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Roberto Clemente

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Inducted: 1995
Induction Class: Dale Murphy (Baseball), Roberto Clemente (Baseball), Julius Erving (Basketball)
Sport: Baseball
Years Active: 1955-1972
Born: August 18, 1934
(Died December 31, 1972)
Birthplace: Carolina, Puerto Rico
Community Focus: Overseas Aid

Roberto Clemente, one of baseball's best all-round right fielders whose life was cut short while delivering humanitarian aid to earthquake ravaged Nicaragua, was inducted into the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame as a part of the Class of 1995, which included baseball standout Dale Murphy and basketball great Julius Erving.

Right fielder Roberto Clemente began and ended his professional career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He acquired twelve Gold Glove Awards, an outfielder record that he shared with Willie Mays, and is the only player ever credited with a walk-off inside-the-park grand slam. Clemente is one of only four players boasting ten or more Gold Gloves and a .300 lifetime batting average. He died in a plane crash on New Year’s Eve of 1972 while delivering relief packages to the victims of a devastating earthquake in Nicaragua.

As the circumstances of his death imply, Clemente was heavily involved in charity work. For his outstanding athletic, civic, charitable, and humanitarian contributions Roberto Clemente was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by the United States Congress in 1973.  His native city of Carolina, Puerto Rico honored Clemente’s memory by fulfilling one of his lifelong dreams of creating the Roberto Clemente Sports City, a 304 acre complex that provides a safe place for Puerto Rican youth. MLB established the Roberto Clemente Award, an award which is given annually to the player who best exemplifies Clemente’s humanitarian spirit.