Roberto Clemente

Roberto Clemente 

Roberto Clemente was a Puerto Rican-born major league player that spent his entire career with the Pittsburgh

 Pirates. His tenure there began in 1955 and ended in 1972.

In those 18 seasons in Pittsburgh, Clemente made his presence on the field known and managed to become an all-star 13 times. Along with that honor, he amassed some impressive individual statistics.

Clemente hit an impressive 240 home runs and maintained a career batting average of .317. From the plate, he also batted in over 1,300 runs and hit exactly 3,000 hits.

In the field, he was also impressive. His main position was right field, and in his career, he was a Gold Glove Award winner for 12 straight seasons.

As a member of the Pirates, Clemente contributed to two World Series champion teams in 1960 and 1971. In the latter event, Clemente earned the World Series MVP honor.

Even in death, Clemente still had an impact on professional baseball. His team retired his number in the season following his passing. Clemente also set a new precedent for Hall of Fame Induction.Sadly, Clemente's life ended prematurely at the age of 38. At the time, Clemente was an active professional player. In December of 1972, he boarded a plane to give aid to those suffering from an earthquake in Nicaragua. The plane crashed in Puerto Rico, killing Clemente and four others.

After Clemente's death, the Hall of Fame began to allow deceased players to become eligible for enshrinement. Previously, there was a five-year wait. But Clement's skills and legacy were so undeniable that he deserved a place in the Hall of Fame as soon as possible.