Born in Carolina

Roberto Clemente possessed the highest level of baseball skill while also being permanently inscribed in sports history as a humanitarian. The very circumstances of his death represent the ultimate expression of a professional athlete's social responsibility.

Born in 1934 in Carolina, a sugar cane town in Puerto Rico, he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers organization in 1954 and debuted with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1955. He played all eighteen MLB seasons exclusively for the Pirates.

As a Latin American player, Clemente constantly faced discrimination and prejudice. His English accent was mocked; media called him 'Bob' rather than his correct Spanish name. He experienced racial discrimination in housing. But he responded with the quality of his play.

At bat, he won four batting titles with a career .317 average. But his true excellence lay in defense. His throwing arm from right field was legendary, earning twelve Gold Glove Awards. The accuracy of his throws cutting down baserunners ranked among the finest in MLB history. In the 1971 World Series, he hit .414 and won MVP, leading the Pirates to the championship.

On September 30, 1972, in the regular season's final game, he achieved his 3,000th career hit - a historic milestone.

But on December 31 that year, Clemente boarded a charter plane carrying relief supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. The plane crashed into the Pacific shortly after takeoff. He was thirty-eight. He had learned that previous relief supplies were stolen by intermediaries and decided 'if I'm on the plane, the supplies will reach their destination.'

After his death, the usual five-year waiting period was waived for his Hall of Fame induction. MLB created the Roberto Clemente Award (given to players who demonstrate social contribution), perpetuating his spirit.