Roberto Clemente

Roberto Clemente was a brilliant all-around right fielder and pioneering Latino star whose life ended in a humanitarian mission crash.

Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker was born on August 18, 1934, in Carolina, Puerto Rico, and signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers organization before being selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1954 Rule 5 draft. He debuted with Pittsburgh in 1955 and spent his entire 18-year career with the Pirates, becoming the first Latin American player to achieve legendary superstar status in Major League Baseball. Clemente combined an extraordinary throwing arm and defensive range in right field with consistent, high-average hitting, winning four National League batting titles and 12 consecutive Gold Glove Awards. He led the Pirates to World Series championships in both 1960 and 1971, earning World Series MVP honors in the latter, when his performance against the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles helped announce him as one of the game's all-time greats to a national audience. On September 30, 1972, in the final at-bat of his final regular-season game, Clemente recorded his 3,000th career hit, becoming just the 11th player in MLB history to reach the milestone. It would prove to be his last hit: on December 31, 1972, Clemente was killed when a cargo plane he had personally chartered to deliver earthquake relief supplies to Nicaragua crashed shortly after takeoff from Puerto Rico. He was 38 years old. In recognition of his humanitarian work and playing legacy, MLB waived its standard five-year waiting period and elected Clemente to the Baseball Hall of Fame in a special 1973 election, just months after his death. Major League Baseball's annual Roberto Clemente Award, given to the player who best combines sportsmanship and community service, is named in his honor.

Outstanding right fielder with powerful arm, line drive hitter

Baseball Hall of Fame, first Latino superstar, died in humanitarian mission

• 2x World Series champion (1960, 1971)
• World Series MVP (1971)
• NL MVP (1966)
• 12x Gold Glove
• 4x NL batting champion
• Hall of Fame 1973