Roberto Clemente

Don Bessent’s quick pitch vs. Roberto Clemente’s ends in a 7th-inning double, which drives the final nail in the coffin

1957 – Don Bessent’s quick pitch vs. Roberto Clemente’s quick wrists? No contest. The Bucs’ 7 – 1 trouncing of Brooklyn knocks the “Bums” out of first place and pulls Pittsburgh out of the cellar while Clemente’s 7th-inning double, which drives the final nail in the 7 – 1 coffin, results from Bessent’s ill-advised attempt to quick-pitch the whippet-wristed Roberto, as he will later recall.

Roberto Clemente

Kansas City and Pittsburgh battle through 18 innings to a scoreless tie in spring training

1957 – Called by Les Biederman of The Sporting News “one of the most unusual games in modern spring training history,” Kansas City and Pittsburgh battle through 18 innings to a scoreless tie “before probably one of the smallest crowds of the season anywhere, only 432 paid admissions.” Starting at 1:30 p.m., the game is called by mutual agreement at 5:27 because of impending darkness and high winds. Each team uses three pitchers, with the Athletics managing eleven safeties and the Bucs held to seven. Of the latter total, Roberto Clemente accumulates three, including the contest’s only extra-base hits, a leadoff double to begin the game and a one-out double in the top of the 18th. Clemente then saves the game in the bottom of the frame by gunning down Clete Boyer trying to go from first to third on Vic Power’s single with none out.

Branch Rickey raves about Roberto Clemente In today’s issue of The Sporting News

Branch Rickey raves about Roberto Clemente In today’s issue of The Sporting News

1957 – In today’s issue of The Sporting News, former Pittsburgh Pirates GM – and current Pirate batting instructor (at least while George Sisler recuperates from a recent operation), Branch Rickey, – raves about Roberto Clemente, who will be seen as Rickey’s most illustrious Pirate hire. The article features a classic example of bandwagon-jumping, coming in the wake of Clemente’s dramatically improved sophomore showing, as Rickey radically revises his initial, considerably more pessimistic prognosis made in January but which won’t be made public until years later. Moreover, he shamelessly inflates his own role in acquiring Clemente, in effect stealing the credit from his longtime subordinate, pitching coach Clyde Sukeforth, the man who actually discovered Clemente last year while on assignment from Rickey to scout demoted Dodger hurler Joe Black. Ironically, just as Rickey has jumped on the bandwagon, Clemente, thanks to an off-season back injury which has somehow escaped the “Mahatma”‘s omniscient eye, is about to embark on the worst season of his career.

Roberto Clemente hits a walk-off inside-the-park grand slam
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Roberto Clemente hits a walk-off inside-the-park grand slam

Pittsburgh’s right fielder Roberto Clemente hits Cubs reliever Jim Brosnan’s first pitch off the cage surrounding the base of Forbes Field’s left field light tower, just to the right of the scoreboard, then circles the bases just in time to become the first big league player in the post-Deadball Era to hit a walk-off, inside-the-park grand slam, turning a three-run 9th-inning deficit into a dramatic win. It is Clemente’s first career grand slam. Jack Hernon of the Post Gazette writes: “Brosnan made one pitch, high and inside. Clemente drove it against the light standard in left field. Jim King had backed up to make the catch but it was over his head. The ball bounced off the slanted side of the fencing and rolled along the cinder path to center field. Here came Hank Foiles, Bill Virdon and then Dick Cole, heading home and making it easily. Then came Clemente into third. Bobby Bragan had his hands upstretched to hold up his outfielder. The relay was coming in from Solly Drake. But around third came Clemente and down the home path. He made it just in front of the relay from Ernie Banks. He slid, missed the plate, then reached back to rest his hand on the rubber with the ninth run in a 9 – 8 victory as the crowd of 12,431 went goofy with excitement.”

Roy Campanella does the catching,as 21 yr.old Roberto Clemente takes a big swing in a 1956 Pirate-Dodger game in Ebbets Field.

Roy Campanella does the catching,as 21 yr.old Roberto Clemente takes a big swing in a 1956 Pirate-Dodger game in Ebbets Field.

Roy Campanella does the catching,as 21 yr.old Roberto Clemente takes a big swing in a 1956 Pirate-Dodger game in Ebbets Field. [jetpack_subscription_form title=”Join the Community” subscribe_text=”We bring you cool stories about the game, players, ballparks and the people that shaped the game!”  subscribe_button=”Join us!” show_subscribers_total=”1″] Subscribe to our Podcast The Daily Rewind on Apples Podcast…

Two Triples and one Triple Play, courtesy of Roberto Clemente and Eddie O’Brien 

Two Triples and one Triple Play, courtesy of Roberto Clemente and Eddie O’Brien 

1956 – Two Triples and one Triple Play, courtesy of Roberto Clemente and Eddie O’Brien respectively. These, along with the first home runs of the spring for Frank Thomas and Jack Shepard, are the highlights of Pittsburgh’s exhibition win over Detroit, a somewhat slovenly 10 – 5 affair. For sheer novelty, O’Brien’s spectacularly unsuccessful 6th-inning sacrifice attempt is hard to top. Les Biederman of the Pittsburgh Press reports: “O’Brien tried to bunt but popped the ball to pitcher Bill Black, who threw to first and the relay went to second base in time for the first triple play of the exhibition season.” Going from the ridiculous to the sublime, there’s Clemente, who, in Fort Myers as in Forbes Field, has quickly established himself as the fan favorite. By far the most incendiary of today’s highlights are Clemente’s two two-run triples. “Clemente brought down the house when he twice tripled with two aboard,” writes Biederman, “and the 1,289 fans gave him the glad hand.”

Roberto Clemente hits Pittsburgh’s inaugural dinger of spring training in an in-house affair

Roberto Clemente hits Pittsburgh’s inaugural dinger of spring training in an in-house affair

1956 – Pirates second-year man Roberto Clemente hits Pittsburgh’s inaugural dinger of spring training in an in-house affair, coached by two key figures in Clemente’s career: “Roberto Clemente slammed three hits today,” reports the Associated Press, “including the first homer by a Pittsburgh Pirate, as the ‘Sukeforths’ defeated the ‘Murtaughs’ 9 – 3 in an intra-squad game.”

“Clemente Wows Bucs; Outfielder Amazes New Boss, Crowd With Fly-Chasing.” 

“Clemente Wows Bucs; Outfielder Amazes New Boss, Crowd With Fly-Chasing.” 

1956 – “Clemente Wows Bucs; Outfielder Amazes New Boss, Crowd With Fly-Chasing.” Pittsburgh’s sophomore star-in-waiting blows away both his rookie manager and the Fort Myers, FL faithful in this spring’s first intra-squad game. “Bobby Bragan didn’t hesitate when he picked out Roberto Clemente’s spectacular fielding as the most impressive thing he saw in yesterday’s game,” reports Pittsburgh Press writer Les Biederman. “Until yesterday, Bragan never had seen Clemente play and was amazed at the way he runs down fly balls and turns them into tumbling catches. ‘I know he doesn’t do that all the time because even Willie Mays doesn’t, but I thought for sure he’d drop a couple of those he lunged for,’ Bragan added. ‘He seems to have sure hands.’ Clemente also contributed a single that scored a run, but his best work was saved for the field. He was all over the premises in right field, came in, went back, and to either side to spear fly balls that might have been base hits. He threw out one runner at third and almost nipped another. The fans in the stands ate it up too and when Clemente came to bat for the last time, they applauded him. He was the only Pirate who drew applause from the free-loaders.”

Smoky Burgess hits three home runs and drives in nine runs as the Redlegs rout the Pirates, 16 – 5
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Smoky Burgess hits three home runs and drives in nine runs as the Redlegs rout the Pirates, 16 – 5

At Crosley Field, Smoky Burgess hits three home runs and drives in nine runs as the Redlegs rout the Pirates, 16 – 5. In the 4th inning, Roberto Clemente does his bit to curtail Burgess, leaping into the right center field screen to snare a line drive that has extra bases written all over it.

Dale Long goes 4 for 4 with 2 homers and 3 RBI as Pittsburgh defeats Cincinnati, 5 – 2

Dale Long goes 4 for 4 with 2 homers and 3 RBI as Pittsburgh defeats Cincinnati, 5 – 2

On June 19, 1955 Dale Long goes 4 for 4 with 2 homers and 3 RBI as Pittsburgh defeats Cincinnati, 5 – 2. Long’s teammate, rookie Roberto Clemente, starts off the 1st and 3rd innings with singles and hits a two-run, 9th-inning home run off former Montreal teammate Joe Black. @ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IGp1c3QgY2xpY2sgdGhlIHRhZ3MhICAiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsImxpbmtfdG9fdGVybV9wYWdlIjoib24iLCJzZXBhcmF0b3IiOiIgfCAiLCJjYXRlZ29yeV90eXBlIjoicG9zdF90YWcifX0=@