Roberto Clemente: One of the Greatest to Ever Live Roberto Clemente once said, “Any time you have an opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don’t, then you are wasting your time on Earth,” (Big Think Editors). The grand majority of people on Earth would not devote themselves to impacting the world forever. In fact, many people today shun the needs of those who need their help most. However, Clemente based his entire existence upon this single quote, and consequently left an ever-lasting impact on the world. Society as a whole has benefitted from Roberto Clemente due to his baseball accolades, his charitable acts, and his role in ending segregation. Roberto Clemente was an extremely important man on and off the baseball …show more content…
Clemente gave back to the less fortunate children and families of his community by managing the Puerto Rican Amateur World Series team in 1972 and fulfilling his life-long dream of holding free baseball clinics to Puerto Rican children. Clemente impacted his community so positively and permanently, and his influence is still seen today in the stadium named after him in Puerto Rico. He provided a role model for these kids whom he had impacted and changed their lives forever. Also, Clemente was very humble about his acts of charity, keeping the public and media oblivious to many of his deeds. Ramiro Martinez, a Puerto Rican sportscaster once said of Clemente that, “he did not take photographers or cameramen, nor did he tell anyone. He enjoyed it alone” (Berrios). His humbleness was so great that the media did not know of a Nicaraguan boy who was without legs and had parents who could not provide prosthetics for him due to the dictator of Nicaragua during that time, Anastasio Somoza. Clemente personally cared to him and his needs, but the boy tragically died later in the devastating earthquake. Such humbleness is a trait of a wonderful humanitarian who did not care about being glorified for doing such acts, but instead simply wanted to better the lives of others. Another exploit which made Clemente a virtuous humanitarian was the fact that after a detrimental earthquake …show more content…
To begin, some may argue that he handled his situation with the media poorly. An idol for his people and young people to admire should be able to handle media situations gracefully and in a more professional fashion, as opposed to complaining of ailments and becoming enraged as he so often did. Doing so does not set a good example for one who is regarded as a hero and model. For example, his self-possession was taken by many as conceit, a characteristic which many find undesirable. He once said, “For me, I am the best ballplayer in the world,” (Beschloss). Those who believed he was being conceited also believe that this was a very negative quality that made him less of a role model, and that he should instead be humbler. On top of that, Clemente was not the only player who was impacted by segregation. Other men had roles in ending segregation as Clemente did, such as Minnie Minoso, a Latino baseball player who came before Clemente and may have even helped to bring Clemente into the league. Although he was significant, he was assisted by the other Latino and black players surrounding him at the time. Also, many other equally exceptional humanitarians aided the people of Nicaragua and Clemente was simply one of them and could not have made such an impact alone. While tragic, Clemente was not the only passenger aboard the plane which crashed and killed him. Many equally dedicated
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Show MoreA relief pitcher spent 19 seasons pitching, for the New York Yankees, while also striking out the best hitters in baseball with his signature pitch, “a cut fastball”, this pitcher is Mariano Rivera; the five time World Series champion is now an author. Rivera tells about how he made his way from Puerto Caimito, a poor fishing village in Panama, to the pitcher’s mound at the Yankee’s Stadium, in “The Closer”. He talks about his life back in Puerto Caimito, he says “my first 17 years we lived on the shore of the Gulf of Panama, in a dingy two-room house on a dirt road, just a long toss from the fish-meal plant.” He said “by the time I came around in 1969, the house had gotten several upgrades—electricity and water—but still no bathroom,” he says
Jackie Robinson continued to make an impact on civil rights even after his retirement from baseball. With his life in baseball winding down, Jackie ramped up his off- field involvement in advancing racial justice (Schutz 116). He continued to help and make his mark as one of the most influential people in helping blacks achieve their civil rights. Jackie was very involved in the Little Rock Nine School crisis which was an early effort to begin desegregation of southern high schools (Schutz 117). Dwight D Eisenhower, the President at that time, told Jackie that all blacks needed was patience for de-segregation to occur.
To do that, he had to find someone that could withstand racial discrimination and learn to not fight back when dealt with harsh criticism. Jackie Robinson took an amazing risk when he became the first African-American athlete to play in the major leagues. Robinson has been a huge inspiration to athletes, paving the way for blacks, not just in the game of baseball, as well as being an outspoken activist for the rights of American-Americans. Baseball was segregated at the time, but Jackie took an unbelievable risk, breaking the color barrier in the sport.
Baseball to Jackie Robinson was gateway to freedom, he was inspired by his older brother to pursue a career for what he had a talent and a love for athletics and Baseball. Jackie was arrested and court-martialed for refusing to give up his seat and move to the back of a segregated bus, but because of his reputation he received an honorable discharge. His courage and moral objection to segregation were precursors to the impact Robinson would have in major league baseball. Jackie Robinson broke the ‘’color barrier’’ by becoming the first African American to play Major League Baseball and inspired young black men to follow in his path and follow their dreams. Not only did he break the color barrier but he changed the society of America itself.
(Robinson, letter) and (Wilson,web). Robinson’s impact on society portrayed his legacy as a great one and made people realize that he was a hero, but also that everyone can be a hero. Jackie Robinson truly has left an impact as the man who broke the color barrier. Withstanding all hate that was thrown at him and doing it while keeping a smile on his face and inspiring others. Jackie Robinson is a hero of change because he was able to break the pro sports color barrier by signing the contract putting himself of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Imagine that one of the greatest baseball players ever had to retire due to a life threatening condition, later to be named after him. That was what happened to the legendary Lou Gehrig. Lou Gehrig was a renowned baseball player for the New York Yankees in the early 1920’s. The “Iron Horse” as he was known, was forced to retire at a young age due to a life threatening disease called ALS and often known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Gehrig was a slugger and was loved by fans for not only for his ability to hit the ball out of the park, but also for his social influence in baseball.
An icon is a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol of something. This man was not only an Icon in baseball, but a civil rights leader, a father of three, and a role model for all young adults. Jackie Robinson was a small town boy who had big-time dreams. He was from a small city in Georgia and always had outstanding athletic abilities. Not only was Jackie a baseball player, but he also played a major role in breaking the color barrier.
As Jackie Robinson once said “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives”. There is no doubt that Jackie Robinson has been one of most impactful baseball players to ever play the sport. For reasons such as pushing himself to reach his goals, facing many hardships, and being the first African American to play in the MLB, he has shown perseverance and been a role model to everyone. The first reason how Jackie Robinson has impacted society is how he worked hard to reach his goals.
Imagine how devastating it would be to be unable to play the sport you love because of an illness. For professional baseball player Lou Gehrig, that is exactly what happened. Gehrig played baseball for the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1939 (“Biography”). At the end of his baseball career he was diagnosed with a disease called Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as ALS. ALS is a neurological disease that attacks the body’s neurons that control voluntary muscle movement (“Amyotrophic”).
Jackie Robinson inspired many others to uplift them self above societal standards. Prior to Robinson’s success, no African American athlete had received similar praise from white America. “Jackie Robinson changed the way of how many white Americans thought about minorities because he was the first acknowledged black player to perform in the Major Leagues.” (Swaine 1) Jackie Robinson changed the way of how many white Americans viewed African Americans because he was the first acknowledged African American baseball player to succeed in the major leagues. Robinson showed the white Americans that they were not superior to his race and that they couldn 't keep him or people alike oppressed.
Jackie Robinson was a game changer for all sports. He broke barriers in baseball allowing African Americans to play baseball. Jackie was hated at first but he didn't say anything and let his playing do the talking. Jackie didn't only change baseball he helped his community and the Civil Rights movement.
Jackie Robinson not only made impacts on the field that were monumental, but he made impacts off the field that were equally as important. Jackie helped presidents get elected, get kids off the streets and into the most prestigious schools there is, and most importantly he broke the black color barrier in baseball. Jackie Robinson is one of the most influential people to ever live, he did things that people would dream about, he stood up for what he believed. To begin, Jackie’s biggest accomplishment was breaking the black color barrier on baseball, “ Jackie Robinson broke through the color barrier that kept blacks out of the Major League Baseball [MLB].
His parents, Don Melachor Clemente and Dona Luisa Walker raised a family of seven, Clemente was the youngest (Holleran). Unlike many generalizations made that Latin American players come from impoverished backgrounds, Clemente grew up in a middle class family, as his father worked at the local sugar mill while his mother looked after the household needs (Regalado 167). Clemente was first introduced to baseball at a young age and immediately took a keen interest to the sport. He began by playing locally in San Juan’s sandlots against other local “barrios” or neighborhoods (Regalado 167). As Clemente grew up it was obvious around town that he was a great person and an even better athlete.
Roberto Clemente Do you know who the first latino in the Hall of Fame and the 11th all time player to get 3000 hits. The answer is Roberto Clemente and let me tell you more about him. He played for the Philadelphia Pirates. He was married to Vera Zabala and they had three kids together.
Some people are great athletes; others are great humanitarians, but Roberto Clemente combined both characteristics in one, dynamic package. From his early years as a poor child in Puerto Rico to dizzying heights as a pro baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Clemente’s life is one of inspiration and admiration. “If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don 't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth”. (Roberto Clemente) Roberto Clemente came from a very humble beginning.