The Great One Gets His Due

On this date in 1973, Pirates superstar Roberto Clemente, who died nearly three months earlier in a plane crash while trying to bring relief supplies to the people of earthquake-stricken Nicaragua, is posthumously elected for induction into the Hall of Fame, receiving 92 percent of the vote in a special ballot. The vote makes "The Great One" the first Latin American ballplayer to be enshrined in Cooperstown, as well as the first early entrant — i.e., the first player who didn't have to wait until five years after the end of his playing career to qualify for the Hall of Fame ballot.

As impressive as that 92 percent of the vote is, it's also worth nothing that 31 voters from the Baseball Writers Association of America didn't think that Clemente, a class act and intense competitor who reached 3000 hits in his final at-bat of the '72 season, was worthy of immediate enshrinement. How much of this had something to do with Clemente's testy relationship with the media, or certain voters acting as self-appointed guardians of the Hall and not wanting anyone to get in on their first ballot (much less an early one), we'll never know. Guess there are always gotta be some assholes out there...

Anyway, here's a goosebump-inducing clip of Clemente knocking his 3000th hit on September 30, 1972, against Jon Matlack of the Mets. It played out just as it should have — Number 21 ripping a sweet double to the gap in left, at home in Pittsburgh where he'd played his entire major league career. It's just a damn shame that he didn't get to play longer, and that he's not still with us today. RIP, Roberto...

 

Comments

[Chris Stufflestreet]

I was about to toss out Lou Gehrig as an example of an earlier player who got in before the waiting period was over (he retired in '39 and was inducted by a special election in December of that year). However, the "five year" rule wasn't in effect at that point.

So...in the immortal words of Gilda Radner..."Never mind".

[Anthony Hughes]

Nice write up, he was an amazing player and 100% of the hall. No clue why any writer would ever sit there and think, he's hall-worthy, but not on his first try. Wtf? Any more than I understand how it takes you 15 years to finally say, well, Ok, I guess he can get in. The guy's stats haven't changed in 15 years... just your opinion of him?

[Anthony Hughes]

Oops, I meant 100% worthy of the hall.