanguillen, the Panamanian baseball player who

38 21st CENTURY SKILLS LIBRARY

had come to view Clemente as an older brother. But Clemente’s body was
never found. On January 4, 1973, a church in Pittsburgh and the church
where Clemente and his wife had been married, San Fernando Church in
Carolina, held Mass at the same time so that his family, friends, and many
fans could grieve for him together.
Two months later, baseball writers held a special election and voted that
Clemente should be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame immediately.
Baseball players usually have to wait until five years after they’ve played
their last game to be eligible to be inducted. Clemente was the first Latin
American player to join the Baseball Hall of Fame. To honor one of their
best players, the Pittsburgh Pirates retired Clemente’s number, 21.
Major League Baseball also honored him. In 1971, the organization had
created an annual award to recognize the baseball player who gave back
the most to his community. After Clemente’s death, the owners changed
the name of the award to the Roberto Clemente Award. It was extremely
fitting that those who worked hard to make the world a better place would
be recognized with an award named after a man who had always tried to
do just that.
Communities around the world recognized Clemente by naming
public places after him. Today, there are schools, parks, bridges, and
ballparks named after him throughout the United States and Puerto Rico,
as well as in several other countries.
One of the most important ways that people honored him was by
donating money to fund one of his most cherished dreams: a sports center,
Ciudad Deportiva, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The island of Puerto Rico

LIFE SKILLS BIOGRAPHIES: R C  39

 donated the land that the center now stands on.
ife Because of this center, thousands of Puerto Rican
Career&

Skills
children have had the chance to discover the joys of
playing sports.
Clemente once
said, “I want to be Even though his death was more than 30 years
remembered as a ago, his presence is still felt in baseball and beyond.
ballplayer who gave
A statue of Clemente stands outside the Pirates’
all he had to give.”
His dedication and
stadium in Pittsburgh, and the city renamed a bridge
commitment to the after him in 1999. In 2002, Major League Baseball’s
game and to the things commissioner, Allan H. (Bud) Selig, announced
he believed in continue
that September 18 would be celebrated as Roberto
to be remembered.
Clemente Day among all Major League teams.
In 2003, President George W. Bush awarded
Clemente the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which
his widow, Vera Clemente, accepted. This is the
United States’ highest civilian award and is given to
recognize a person’s exceptional service.
And in 2006, the people of Pittsburgh continued
to remember “The Great One,” as he came to
be known. On July 13, 2006, when Pittsburgh
hosted the All-Star Game, his widow accepted the
Commissioner’s Historic Achievement Award in
his honor. During the game, players wore gold
wristbands monogrammed with RCW—Roberto
Clemente Walker.

40 21st CENTURY SKILLS LIBRARY

 In 2006, Carlos Delgado received the Roberto
Clemente Award for his charitable work.

Today, Latin American baseball players and other players of color are a
common sight on the baseball field. They owe Roberto Clemente a debt of
thanks for helping to make their journey to Major League Baseball easier.
But being a wonderful baseball player was only part of who Roberto
Clemente was. People of every color, race, and ethnic group can learn

LIFE SKILLS BIOGRAPHIES: R C  41

 A statue of Clemente stands outside the stadium
where the Pirates play today.

from the lessons that he shared during his short lifetime: respect others,
work hard, stand up for what you believe in, and always do what you can
to make the world a better place. “We need to show love and to love, not
only our kids and our family as a whole, but also our neighbors. We’re all
brothers and sisters, and we must give each other a helping hand when it
is needed.”

42 21st CENTURY SKILLS LIBRARY

 ife
C &
areer
Skills

Dr. Martin Luther King

Jr. led the civil rights
movement in the United
States from the mid-
1950s until he was
assassinated in 1968.
Through the marches
and demonstrations
he organized and
speeches he gave, he
promoted equal rights
for all and inspired
others to do the same.
Clemente greatly
admired King and
shared King’s views
that no people should
be discriminated
against because of the
color of their skin.

Manny Sanguillen, a teammate and good friend of Clemente’s,

once said, “Roberto Clemente played the game of baseball
with great passion. That passion could only be matched
by his unrelenting commitment to make a difference
in the lives of the less fortunate and those in need.”

LIFE SKILLS BIOGRAPHIES: R C  43

 T 

 Roberto Clemente Walker is born August 18 to Melchor and Luisa Clemente in
Carolina, Puerto Rico.

 Clemente joins the Santurce Cangrejeros of the Winter League.

 Clemente signs a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers and plays for their farm
team, the Montreal Royals.

 Clemente plays his first season with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

 The Pittsburgh Pirates win the World Series against the New York Yankees.

 Clemente wins his first Gold Glove Award for fielding and his first batting title,
and makes the All-Star team.

 Clemente marries Vera Zabala; he wins his second batting title.

 Clemente wins his third batting title.

 Clemente is voted the National League’s Most Valuable Player.

 Clemente wins his fourth batting title.

 Pittsburgh moves to a new stadium and holds Roberto Clemente Night.

 The Pirates defeat the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series; Clemente is
selected Most Valuable Player for the series.

 Clemente collects his 3,000th hit. He dies in a plane crash on December 31
while bringing supplies to Nicaragua.

 Clemente is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame; Pittsburgh retires his
number, 21.

44 21st CENTURY SKILLS LIBRARY

  The U.S. Post Office unveils a Roberto Clemente stamp on the 50th anniversary
of his birth.

 A statue of Clemente is erected at Three Rivers Stadium.

 Major League Baseball announces and celebrates the first Roberto Clemente
Day on September 18.

 Clemente is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

 Clemente is awarded the Commissioner’s Historic Achievement Award during

the All-Star Game in Pittsburgh.

LIFE SKILLS BIOGRAPHIES: R C  45

 G 

BATTING AVERAGE "!4 TING !6 UH RIJ the number of hits that a player has made, divided by the
number of times he’s had a turn at bat

DESEGREGATED DEE 3%' RUH GAY TED to stop the practice of keeping people of different races
separate, especially in public schools

DISCRIMINATED DISS +2)- UH NAY TED to be treated differently, often on the basis of sex, race,
religion, or ethnic group

DRAFT $2!&4 to choose for a special purpose; in this case, to choose a player for a baseball team

FARM TEAM &!2- 4%%- a team that provides experience and training to younger players for a
specific Major League team

,ATIN !MERICAN ,!4 UHN UM -%2 UH KUHN usually refers to the countries in the Americas
where the Spanish and Portuguese languages are spoken

LINE DRIVES ,).% $296: hits that go in a nearly straight line, usually not far above the ground

-AJOR ,EAGUES -!9 JUR ,%%'3 professional baseball in the United States. There are two
leagues within it: the National League and the American League.

.EGRO ,EAGUES .%% GROH ,%%'3 separate professional baseball leagues for black players that
existed because black players were not allowed to play in the Major Leagues

PENNANT 0%. UHNT the league championship

PLAY OFFS 0,!9 !7&3 a series of games to determine which teams will play in the World Series

PREJUDICE 02%* UH DISS unfair treatment that results from having fixed opinions about some
group of people

RIVAL 29% VUHL a competitor

RUNS BATTED IN 25(.: "! TUHD ). each run scored because of a batter’s performance

SCOUT 3+/54 watching athletes, analyzing their skills, and reporting back to a specific team

7INTER ,EAGUE 7). TUR ,%%' a professional baseball league in Puerto Rico that played during
the winter months

46 21st CENTURY SKILLS LIBRARY

 F M I 

Books

Bjarkman, Peter C. Roberto Clemente. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1991.

Dunham, Montrew. Roberto Clemente: Young Ball Player.

New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1997.

Márquez, Herón. Roberto Clemente: Baseball’s Humanitarian

Hero. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books, 2005

O’Connor, Jim. The Story of Roberto Clemente, All-Star Hero.

Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 1995.

Web Sites

Major League Baseball: Roberto Clemente Award

mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/community/clemente.jsp
For information about the award, including nominees and winners

Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service

Beyond Baseball: The Life of Roberto Clemente
www.robertoclemente.si.edu/english/virtual_legacy.htm
Includes a biography, images, and interactive games

The Pittsburgh Pirates

pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com
Features statistics, rosters, history, and more about the Pirates

LIFE SKILLS BIOGRAPHIES: R C  47

 I 
All-Star Game, 26, 40 fielding, 4, 11, 21, 24, 27, 33 Puerto Rico, 6, 8, 9, 11, 17,
19, 23, 27, 28, 30, 33,
Baseball Hall of Fame, 38, 39 Gold Glove Awards, 4, 27 34, 37, 38, 39–40
batting, 11, 15, 24, 26–29,
33, 36, 37 health, 21, 27, 36 Roberto Clemente Award, 39
birth, 6 Historic Achievement Award, 40 Roberto Clemente Day, 40
Brooklyn Dodgers, 13–15, Roberto Clemente Night, 33
17–21, 30 injuries, 19, 21, 27, 36 Robinson, Jackie, 18, 22, 30

Campanis, Al, 14, 15 Marín, Roberto, 10–11, 12 salary, 15, 17, 28

Cangrejeros baseball team, marriage, 28 San Juan Senators, 7
13–17 Mays, Willie, 17 Santurce Cangrejeros baseball
childhood, 7, 9, 17 Milwaukee Braves, 17 team, 13
children, 28, 30, 37 Montreal Royals, 18–21 scouts, 13, 14, 17, 20–21
Ciudad Deportiva sports center, Most Valuable Player (MVP) segregation, 22, 23
39–40 awards, 24–25, 28, 34 statistics, 15, 26, 28, 33,
Clemente, Enrique, 28 36–37
Clemente, Luis, 28, 37 Negro Leagues, 7, 13, 17
Clemente, Luisa, 6–7, 9, 10 training, 21, 23
Clemente, Melchor, 6, 7, 9 Nicaragua, 37 tryouts, 13–15
Clemente, Roberto Jr., 28
Clemente, Vera, 27, 39, 40 Philadelphia Phillies, 34 Winter League, 7–8, 9, 10,
contracts, 15, 17, 28 philanthropy, 30, 37–40, 42 12–13, 16, 27
Pittsburgh Pirates, 4, 20–21, World Series, 4, 24, 26,
death, 38–39 23–24, 25, 26, 28, 33, 33–34
desegregation, 22 34, 37, 39, 40, 42
Double-A League, 11 prejudice, 19, 22–23, 30–33, Zabala, Vera Cristina, 27–28,
draft, 20 41, 43 31, 40
education, 9–10 Presidential Medal of Freedom, Zorrilla, Pedrín, 12–13, 15, 16
40

A   A 

6ICKY &RANCHINO has always liked to learn about people
who have made a difference in the world. Before writing this
book she knew very little about Roberto Clemente, but she
now understands why people still remember and honor him
more than 30 years after his death. She hopes Clemente’s
story will help to inspire others to use their talents and time
to make the world a better place. Vicky is the author of a
number of other nonfiction books for children, and lives with
her husband and their three daughters in Wisconsin.

48 21st CENTURY SKILLS LIBRARY

 21st
Century
Skills Library
Roberto Clemente was one of baseball’s greats. The Hall of Famer had 3,000
hits and won 12 Gold Gloves. He also dedicated his time and resources to
giving back to the community. Read this book to find out more about how
Clemente’s determination, passion, and self-direction influenced his success on
the field and off.

The Life Skills Biographies series introduces readers to men and women who have
the skills necessary to succeed in the 21st century. Other titles in the series include:
• Andrew Carnegie • Larry Page and • Oprah Winfrey
• Bill and Melinda Gates Sergey Brin • Robert L. Johnson
• Bono • Madam C. J. Walker • Tiger Woods
• Ellen Ochoa • Magic Johnson • Yo-Yo Ma

To guide your reading, look for these notes that will help build the understanding
and skills you’ll need in the 21st century. Look for the following margin notes:

Learning & Innovation Skills

You need to learn about lots of things, but you also need to learn how to
learn. These notes give you hints about how to use what you know in better
and more creative ways.

21 st Centur y Content
You study reading, math, science, and social studies. You also need to
learn about the world of work and your community. These notes tell you
about business and money. They also give you ideas about how you can
help yourself, your community, and the world.

Life & Career Skills

These notes tell you about skills you will use throughout your life. They give
you ideas about how to work well with others, make good decisions, and
achieve your goals in life.

ISBN-13: 978-1-60279-073-5
ISBN-10: 1-60279-073-6

9 781602 790735