| Roberto Clemente was not only a great player on the | | | | honored Clemente's memory by naming the coliseum |
| field, but he was a greater person off the field. | | | | in San Juan the Roberto Clemente Coliseum. There |
| Clemente is one of the most beloved figures in | | | | are also two baseball parks named after him in |
| baseball history. He had exactly 3000 hits in his major | | | | Carolina. One is a professional park called Roberto |
| league career before he died in a 1972 plane crash | | | | Clemente Stadium, and the other is a Double-A park. |
| while taking supplies to Nicaraguan earthquake victims. | | | | Born in small barrio San Anton in Carolina, Puerto Rico, |
| Roberto Clemente is no doubt one of the best players | | | | Roberto Clemente was the youngest of seven |
| to have played the game of baseball and one of the | | | | children and was raised in a modest home with mother |
| greatest people. | | | | Luisa and father Melchor. He demonstrated interest in |
| The night of July 4, 1970 was declared "Roberto | | | | baseball early in his life and would often play against |
| Clemente Night". On this day, several Puerto Rican | | | | neighboring barrios. His professional career began |
| fans traveled to Three Rivers Stadium and cheered | | | | when Pedrín Zorilla offered him a contract with the |
| Clemente while wearing traditional Puerto Rican dress. | | | | Santurce Crabbers of the LBBPR. Clemente |
| Major League Baseball presents the Roberto | | | | debuted with the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 17, 1955 in |
| Clemente Award every year to the player who best | | | | the first of a double header against the Brooklyn |
| follows Clemente's example with humanitarian work. | | | | Dodgers. He is also the first Hispanic to win a World |
| Because of his goodwill and his dedication to helping his | | | | Series as a starter in 1960, win a league MVP award |
| fellow man, Roberto Clemente State Park was named | | | | in 1966 and win a World Series MVP award in 1971. |
| after the baseball great. The State Park gets many | | | | At the ceremony in 1973, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn |
| visitors from Englewood Cliffs. Roberto Clemente | | | | honored him by creating the "Roberto Clemente |
| State Park is a great place to spend time for folks | | | | Award", the highest award in baseball for |
| traveling from Englewood Cliffs. Puerto Rico also | | | | sportsmanship and community activism. |