January 01, 2005

On December 30, 1972 at 9:22 p.m. a plane took off from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Minutes later, the DC-7, carrying relief supplies for earthquake victims in Manuagua, Nicaragua, crashed, killing all five aboard - including baseball great, Roberto Clemente. Some baseball players have big heads. Only a few have big hearts. Roberto Clemente was one of the greatest. When he died 32 years ago, baseball and Pittsburgh lost "The Great One", and Puerto Rico lost a son. I cried when I heard he died. And I was privileged to have watched him play so many times.

Roberto's tragic death in 1972 prompted the Hall of Fame's Board of Director's to unanimously wave the customary five year period for induction, opening the door for the Baseball Writers Association of America (BWAA) to hold a special election on Clemente's behalf. By an overwhelming vote of 93%, Clemente became the first player of Latin American descent to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

posted by dt118 19 years ago
  • I meant December 31, 1972.
  • Clemente was a great player and a great man. He doesn't seem to be remembered as much as some other players from that time, but he should be. I think every player in the major leauges should be required to watch documentaries on Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente before they are allowed to don a major leauge uniform. Maybe they'd whine a little less.
  • Amen, to that.
  • Ditto. He was definitely one of the greats, on and off the field.
  • thanks for the post. his son is doing a nice job of carrying on with his father's humanitarianism. roberto jr. was going to re-enact his father's ill-fated flight by accompaning a two tons of supplies and relief money to nicaragua, but instead chose to send those supplies to the tsunami victims. oddly enough, the earthquake in nicaragua occurred on same date as the one that hit south Asia.
  • Thanks for the post. Growing up in Pittsburgh, I too had the privilege of seeing him play many times. He was phenomenal. What I don't understand is how 7% of the Hall of Fame voters denied him admission.
  • kjo84, it seems as though many of those who voted "no" weren't voting against clemente but against the waive of the 5-year waiting period.