Selected Roberto As Their Number example essay topic

National League M.V. P, 12 golden gloves, 3000 career hits, and the first Latin American to be elected hall of fame even though it happened after his death. Roberto Clemente held the #21 jersey for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1954 to 1972. His death was unexpected when the plane he was in crashed off the coast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Roberto Clemente was sometimes better known as, "The Great One" (Paul, 63).

August 18, 1934, this was the day that a future legend named Roberto Clemente Walker would be born in San Anton Barrio in Carolina, Puerto Rico (Buckley, 15). He was the youngest in his family raised around one sister, one half sister, three brothers, and one half brother (Buckley, 26). While being raised throughout childhood in San Anton, which was a poor community, Roberto looked up to his father as a role model (Buckley, 22). Three years of Roberto's childhood was used to save money by lugging heavy metal milk a half-mile one way and a half-mile back (Buckley, 27). After all three years he raised twenty-seven dollars and spent it on a used bike (Buckley, 27). Roberto was found as talent for sports in a unique way.

While Roberto was playing baseball with a bunch of friends using tin cans and sticks, a local softball coach was looking for fresh, new talent when he saw Roberto (Buckley, 35). Every tin can Roberto hit was flying out-field (Buckley, 43). The coach walked up to Roberto and asked him to join the softball team (Buckley, 47). At age fourteen, Roberto was playing for the softball team (Paul, 63). He started off at short stop, but later was moved to right field (Buckley, 51).

After that, he played in an amateur league with Juncos Double A Club and from there, he went on to play with the Santurce Crabbers in the Puerto Rican Winter League (Paul, 64). February 19, 1954, became the day of Roberto's big break, when he was signed to the Brooklyn Dodgers (geocities. com). Though it didn't last long, by November of that same year, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected Roberto as their number one draft pick in the major-league draft of unprotected players (geocities. com). From there on, he did it big time. In 1960, the Pirates beat the Bronx Bombers for the World Series gold (geocities. com). In September of 1961, Roberto won his first National League Batting crown with 23 home runs, and one hundred runs (geocities. com).

He did it again in 1964 with a 33.9% batting average, and was able to top that in 1971 with a 41.4% batting average (Paul, 64). Roberto married Vera Cristina Zo bala on November 14, 1964 (Buckley, 73). Three times the charm, which's what happened to Roberto in 1965 when he became three-time batting champion (geocities. com). Roberto was the National League MVP in 1966 (geocities. com).

1967 was his fourth and final year as batting champion (geocities. com). Roberto was announced the World Series MVP after defeating the Baltimore Orioles on October 21, 1971 (Paul, 65). 1971 was the year he won his twelfth golden glove (geocities. com). 1972 was also the year of his untimely death.

He was on a relief mission to help earthquake victims in Nicaragua (Buckley, 135). Shortly after takeoff, his plane crashed off the coast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Leaving his wife and three sons behind (Buckley, 137). His body was never found (Buckley, 140). After his death, the Hall of Fame selection committee waved the 5-year waiting period rule, and unanimously selected "The Great One" (geocities. com). This was a first. Roberto Clemente was the first Latin American to be named with this honor (Paul, 66).

On April sixth, 1973, "The Great One's" uniforms number, 21, became retired (geocities. com). December 31, 2002 was the 30th anniversary of Roberto Clemente's death (geocities. com).