Roberto Clemente

My Hero is a man that is well known by athletes and Hispanic people around the world. Roberto Clemente was a Right Fielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1955 to his final game on October 3, 1972. Roberto Clemente was more than just a golden glove baseball player; he was a young man fighting against his generation�s battle, segregation.

Roberto Clemente (http://www.biografiasyvidas.com/biografia/c/fotos/clemente.jpg)

Roberto Clemente was born on August 18, 1934 in San Anton, Puerto Rico. As a young prospect he was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers. But quickly his contract was bought by the Pittsburgh Pirates for 4,000 dollars in 1954. (Not like the 20 million dollars baseball players get nowadays.) As a young boy, Clemente was interested in baseball as soon as he began school. He played many pickup games with his friends every day after school. He was known by his childhood baseball coach as the hardest throwing player in Puerto Rico. This reputation would follow him all the way up to the majors. So early in his career, as a ball player, he began to show great potential to his parents and coaches.

As a growing star in professional sports, Clemente was still being abused by fans, players, and protesters. Even though the great Jackie Robinson was the first African American baseball player in the modern era, opponents still did not like that Roberto was in the majors. But as the young cannon-armed Clemente grew as a player many more people gained respect for him. One quote from Clemente during his baseball career was �Anytime you have an opportunity to make a difference in this world, and you don�t do it, you are wasting your time on this earth.� This is a very fitting quote for his future life.

Having the Pirates go to the World Series in 1971, Clemente performed spectacularly on the offensive and defensive aspects of the series. He was voted World Series MVP after they beat the Baltimore Orioles for the title. Even before that, Roberto won the title in 1960 beating the Yankees. His baseball career contained 18 phenomenal seasons, winning both gold gloves and silver sluggers. (Two awards for outstanding fielding and hitting performance.) At the end of his career he was at a .317 batting average and exactly 3,000 hits!! He wore the number 21 his entire career and I now wear #21 in his honor. Roberto Clemente was known as the best player who ever played for the Pirates.

On December 31, 1972 Roberto Clemente was out to deliver aid to Earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Most famous and known people ship help and charity money on transportation without being there in person. But Clemente was different. He was on this plane when it crashed into the ocean miles away from the coastline. He died at 38 years old, body never found. After being a great player and a great person he was immediately inducted into the baseball hall of Fame in 1973. Currently, there are many high schools and baseball camps named after him for his ability and leadership.

As you can see, Roberto Clemente was a true hero. After helping to bring baseball into a desegregated era, about 8.2% of pro baseball players are African American. That shows how far we�ve come. Roberto Clemente was one of the greatest baseball players of all time. He was a true hero. And above all, a Hero to me.