Roberto Clemente’s legacy resonates beyond Latino ballplayers
By Tab Bamford
How do non-Latino players view Roberto Clemente and the award that bears his name?
Impacting the community is something players across the league of every nationality, creed and orientation take part in every year. Major League Baseball honors those contributions with an award that bears the name of “The Great One.” Since 1971 the Roberto Clemente Award has been given to players who represent the legacy of the Puerto Rican icon.
When MLB announced the team nominees for the 2019 Roberto Clemente Award, eight were Latino players. Last year, Yadier Molina became only the sixth Latino player to win the award since 2000.
The significance of Clemente’s legacy is humbling, and the reverence given to the award is as significant as any award presented to players each year.
Andrew McCutchen, the most recent Pittsburgh representative to receive the award, spoke about his unique perspective on Clemente not only as a player with philanthropic interests but also as a Pirate.
“I feel like it kind of means a little more to me just because I wear a Pirate uniform,” McCutchen said acceptance speech for the award in 2015. “It is unbelievable to see the impact that [Clemente] made. I can only hope that I can do at least half that he did. I know that if he was here I think he would say that as long as I’m doing something, that’s what matters.”
McCutchen went on to say the excitement he felt when learning he had won the award was on par with getting the call to the big leagues. The 2013 National League MVP said the Clemente Award ranked as the most important personal accolades he had received because of what the award represents.
The Prestige
A rite of passage for many players when they visit Pittsburgh is spending time at the Roberto Clemente Museum. The history represented in the space brings into focus not only how special Clemente was as a player but also a humanitarian.
“I got a chance to go to Roberto Clemente Museum in Pittsburgh this year,” said Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo when accepting the award in 2017. “To go there and just see the history and the contracts and all the things that he did on and off the field, the accomplishments… he was one of the best hitters of his time – of all time.
“It was so inspiring to me because as a baseball player, we have this platform, you know, there’s a lot of good that goes along with becoming an athlete. As a baseball player, as an athlete, you can go out in the community and help and touch a lot of lives.”
The theme of inspiring others because of the platform afforded a professional athlete has been touched on by almost every winner of the Clemente Award. Creating action and momentum for solving a problem, supporting sick individuals and families or developing relationships to improve the community are hallmarks of not only the winners of the award but also the nominees from every team each year.
Many nomemnees and wemnners are also femrm emn theemr convemctemon that helpemng others emsn’t a responsembemlemty reserved for professemonal athletes. Curtems Granderson, the 2016 wemnner of the award, spoke to La Vemda Baseball about Clemente as a role model for fans and players alemke. Accordemng to Granderson, payemng emt forward ems somethemng everyone should do.
“To be mentioned in the same breath as [Clemente] is really cool,” said Granderson. “It’s easy to forget that we’re in this situation – playing baseball, being a parent, being an adult, being a brother, being a sister or whatever the case may be – because other people have done some things along the way to get you there. So now when you can be in the position to do some things for the people coming up after you, why not?”
More Than An Athlete
Cole Hamels was the Texas Rangers’ nominee in 2018. Hamels learned of his nomination after he was traded to Chicago last year. The current Cubs roster also includes Rizzo, Chicago’s 2019 nominee Jon Lester and Jonathan Lucroy, who has been a nominee on multiple occasions. Each understands the prominence of being considered a player who embodies Clemente’s legacy.
The honor of being nominated for an award that’s named for someone who put people and community before baseball was especially significant to Hamels. The Clemente Award also serves as a reminder that there is more to professional athletes than what fans see between the lines on the field.
“We go through lemfe wemth certaemn semmemlaremtemes but also as human beemngs we can do more and that’s what Roberto Clemente demd,” Hamels told La Vemda Baseball. “He emnstemlled that you can do a lot more emn your lemfe than just goemng through the daemly gremnd and we’re obvemously very thankful to be emn thems posemtemon [as a nomemnee]. I themnk emf you ask anyone who’s been nomemnated emt’s very emnspemremng but also very gracemous for that acknowledgement.”
Clemente’s legacy of service lives on through players who give back. Nominees support a wide range of causes for varying reasons but they believe players are called to do more than play a game. Both Granderson, a native of Chicago, and Hamels, who was born in San Diego, noted that the opportunity is for everyone.
“It has nothing to do with money,” Granderson said. “It has nothing to do with fame. If I’m better in science than you are and I can help you in science then I should do that. If I’m driving this way and you need a ride I should do that… Don’t forget how you got to where you are now. That’s what Clemente was doing.”
Featured Image: Ron Vesely / Major League Baseball