1967 – In a last-inning loss by the Pirates to the last-place Astros, Roberto Clemente undresses Astros catcher John Bateman. Les Biederman of the Pittsburgh Press documents their 1st-inning encounter: “Rusty Staub tried in vain to make a pick-up of Clemente’s pop single. The ball eluded Staub and Joe Morgan had to chase it so coach Alex Grammas gave Clemente the green light. Chuck Harrison relayed to John Bateman but Clemente hit him hard, knocked the ball loose and touched the plate with the second run.” By the time of his next encounter with the shell-shocked young receiver, Clemente has apparently been apprised of the fact that baseball is in fact not a contact sport; the one-time prospective Olympian reaches back into his track and field repertoire and executes a Willie Mays-like manoeuver: “Clemente beat out a high hopper with one gone in the 6th, took third on Bill Mazeroski’s single and showed the fans how to run the bases after Manny Mota bounced to Harrison. Bateman had the ball to tag Clemente but Clemente waited until Bateman made his move, then jumped over him and touched home plate with his hand.”

On July 27, 1967 — 1967 – In a last-inning loss by the Pirates to the last-place Astros, Roberto Clemente undresses Astros catcher John Bateman. Les Biederman of the Pittsburgh Press documents their 1st-inning encounter: “Rusty Staub tried in vain to make a pick-up of Clemente’s pop single. The ball eluded Staub and Joe Morgan had to chase it so coach Alex Grammas gave Clemente the green light. Chuck Harrison relayed to John Bateman but Clemente hit him hard, knocked the ball loose and touched the plate with the second run.” By the time of his next encounter with the shell-shocked young receiver, Clemente has apparently been apprised of the fact that baseball is in fact not a contact sport; the one-time prospective Olympian reaches back into his track and field repertoire and executes a Willie Mays-like manoeuver: “Clemente beat out a high hopper with one gone in the 6th, took third on Bill Mazeroski’s single and showed the fans how to run the bases after Manny Mota bounced to Harrison. Bateman had the ball to tag Clemente but Clemente waited until Bateman made his move, then jumped over him and touched home plate with his hand.”

 

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Sources:
Baseball Reference July 27
National Pastime July 27
Retro Sheet
Hall of Fame
SABR Games Project
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