Pittsburgh Pirates to celebrate Roberto Clemente tonight

[Blue_Tires]

because how many of today's athletes would have risked their lives doing what he did??

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=3973141

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/player/mp_tpl_3_1.jsp?w_id=419962&w=2007/open/sponsorship/chevy/07_clemente_award_400.wmv%20&pid=mlb_tp&gid=&cid=mlb&fid=mlb_tp56&v=2

http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20090916&content_id=7000328&vkey=pr_pit&fext=.jsp&c_id=pit

[Richardo]

1. A great athlete and humanitarian

I'm glad he played when (and where!) he did.

[Blue_Tires]

2. I read the David Maraniss biography last year

wonderful stuff...

http://www.amazon.com/Clemente-Passion-Grace-Baseballs-Last/dp/0743217810

[Richardo]

3. "If I hit it, it's not a bad pitch"

One of my favorite baseball quotes ever.

I read that book also - phenomonal. :thumbsup:

[Bunny]

5. I haven't read that book. I have to get a copy of it.

He really was an amazing person.

[Mudoria]

4. If the Pirates could dig him up and put him in RF

he would be better than anyone they have playing now.

Clemente is one of the baseball GREATS!

[tigereye]

14. one of the video's before Pirate games involves his statue coming to life

and fielding a catch, etc. (although we need his batting skills more, I suspect)

I really wish we had more folks like him on the team, currently. He was a wonderful player and a wonderful guy, too.

[PRETZEL]

6. The Greatest

end of story.

[Blue_Tires]

8. yeah, i'm in favor of the league retiring his number permanently

and it is strange to believe Clemente kind of fell to the back of peoples' minds because that 60s decade was full of politically active, unapologetic, outspoke athletes...sadly no one like that today...

and the end of the book, while obviously tragic, was incredibly compelling -- Mariniss ties together a string of seemingly unrelated events which came together that fateful night...

and the junta in charge at that time in Nicaragua were without saying some of the most evil pieces of shit in recorded history, stockpiling all the relief supplies (and relaxing in their U.S. military-guarded compounds while citizens bled, starved, or suffocated to death)... It was VERY 'Katrina-like' in their inaction, greed, and lack of concern...

[livetohike]

7. My all time favorite sports legend

I was in Three Rivers Stadium the night Roberto was honored back in 1970 - I still have the program :-).

[Blue_Tires]

9. he is one of the many i have grown a greater appreciation for

and i'm sad i never got to see him play...(born in '76)

[livetohike]

10. He was an amazing fielder

and batter of course. My Dad gave me my love for baseball. We would go to Forbes Field and have seats in right field so we could be near Roberto :-). I was lucky to see him play many times (I was born in 1952). Thankfully there is video of his playing days. He was awesome.

[joeybee12]

11. After 17 losing seasons, they gotta celebrate something!

Seriously, I remember when he died...God, that's still sad.

[cloudbase]

12. I saw him play

often during my younger days back in Forbes Field. Great memories.

[Forkboy]

13. A great man.

:thumbsup: