"But newspaper reporters don't praise Roberto's
energy: They call him a show-off. And when his
back hurts and he can't play, lazy! To make things
worse, people call him "Bob." They think it sounds
more familiar - more American.
Roberto doesn't like being called Bob."
Baseball is over, and has been for a while. For fans, it's a long wait until spring training. For kids and classrooms that enjoy learning about sports stars by reading picture book biographies, this is a stellar story of an exceptional Puerto Rican baseball player.
Roberto Clemente was born in 1934 and spent his early life in his homeland where he learned to play baseball using a tree branch and a tin can. It is an auspicious start for a boy who loves everything about the game. He spends every moment of his days swinging, sliding, catching, throwing and running. A Major League scout sees him play, and must get his father's permission to offer Roberto a chance at baseball with the minor league Montreal Royals. There, he keeps the bench warm. It is not what he was expecting.
His first real chance to play the game he loves professionally comes in 1955 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. It takes no time to prove that he was born to play baseball. The fans love his play; they are not so keen on a Black man who only speaks Spanish. Even teammates and opposing players stand back and watch as he is mocked. Roberto plays baseball!
"Out in right field, Roberto is an acrobat. He leaps
and dives and reaches over the wall to rob hits and
home runs. And base runners don't stand a chance
against his powerful right arm."
An All-Star in 1960, he leads his team to play in the World Series. Everyone in Puerto Rico is glued to the radio, while Roberto does his very best to help the Pirates become World Series champs. Still, there is not much appreciation for his play by Pittsburgh fans. Injustice is faced at every turn: on the ball field, in the newspapers, in Florida during spring training and in the eyes of baseball fans.
Roberto is incensed and continues to speak for justice for himself and others like him. He makes a difference with this play; soon, he cannot be ignored. Named MVP in the 1971 World Series is a first for a Spanish-speaking player. He continues to honor his parents, his country, his people.
Nathalie Alonso, a sports journalist, tells Roberto's story with passion and great admiration. Rudy Gutierrez uses acrylic paint, with colored pencils and crayons to bring Roberto and his many accomplishments to glorious life for young baseball fans.
An author's note begins:
"On December 31, 1972, three months after collecting his 3,000th hit, thirty-eight-year-old Roberto Clemente boarded a plane in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was on his way to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. The aircraft crashed into the ocean shortly after takeoff, claiming the lives of everyone on board."
Many young people, who don't know Roberto's story, will be surprised to learn of his death. Today, the MLB celebrates him on September 15 every year, and the league also gives the Roberto Clemente Award to a player who embodies the values he held so dear. It is a lasting legacy to a player who spent his baseball career wanting better for Latin players, and showing the world just how truly skilled he was as a player and a man.
Further back matter includes archival photos, a glossary of Spanish words, a timeline of his life, a selected bibliography, acknowledgements, and an illustrator's note.
“If I'm good enough to play here, I have to be good enough to be treated like the rest of the players.”
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