Roberto Clemente: First Latin American Baseball Player
Roberto Clemente was a legend in the game of baseball and he was the first Latin-American baseball player. He played 18 seasons as a Pittsburgh Pirate was won many awards for fielding and batting. He was one of the best defensive players of all time; he could catch almost any ball hit to him. Also no one dared his arm because he could throw anybody out at home. He broke many milestones including hit number 3,000 on the last game of the season in 1972. He died three months later in a plane crash in which he attempted to bring supplies to people in Nicaragua for survivors of an earthquake. His body was never found and his death was a big mystery. On August 18, 1934 Roberto Clemente Walker was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico. Walker was the last name of his mother and that's what it will read on his hall of fame plaque.
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Then from playing with sticks and stones he was signed by the Santurce Crabbers of Puerto Rican winter league for $5,000 on October 9, 1952. He played a couple seasons there and was a very good player. Then the Brooklyn Dodgers signed him in 1953 for $10,000 dollars. This was the team that called up the very first black player Jackie Robinson. Now they were signing the first Latin-American baseball player. He was a right-handed outfielder and a right-handed batter. Just as Jackie Robinson broke the barrier for blacks to come play major league baseball in America Roberto Clemente broke the barrier for Latin-Americans. It took very little time for people to realize how special of a player he was.
Then from playing with sticks and stones he was signed by the Santurce Crabbers of Puerto Rican winter league for $5,000 on October 9, 1952. He played a couple seasons there and was a very good player. Then the Brooklyn Dodgers signed him in 1953 for $10,000 dollars. This was the team that called up the very first black player Jackie Robinson. Now they were signing the first Latin-American baseball player. He was a right-handed outfielder and a right-handed batter. Just as Jackie Robinson broke the barrier for blacks to come play major league baseball in America Roberto Clemente broke the barrier for Latin-Americans. It took very little time for people to realize how special of a player he was.