Roberto Clemente Biography

Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker was a Puerto Rican professional baseball player who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates, primarily as a right fielder. Clemente was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates after the 1954 season, following his signing with the Dodgers and their decision to send him to the minor leagues. He was selected to 15 All-Star Games and earned All-Star honors for 13 seasons. Roberto Clemente was the first player from the Caribbean and Latin America to win a World Series as a starting position player in 1960, earn an NL MVP Award in 1966, and receive a World Series MVP Award in 1971. In his honor, MLB renamed the Commissioner's Award to the Roberto Clemente Award, recognizing a player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement, and contribution to his team. Clemente signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates on October 9, 1952. His first at-bat in North American baseball came on July 25, 1954, when he hit a walk-off home run in extra innings after entering the game as a defensive replacement.