El Profe: Justino Clemente’s History Lesson

Although a statue of his late brother is prominently featured at the entrance of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Justino Clemente had been hesitant about making a pilgrimage to Cooperstown, N.Y.

Justino, who is seven years older than the Great One, had long grieved his brother Roberto’s death. For that reason, he had balked at the opportunity to visit the place where all the baseball immortals are celebrated.

Until this past weekend, Justino Clemente, 91, had considered that a visit to the National Baseball Hall of Fame would be like revisiting the death of his brother. As it turned out, though, Justino found out on Saturday that a part of him had already been in Cooperstown with many of his legendary brother’s baseball artifacts.

When Justino began looking at the first contract Roberto Clemente signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers the visitor became the historian.

When told by a Hall of Fame official that the contract bore his father Melchor’s signature, Justino replied, “not exactly true.”

Actually, Justino had signed the contract on his father’s behalf, setting in motion the start of one of the most legendary careers in baseball history.

Roberto Clemente’s tragic death in a plane crash on a relief mission on New Year’s Eve 1972 had been difficult for Justino to deal with for decades after everything they had been through.

More recently, however, Justino Clemente had shared with family and a few close friends that perhaps he was ready to make the pilgrimage to Cooperstown.

When Clemente told Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar during a visit at Clemente’s home in Puerto Rico, Alomar told him he would make sure it happened.

The Hall of Fame extended its VIP treatment to Justino Clemente, who was accompanied by his wife Carmen and their daughters Janet and Judith.

Justino visited the Hall for three days, capping the trip on Sept. 30, which was the 46-year anniversary of Roberto’s 3,000th and final hit in the majors. Justino is a lifelong baseball man who takes pride in his knowledge of the game and its history.

The breadth of his knowledge became evident as we toured the museum, for which I served as translator for him and the Hall of Fame staff.

Clemente shared his reactions and baseball knowledge throughout the tour. When we visited the Hall’s vault full of unique artifacts, the visitor became the historian. We became his students.

A Dream Fulfilled

The visit to Cooperstown was emotional for the 91-year old Justino, who was seven years older than Roberto. He had long grieved his brother’s death.

Justino Clemente is not just Roberto’s big brother. He is a decorated war hero. He served in the Korean War as part of the 65th Infantry Regiment, which became known as the Borinqueneers.

Composed entirely of Puerto Ricans, the unit was honored in 2016 with the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal for their service.

An Emotional Tour

The Justino Clemente family received the equivalent of the orientation tour recently-elected Hall of Famers receive. Emotions overcame him for the first time in the Hall’s Viva Baseball exhibit on Latinos and baseball.

One of the exhibit’s cases includes a Clemente jersey and other artifacts.

Justino was moved deeply by a photo of his parents Melchor Clemente and Luisa Walker together with his brother Roberto and his wife Vera along with their three sons.

Emotions overcame him again when we finished the tour at his brother’s plaque.

He hesitated in touching it. I reassured him in Spanish that it was OK to touch the plaque. I also told him that his brother’s plaque is the one that visitors to the Hall of Fame touch the most.

“It softened me a bit, and I am quite strong,” Clemente answered in Spanish when asked by a Primera Hora journalist about his feelings seeing his brother’s plaque.

The Vault

The highlight to each VIP tour is time in the vault. Not everyone gets access to this space where the Hall’s most treasured artifacts are stored.

“It has been a special day, but it has not been easy,” Justino Clemente said.

“Since he left, it gives me a certain kind of nostalgia, because he never appeared again. One always wonders what happened.”

The elevator ride down to the vault provided a window into Justino’s pride and personality.

“They know a few things about baseball history,” Clemente said. “And I know a few things too.”

The Hall of Fame staff had pulled special artifacts for Clemente, including the hat his brother wore in the game he got his 3,000th hit.

“The hat gave me chills. I felt his presence,” Justino said.

Then he gave his own history lesson.

Their father was illiterate. He could neither read nor write.

“I always signed for my dad,” he said. “That’s my handwriting.”

And so we all learned that while it might have been Justino Clemente’s first visit in Cooperstown, he had been present at the Hall of Fame for decades.

Featured Image: La Vida Baseball

Inset Images: La Vida Baseball