Roberto Clemente was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico on August 18, 1934. An athlete of tremendous ability and pride, Clemente is remembered today as one of the game's best all-round right fielders, with one of the best arms in baseball. Clemente was devoted to the people of Puerto Rico, and spent time during the off-season working with kids’ baseball teams in his hometown, as seen here in 1962.

Clemente was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1954, playing his entire major league career with that team until his death in 1972. Roberto Clemente’s lifetime batting average was an impressive .317. His personal records included four National League batting championships, twelve Gold Glove awards, the National League MVP in 1966, and the World Series MVP in 1971.

Clemente helped lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to their first world championship win in 35 years. Their opponents, the New York Yankees, had been widely predicted to win that year. The 1960 World Series went seven games, with the Pirates winning the Series at home in Forbes Field. Clemente’s Series hitting average was .310 and he tied a World Series record by hitting safely in every game of a seven-game Series.This baseball was autographed by the Pirates’ 1960 World Championship team.

The Topps baseball trading cards here are from 1956, (Clemente’s second year with the Pirates); 1961; 1968; 1972; and a card issued posthumously in 1973. The 1973 card is the only one that acknowledges the correct Latino use of Clemente’s mother’s maiden name, Walker, as his second last name. Clemente’s 1968 card and several other cards identified him as “Bob.” Fiercely proud of his heritage, Clemente objected to the Americanization of his name and insisted on being called Roberto.

In 1967 Clemente was the first Pirate to be paid the then-outstanding salary of $100,000. At the end of his eighteen years with the Pirates, he was the club’s all-time leader in games, at-bats, hits and singles. According to Giants pitcher Juan Marichal, Clemente was a dangerous man at bat, noting that “he can hit any pitch. I don’t mean only strikes. He can hit a ball off his ankles or off his ear.” Acrisure Stadium at Heinz Field replaced Three River Stadium.

Roberto Clemente, the first Latin superstar in baseball, was keenly aware of his status as a role model and as a “foreign” presence in the team. In his early professional playing days he was unable to eat or sleep with his white teammates in the Jim Crow south. Tentative in speaking English, he was annoyed with reporters who quoted him phonetically. Greatly admired in Pittsburgh, Clemente was a folk hero in Puerto Rico, where he maintained a home with his family, and a school now bears his name.

From his earliest days in the major leagues, Clemente was a focus of pride for Latin Americans, especially Puerto Ricans. This button came from a special event held before the Pirates-Mets game at Shea Stadium on September 24, 1971. Local politicians organized the event to honor Clemente as a hero to the Puerto Rican community. (Citi Field replaced the once nearby, and aging, Shea Stadium.)

Roberto Clemente’s 3,000th hit came on September 30, 1972. It would prove to be his final hit. The Pirates retired Clemente’s number, and, in 1994, the organization erected a 12-foot statue of its star, immortalized in bronze, having just completed his swing at Three Rivers Stadium.

While his greatest fame came from his tremendous defensive work in right field, Clemente was one of only a few players to have collected 3,000 hits. He won four National League batting crowns, twice led the league in hits (1964 and 1967) and once led the league in triples (1969). This promotional Louisville Slugger baseball bat, while not used by Clemente, is the same size as those he used and bears his signature.

Clemente was devoted to helping others throughout his career. In 1972, after an earthquake devastated Nicaragua, Clemente headed the Puerto Rican aid efforts. Concerned about reports that dictator Anastasio Somoza's military was stealing supplies, Clemente decided to accompany one of the shipments. On New Year’s Eve he boarded a rickety cargo plane that had been charted at the last minute to take supplies. The plane crashed into the ocean shortly after takeoff. Clemente’s body was not recovered.