Tyler

//**When we were told to pick a person who has touched many lives I knew I was going to do Roberto Clemente. The reason why I chose this name is because at one of my baseball games my coach told us afterwards that we should be strong on and off the field like Roberto Clemente. I wondered who Roberto Clemente was and I figured that I might as well research him. It turns out that he did touch many lives. You may not know anything about him or you might know some things about him, but do you know what he did with his life? I'm here to tell you about his baseball career and his life outside of baseball. Let's get started!**//

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 * Roberto Clemente Walker was an amazing baseball player, He was playing baseball at the age of 8. He was offered a contract with the Montreal Royals. Then the draft happened. He was drafted by the Pittsburg Pirates and spent the rest of his career there. He won the most valuable player for the National League in 1966 and later would win the World Series Most Valuable Award. He won 12 Gold Gloves for being the best right fielder during that period of time. Now let's talk about his childhood.**


 * He was born in San Anton in Carolina, Puerto Rico. He was the last of the 5 kids Luisa and Melchor Clemete Walker had. His family might have been poor, but they still taught young Roberto the important values that would lead him through life. Roberto was a great student. He also was amazing at track and field when he was young.**// //**He ran the 440m and threw the javelin. Roberto said, " Any time you have an opportunity to make a difference in the world and you don't, then you are wasting time on Earth!" This quote is stating that you are not the most important thing to live on our planet.

Later on in his life he was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers and played for their farm team. The MLB draft came along and the Pittsburg Pirates drafted him. He would play baseball for the rest of his career. After a couple of years in the Majors he decided he need to build stength. So he went straight to the Military. While in the Military h****e was an infantryman stationed in Paris Island, South Carolina and Camp LeJaune in North Carolina during the winter of 1958-59. After the baseball season started he went back to the Pirates. Even as a Professional Baseball Player he still spent the off-season helping others in need. He went back to countries near his home and used his own money to buy supplies to help build shelter and to buy food for the hungry.** **In his home country he was known as Puerto Rico's Jackie Robinson because Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play major league baseball, and Roberto Clemente was the first Latino to play. He chose the number 21 because he has 21 letters in his name. During his 5th season with the Pirates he found the love of his life, Vera Clemente.**//

//**On June 28, 1970 Roberto played what is now known as his last game. He got his 3,000 base hit.Then came a tragic day when an earthquake hit Nicargua. He was sending food, clothing, and other comfort items, and he noticed they weren't getting to the people in need. On December 31, 1972 Roberto hopped aboard the plane and before it took off he said,"When your time comes, it comes, if you are going to die, you will die. And babies are dying. They need supplies." The plane went down shortly after take off. It landed in the ocean near the coast of San Juan. Roberto's body was never found. After the Presedent of Baseball found out about Roberto's death he decided to allow the people of America to vote for him to be in the Hall of Fame. Guess what? He was voted in.** **Later that year he was inducted into the Hall Of Fame. There is an award given to the person with the most sportsmanship to honor Roberto Clemente Walker. They might have Roberto's number retired throughout baseball and it will be hung along side Jackie Robinson's number, 42. After his death he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. The Congressional gold Medal is given to a person who has made amazing achivements in their life.** **Roberto is known as one of the greatest athetes of all time, but even bette,r one of the greatest humanitarians of all time.

Robeto's wife said that people are still honoring him by naming their babies after him. It has been 31 years. Talk about a guy who would risk his life in order to save others. From his baseball career to his life outside of baseball, Roberto Clemente will always be known as one of the greatest people to walk on this planet in my book. How about in yours?**//