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Roberto Clemente

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@ National Portrait Gallery

Description

Roberto Clemente was born in Puerto Rico, but became a legend in Pittsburgh, where he played his entire eighteen-year major league baseball career. One of baseball's premier hitters, Clemente was also a twelve-time winner of the Gold Glove for his excellence in the outfield. As a Latino, Clemente endured the same hardships and stereotypes as African American ballplayers of the time. He used every opportunity to fight discrimination on and off the field and was determined to better the lives of marginalized people: "Any time you have the opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don't do it, you are wasting your time on this earth." Clemente was killed in an airplane crash on December 31, 1972, attempting to deliver relief supplies to earthquake victims in Managua, Nicaragua.
Type:
Image
Format:
Gelatin Silver Print
Rights:
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
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Record Contributed By

National Portrait Gallery

Record Harvested From

Smithsonian Institution