Every September, Major League Baseball honours one player with the Roberto Clemente Award for character and community work. More than five decades after his death, Clemente's name still stands for the very best of the game, on the field and off it.
The Puerto Rican right fielder spent 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, won two World Series, collected exactly 3,000 hits and had one of the greatest throwing arms baseball has seen. Here is his story. Discover more diamond legends in our Baseball collection.
Roberto Clemente Fact File
| Full name | Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 18 August 1934 |
| Place of birth | Barrio San Antón, Carolina, Puerto Rico |
| Died | 31 December 1972, off Isla Verde, Puerto Rico (aged 38) |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Position | Right fielder (bats and throws right) |
| Nationality | Puerto Rican (United States citizen) |
| Team | Pittsburgh Pirates (1955–1972) |
| Shirt number | 21 (retired by the Pirates) |
| Nicknames | The Great One, Arriba |
Career History
| Years | Team | Games | Hits | AVG | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955–1972 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 2,433 | 3,000 | .317 | 240 | 1,305 |
Regular-season career totals. AVG = batting average, HR = home runs, RBI = runs batted in. All 18 seasons were with Pittsburgh.
From Carolina to Pittsburgh
Clemente grew up in Carolina, Puerto Rico, and was a star in the Puerto Rican winter league as a teenager. The Brooklyn Dodgers signed him, but the Pittsburgh Pirates picked him up in the 1954 Rule 5 draft.
He made his debut in 1955, wearing No. 13 for a few weeks before switching to the No. 21 he would make famous. Pittsburgh was a struggling side, but they had found a cornerstone.
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Gold Gloves and Batting Titles
By 1960 Clemente was an All-Star and a World Series champion, as the Pirates beat the New York Yankees. Through the 1960s he became one of the most complete players in baseball, winning four National League batting titles in 1961, 1964, 1965 and 1967.
In right field he was a marvel, with a cannon of an arm that runners feared. He won 12 consecutive Gold Gloves from 1961 to 1972, and in 1966 he was named National League MVP.
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1971 and Hit No. 3,000
Clemente saved his best for the biggest stage. In the 1971 World Series against the Baltimore Orioles he hit safely in all seven games, homered in the decider and was named World Series MVP as the Pirates won their second title of his career.
On 30 September 1972 he lined a double off the Mets' Jon Matlack at Three Rivers Stadium for his 3,000th hit. Nobody knew it would be his last regular-season hit.
A Legacy Beyond Baseball
When an earthquake struck Managua, Nicaragua, in December 1972, Clemente organised relief flights from Puerto Rico. On 31 December he boarded a plane carrying supplies himself, and it crashed into the Atlantic shortly after take-off. He was 38.
The Hall of Fame waived its usual waiting period, and he was elected in a special vote in March 1973, the first Latin American player to be inducted. MLB renamed its Commissioner's Award in his honour that same year.
Honours
Team
- World Series champion: 1960, 1971
Individual
- National League MVP: 1966
- World Series MVP: 1971
- 12 Gold Glove Awards (1961–1972)
- 4 National League batting titles
- 15-time All-Star
Legacy
- Baseball Hall of Fame: 1973
- Congressional Gold Medal and Presidential Citizens Medal: 1973
- Presidential Medal of Freedom: 2003
- No. 21 retired by the Pirates: 1973
Away From the Game
Clemente married Vera Zabala in 1964, and they had three sons. He dreamed of building a sports city for young people in Puerto Rico, a project later completed with Vera's support, and stadiums and arenas across the island bear his name.
FAQs
How old was Roberto Clemente when he died?
Clemente was 38. He was born on 18 August 1934 and died on 31 December 1972.
Where was Roberto Clemente born?
He was born in Barrio San Antón in Carolina, Puerto Rico.
How tall was Roberto Clemente?
He was listed at 5 ft 11 in.
What team did Roberto Clemente play for?
He spent his entire Major League career, from 1955 to 1972, with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
How many hits did Roberto Clemente get?
He finished with exactly 3,000 hits, the last a double on 30 September 1972, along with a .317 career batting average.
How did Roberto Clemente die?
He died when a plane carrying earthquake relief supplies to Nicaragua crashed into the sea off Puerto Rico on New Year's Eve 1972.
Shop the Roberto Clemente Collection
Wear No. 21 with pride: our Roberto Clemente designs are printed to order in the UK.
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Part of our Player Profiles series. Read next: Jackie Robinson Career Story and Hank Aaron Career Story.
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