Who was Roberto Clemente?
Roberto Clemente (1934-1972) was a star right fielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1955 to 1972. He won four National League batting titles, twelve Golden Glove awards, and was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player in 1966. Fiercely proud of his heritage, he demanded more respect for Hispanic players throughout his career. His lifelong dream was to build a youth sports facility in Puerto Rico for poor children. In 1972, while helping to deliver relief supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua, his plane went down off the coast of Puerto Rico. He is considered a national hero in Nicaragua.