HALL OF FAME: Roberto Clemente, 1973

ROBERTO CLEMENTE Right fielder

Born: August 18, 1934 in Carolina, Puerto Rico

Died: December 31, 1972 (age 38) off the coast of San Juan, Puerto Rico

Bats: Right / Throws: Right

Team: Pittsburgh Pirates (1955–1972)

MLB debut: April 17, 1955 for the Pittsburgh Pirates

Last MLB appearance: October 3, 1972 for the Pittsburgh Pirates

Hall of Fame Induction: 1973

Hall of Fame plaque:

Member of exclusive 3,000-hit club. Led National League in batting four times. Had four seasons with 200 or more hits while posting lifetime .317 average and 240 home runs. Won Most Valuable Player Award 1966. Rifle-armed defensive star set N.L. mark by pacing outfielders in assists five years. Batted .362 in two World Series, hitting in all 14 games.

Career:

Batting average: .317
Home runs: 240
RBI: 1,305
Hits: 3,000

Highlights:

World Series champion (2): 1960, 1971
World Series MVP: 1971
NL MVP: 1966
Gold Glove Award (12): 1961–1972
All-Star (15): 1960–1967, 1969–1972
NL batting champion (4): 1961, 1964, 1965, 1967
Pittsburgh Pirates No. 21 retired
Commissioner’s Historic Achievement Award (posthumous)
Namesake of MLB’s Roberto Clemente Award

East Hills Shopping Center, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; LatinoBaseball.com illustration