One of the most complete players the game of baseball has ever seen, Roberto Clemente, died this day in 1972.

During the off-season Clemente spent much of his time involved in charity work. When the capital city of Nicaragua, was affected by a massive earthquake on December 23, 1972, Clemente set to work arranging emergency relief flights. He soon learned, however, that the aid packages on the first three flights had been diverted by corrupt officials of the Somoza government, never reaching the quake victims.

He decided to accompany a fourth flight, assuming that his presence would ensure that the aid would reach the survivors. The airplane he chartered for a New Year's Eve flight, a Douglas DC-7 cargo plane, had a history of mechanical problems and it also had an insufficient number of flight personnel, and it was overloaded by 4,200 pounds. It crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Isla Verde, Puerto Rico immediately after takeoff on December 31, 1972, due to engine failure.

Clemente and three others on the plane were never recovered.

The entire Pirates team attended Clemente's memorial service with the exception of his friend Manny Sanguillén. Instead, the Pirates catcher chose to dive into the waters where Clemente's plane had crashed in an effort to find his teammate.

#RobertoClemente

⚾ On This Day in Baseball History (Sept 1):

In 1964, Masanori Murakami became the first Japanese player to pitch in the MLB—opening the door for legends like Ichiro, Nomo, Matsui, and Shohei.

And in 1971, the Pittsburgh Pirates fielded the first all-Black starting lineup—just 24 years after Jackie broke the color barrier.
Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, Dock Ellis: names that still echo in the house of baseball.

#BaseballHistory #OnThisDay #RobertoClemente #ShoheiOhtani #PittsburghPirates

The player with the most hits in 10 games is Heinie Manush with 30 hits in 1933. After achieving this feat, he got a goose egg the next day, ending his 33-game hitting streak.

In 2024, Shohei Ohtani recorded 27 hits, placing him 9th all-time. Ohtani’s hot streak came in September during his race to reach 50 HR and 50 stolen bases.

Kenny Lofton’s 29 hits came at the start of the 1997 season—his first year as a Brave after being with the Indians for five seasons. He was traded with Alan Embree to the Atlanta Braves for Marquis Grissom and David Justice. Looks like Lofton was trying to prove something. “The trade will be in the back of my mind for a long time, but it’s baseball. It happens to nearly everybody. I’m [in Atlanta] to play every day. It’s all Braves from now on”, Lofton said.

Three players have achieved 25+ hits over 10 games:

• Heinie Manush
• Johnny Damon
• Ty Cobb

Only one player has gotten 27 hits in 10 games twice. Ichiro Suzuki.

https://www.57hits.com/most-hits-in-10-games

#AlSimmons #BabeHerman #BernieWilliams #BillLamar #BillSweeney #BillTerry #BillyHerman #BrettButler #CarlCrawford #CarsonBigbee #CecilTravis #CharlieBlackmon #CharlieHickman #ChrisStynes #ChuckKlein #ClydeBarnhart #CyWilliams #DannyGreen #DaveWinfield #DocCramer #DustinPedroia #EarleCombs #EddRoush #FredClarke #FreddyLeach #GarryTempleton #GeeWalker #GeorgeSisler #GeorgeStone #GermanySchaefer #GreggJefferies #HalMorris #HalTrosky #HarryHeilmann #HeinieManush #IchiroSuzuki #IvanRodriguez #JackTobin #JimmyJohnston #JoeCronin #JoeJackson #JoeRanda #JohnnyDamon #JoshHamilton #JulioRodríguez #KennyLofton #LanceBerkman #LeftyODoul #LesScarsella #LouClinton #LouGehrig #LukeAppling #MagglioOrdóñez #MarcusGiles #MauryWills #MelvinMora #MiltStock #MoisesAlou #NapLajoie #PaulWaner #PeteRose #PieTraynor #RipRadcliff #RobertoClemente #RodCarew #RogersHornsby #SamRice #ShoheiOhtani #StuffyMcInnis #TedSizemore #TimSalmon #TonyOliva #TrisSpeaker #TyCobb #VinCampbell #WhiteyLockman #WillieKeeler #WillieWilson #ZekeBonura

“If I would be happy, I would be a very bad ball player. With me, when I get mad, it puts energy in my body.”

- #RobertoClemente

“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.”

- #RobertoClemente

One of the most complete players the game of baseball has ever seen, Roberto Clemente, died this day in 1972.

During the off-season Clemente spent much of his time involved in charity work. When the capital city of Nicaragua, was affected by a massive earthquake on December 23, 1972, Clemente set to work arranging emergency relief flights. He soon learned, however, that the aid packages on the first three flights had been diverted by corrupt officials of the Somoza government, never reaching the quake victims.

He decided to accompany a fourth flight, assuming that his presence would ensure that the aid would reach the survivors. The airplane he chartered for a New Year's Eve flight, a Douglas DC-7 cargo plane, had a history of mechanical problems and it also had an insufficient number of flight personnel, and it was overloaded by 4,200 pounds. It crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Isla Verde, Puerto Rico immediately after takeoff on December 31, 1972, due to engine failure.

Clemente and three others on the plane were never recovered.

The entire Pirates team attended Clemente's memorial service with the exception of his friend Manny Sanguillén. Instead, the Pirates catcher chose to dive into the waters where Clemente's plane had crashed in an effort to find his teammate.

#RobertoClemente

Roberto Clemente’s Family Sued Over Allegedly Double-Selling Ballplayer’s Life Story Rights
#Variety #News #LegendaryPictures #RobertoClemente

https://variety.com/2024/film/news/roberto-clemente-family-sued-life-rights-legendary-1236018134/