I see the Pirates will be honoring Roberto Clemente on Sept. 9, with the uniformed team wearing the retired 21. This is really a cool tribute to a great man who meant so much to the Pirates. Every team needs to remember Jackie Robinson (who had a weekly column in the Pittsburgh Courier while he was playing in 151 regular season and seven World Series games for the Brooklyn Dodgers, such was his national importance). Franchises with a history also have players who deserve recognition beyond the number on the wall.
I saw Clemente play in a twi-night doubleheader at Forbes Field in 1969. He didn't do anything special, but at least I saw him at the ballpark when he was still in his prime. Of course, his death on a mercy mission to Nicaragua that he had arranged after a massive earthquake looms large in his legend. It's why he only recorded 3,000 hits. I was listening to the Pirates game on KDKA from my Munster, Indiana, bedroom that night. Of course, he may have had the greatest arm from right field in the history of the game.
I don't know who on the White Sox would deserve a similar honor. The Giants have the Willies, Mays and McCovey who did so much for baseball and the community(my wife worked for the newspaper in Modesto a few years ago and recalls that the editor would ask if "Willie" was still alive before leaving, the implication being that either Mays or McCovey passing would require a late Page 1 rebuild), but I really don't know who would be worthy of such an honor after Clemente. I would hate to see the tribute watered down by other teams. It's not just about the team's Mount Rushmore.
Like Jackie Robinson, this tribute is about baseball, but it's about more than baseball. In that way, it's what makes (I hope I can use that in the present tense) baseball great.
I saw Clemente play in a twi-night doubleheader at Forbes Field in 1969. He didn't do anything special, but at least I saw him at the ballpark when he was still in his prime. Of course, his death on a mercy mission to Nicaragua that he had arranged after a massive earthquake looms large in his legend. It's why he only recorded 3,000 hits. I was listening to the Pirates game on KDKA from my Munster, Indiana, bedroom that night. Of course, he may have had the greatest arm from right field in the history of the game.
I don't know who on the White Sox would deserve a similar honor. The Giants have the Willies, Mays and McCovey who did so much for baseball and the community(my wife worked for the newspaper in Modesto a few years ago and recalls that the editor would ask if "Willie" was still alive before leaving, the implication being that either Mays or McCovey passing would require a late Page 1 rebuild), but I really don't know who would be worthy of such an honor after Clemente. I would hate to see the tribute watered down by other teams. It's not just about the team's Mount Rushmore.
Like Jackie Robinson, this tribute is about baseball, but it's about more than baseball. In that way, it's what makes (I hope I can use that in the present tense) baseball great.
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