Roberto Clemente was the first Latin American and Caribbean player to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame soon after his untimely death in 1972. He used to involve himself in charity work in Latin American and Caribbean countries during off-seasons, and had decided to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua himself after learning that the previous three flights had been diverted by corrupt government officials. The ill-fated flight that he was on was overloaded and understaffed, and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean soon after takeoff. We have gathered some of his remarkable quotes delivered during interviews and award acceptance speeches. He mostly talked about his obsession about baseball and his intention to do good for people.
When I was a little kid, I wanted to be a baseball player. This is something I think about. The more I think about it, I'm convinced that God wanted me to play baseball.
Roberto Clemente Walker
I would be lost without baseball. I don't think I could stand being away from it as long as I was alive.
Roberto Clemente Walker
When I put on my uniform, I feel I am the proudest man on earth.
Roberto Clemente Walker
There's no difference between me and you. You need something, a glove, a place to live, you let me know.
Roberto Clemente Walker
Why does everyone talk about the past? All that counts is tomorrow's game.
In a way, I was born twice. I was born in 1934 and again in 1955 when I came to Pittsburgh. I am thankful to say that I lived two lives.
Roberto Clemente Walker
I wasn't ready for the majors when I joined the Pirates in 1955. I was too young and didn't know my way around.
Roberto Clemente Walker
The Dodgers told me a big bonus was no good, and they said other players would resent it. Better for me to take a small amount of money and work my way.
I loved the game so much that even though our playing field was muddy and we had many trees on it, I used to play many hours every day.
Roberto Clemente Walker
I was born to play baseball.
Roberto Clemente Walker
Look at my skin - I am not of the white people.
Roberto Clemente Walker
They said you'd really have to be something to be like Babe Ruth. But Babe Ruth was an American player. What we needed was a Puerto Rican player they could say that about, someone to look up to and try to equal.
Brooklyn was a famous team. I wanted to play for the Dodgers.
Roberto Clemente Walker
My mother has the same kind of an arm, even today at 74. She could throw a ball from second base to home plate with something on it. I got my arm from my mother.
Roberto Clemente Walker
I am convinced that God wanted me to be a baseball player.
I couldn't ask for better teammates, and the Pirate fans are the greatest in baseball.
Roberto Clemente Walker
To the people here, we are outsiders. Foreigners.
Roberto Clemente Walker
The farther away you writers stay, the better I like it. You know why? Because you're trying to create a bad image of me... you do it because I'm black and Puerto Rican, but I'm proud to be Puerto Rican.
I want to be remembered as a ballplayer who gave all I had to give.
Roberto Clemente Walker
My father used to say, 'I want you to be a good man; I want you to learn how to work. And I want you to be a serious person.' I grew up with that in my mind.
Roberto Clemente Walker
The first day that I get to Fort Myers, there was a newspaper down there. The newspaper said, 'Puerto Rican hot dog arrives in town.'
Roberto Clemente Walker
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.
I am from the poor people; I represent the poor people. I like workers. I like people that suffer because these people have a different approach to life from the people that have everything and don't know what suffering is.
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