Roberto Clemente, who was born on August 18, 1934, was a Puerto Rican baseball player. He was a Puerto Rican professional baseball right fielder who spent 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Quick Facts about Roberto Clemente:
| Full name | Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker |
| Nickname | Bobby, Bob |
| Birthdate | August 18, 1934 |
| Birthplace | Barrio San Anton, Carolina, Puerto Rico |
| Nationality | Latin-American |
| Ethnicity | Hispanic |
| Religion | Catholic |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
| Died on | December 31, 1972 (Aged 38) |
| Father’s name | Don Melchor Clemente |
| Mother’s name | Luisa Walker |
| Siblings | Rosa Oquendo, Andres, Osvaldo, Justino and Anairis |
| High School | Julio Vizcarrondo Coronado High School |
| College | Unknown |
| Gender | Male |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife’s Name | Vera Clemente |
| Ex-Girlfriends | Unknown |
| Children | Three ( Roberto Clemente Jr., Roberto Enrique, and Luis Roberto) |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Hair Color | Brown |
| Height | 1.8 meters (5 feet 9 inches) |
| Weight | 79 kg |
| Profession | Professional Baseball Player |
| MBL Debut | April 17, 1955, for the Pittsburgh Pirates |
| Position | Right Fielder |
| Jersey Number | 21 |
| Last MLB Appearance | October 3, 1972 (with the Pittsburgh Pirates) |
| Hits | 3000 |
| Batting Average | .317 |
| Home runs | 240 |
| Runs batted in | 1.305 |
| Net Worth | $300 thousand |
| Baseball Hall of Fame Induction | 1973 |
| Vote | 92.7% (first ballot) |
| Merch | The Passion and Grace of Baseball’s Last Hero (Paperback) |
| Social Media | None |
| Last Update | July, 2022 |
What is the Net Worth of Robert Clemente?
Robert Clemente, a Puerto Rican professional baseball player, died in 1972 with a net worth of $300 thousand. In the present day, $300 thousand is equivalent to $1.9 million when rounded to the nearest thousand.
Roberto earned approximately $760,000 over the course of his tragically brief career. In his final baseball season, he earned $150,000. That is roughly $933,000 in current dollars.
Early Life and Early Years of Roberto Clemente:
Roberto was born to Melchor Clemente and Luisa Walker in the Carolina neighborhood of Barrio San Antón, Puerto Rico. Similarly, he was the seventh of seven children in his family. Throughout his youth, Clemente’s father worked as a foreman for sugar cane fields in the municipality located in the northeastern portion of the island.
Similarly, Clemente and his siblings assisted their father in the fields by loading and unloading items from trucks when resources were scarce. Before focusing on baseball, Clemente was a track and field prodigy and Olympic hopeful as a child. Similarly, he played baseball against the barrios in his neighborhood when he was a child. He attended Julio Vizcarrondo Coronado High School in Carolina.
At the age of sixteen, Clemente began playing in the amateur league of Puerto Rico for the Ferdinand Juncos club, which represented the town of Juncos.
The Path of Clemente’s Baseball Legacy
At the age of 18, the Puerto Rican signed a contract with Cangrejeros de Santurce (“Crabbers”), a winter league team and franchise of the Dominican Republic (LBBPR). On October 9, 1952, Clemente joined the team officially. Clemente spent his rookie year on the Cangrejeros’ bench, but the following year he was elevated to the starting lineup.
He batted.288 throughout the season as the team’s leadoff hitter. While still playing in the LBBPR, the Brooklyn Dodgers offered Clemente a contract with one of their Triple-A affiliates.
The Walk
Robert Clemente signed a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers for the minor leagues. He spent a season with the Royals’ minor league affiliate in Montreal. The following year, he joined the Pittsburgh Pirates and made his major league debut in 1955. Clemente hit.311 in 1956, but injuries and a language barrier caused him to struggle early on.
In 1960, he hit.314 with 16 home runs and 94 RBIs, earning him his first All-Star selection and assisting the Pittsburgh Pirates in winning the World Series. The following season, he led the National League with a.351 batting average, hit 23 home runs, and won the first of 12 consecutive Gold Glove Awards for fielding excellence.
Clemente developed into one of baseball’s best all-around players as the decade progressed. Additionally, he won three more batting titles and twice led the league in hits. In baseball, the Puerto Rican also possessed terrifying arms, frequently delivering devastating throws from right field.
1966 was one of his best seasons, as he batted.317 with a career-high 29 home runs and 119 RBIs to earn National League Most Valuable Player honors. In the 1971 World Series, Clemente batted.414 with two home runs to help the underdog Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles.
The 3000 Most Popular Hits
Clemente participated in 102 games and hit.312 in 1972 despite being disappointed and suffering from ailments. In addition, he was selected to the NL All-Star team for the twelfth consecutive year and won his twelfth consecutive Gold Glove.
On September 30, he reached 3,000 hits with a double against Jon Matlack of the New York Mets in the fourth inning at Three Rivers Stadium. It was his last plate appearance of the regular season. On October 3, Clemente matched Honus Wagner’s record of 2,433 games played as a Pittsburgh Pirate by appearing in one more regular-season game in right field.
In the NL playoffs, he batted.235 and went 4 for 17 that season. On October 11, 1972, he participated in the final game of the 1972 National League Championship Series at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati. Moreover, he and Bill Mazeroski were the final two members of the 1960 World Series champion Pittsburgh Pirates.
Who is the wife of Robert?
14 November 1964, Clemente wed Vera Zabala at San Fernando Church in Carolina. Vera Zabala was born in Puerto Rico on March 7, 1941. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Puerto Rico. Similarly, she worked as a teller at the government bank in Carolina, a small town near San Juan.
How did they meet one another?
According to the biography “Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball’s Last Hero” by David Maraniss, when she left the bank in 1964 to walk to the pharmacy across the street, Clemente noticed her. Inside the pharmacy, he introduced himself to her, but Ms. Zabala was uninterested. Her father, on the other hand, was harsh and kept her on a short leash.
Clemente, who had been in the Hall of Fame for several years, contacted her friends and neighbors to locate her. She continued to reject him, but quickly became at ease. Duane Rieder, the founder and executive director of the Clemente Museum in Pittsburgh, informed her that he was rushing to start a family because he was going to pass away soon.
They married on November 14, 1964, in Carolina, just east of San Juan, where Roberto Clemente was born, in front of hundreds of people, including the governor and some of Clemente’s fellow baseball players. Eight years later, the Latin American player was murdered, and his wife assumed the humanitarian role.<<<You may also like to know more about Matt LaFleur>>>
After her husband’s passing?
Ms. Clemente, who was 30 at the time of her husband’s death, devoted the remainder of her life to honoring his memory and continuing his humanitarian legacy. Additionally, Roberto Clemente intended to open a youth sports facility in Puerto Rico, and Vera intended to teach there when he passed away.
Roberto Clemente envisioned Ciudad Deportiva Roberto Clemente (Roberto Clemente Sports City) as a place where young people could acquire new abilities and prepare for international competitions. After being hospitalized in San Juan, she passed away at age 78 on Saturday.
The Pirates stated she was in critical condition and admitted her on November 1. Her death was announced by the Pirates and Major League Baseball, where she served as a goodwill ambassador. <<<You may also like to know more about best women’s basketball Couches >>>
Robert Clemente: Charitable Activities and Death
During the offseason, Clemente engaged in charitable endeavors. On December 23, 1972, when a massive earthquake struck Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, Clemente rushed to help organize emergency aid planes.
However, he quickly learned that corrupt Somoza government officials had diverted the first three aid planes. The officials could not be relied upon to reach earthquake victims. Thus, he decided to accompany the fourth rescue aircraft in the hopes that his presence would ensure the survivors’ aid and assistance.
The Douglas DC-7 freight jet he rented for the New Year’s Eve flight had a history of technical problems, lacked a flight engineer and copilot, and was 4,200 pounds overweight (1,900 kg). Due to engine failure, it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean shortly after takeoff on December 31, 1972, near Isla Verde, Puerto Rico.
Additionally, the pilot’s body and a portion of the aircraft’s fuselage were discovered days after the accident. An empty travel case belonging to Clemente was the only personal item discovered on the aircraft. Clemente’s teammate and close friend, Manny Sanguillén, was the only Pirates player who did not attend his memorial service.
Vera Clemente, Clemente’s widow, stated in a 2002 interview for the ESPN documentary series SportsCentury that Clemente had repeatedly told her he felt he was going to die prematurely. Clemente had established a number of records with the Pirates, including the most triples in a game (three) and the most hits in two consecutive games (four) (ten). Likewise, he received twelve Gold Glove Awards, tying him with Willie Mays for the most among outfielders.
Fame’s Hall of Fame
On March 20, 1973, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America held an election for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Due to the circumstances surrounding his death, they agreed to waive the waiting period and elect Clemente to the Hall of Fame posthumously, giving him 393 of 420 votes, or 92.7 percent of the vote.
Robert Clemente Award
Since 1973, in recognition of his work and game, the Robert Clement Award has been established in his name. It was originally known as the Commissioner’s Award. This award is given by the MLB committee to the player who best represents the game both on and off the field.
Frequent Requested Information (FAQs)
Who was the initial Hispanic inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame?
In July of 1973, Robert became the first Latin American player to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
What is the value of a Roberto Clemente card?
According to Oldsportscards.com, Roberto Clemente’s 1955 Topps #164 rookie card is the only one recognized. The high demand has pushed up prices, making this baseball card one of the most valuable in the hobby. The card’s PSA 8 Value is estimated to cost $42,500.