08-R050
2008 -- S 2175
Enacted 01/31/08
S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N
URGING MAJOR LEAGUE
BASEBALL TO RETIRE JERSEY NUMBER 21 IN HONOR OF THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENTS OF
THE LATE ROBERTO CLEMENTE
Introduced
By: Senators Pichardo, Metts, J Montalbano, Ruggerio, and DaPonte
Date Introduced: January
31, 2008
WHEREAS,
Roberto Clemente was born on August 18, 1934 in Carolina, Puerto Rico.
Roberto
played Right Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates for eighteen years from 1955 to
1972,
before
dying tragically in a plane crash while en route to deliver aid to earthquake
victims in
Nicaragua;
and
WHEREAS,
Roberto Clemente had a Hall of Fame baseball career and was one of the
greatest
players to ever grace a baseball diamond. He was celebrated for his defensive
prowess in
right
field and for his incredible throwing arm. He is widely regarded to be the
greatest defensive
right
fielder in the history of Major League Baseball, and even today, many years after
his career
ended,
stories about his incredible feats in right field are told to new generations
of baseball
players
and fans; and
WHEREAS,
Roberto Clemente accomplished numerous incredible feats in his illustrious
baseball
career. He compiled 3000 hits, posted a stupendous career batting average of
.317, won
four
National League batting titles in 1961, 1964, 1965 and 1967, was chosen the
National
League
Most Valuable Player in 1966, was a National League All-Star twelve times, and
won the
Gold
Glove as the best defensive Right Fielder in the National League an amazing
twelve years in
a
row from 1961-1972; and
WHEREAS,
As great as Roberto was in the regular season, he was even better in the
playoffs.
Widely regarded as a clutch player, Roberto batted .310 in the 1960 World
Series, a 4-3
win
by the Pirates over the legendary New York Yankees. The 1971 World Series was
perhaps
Roberto's
greatest moment as a Major League player as he almost single handedly led the
Pirates
to
an upset 4-3 win over the heavily favored powerhouse Baltimore Orioles. In that
series
Clemente
was chosen MVP for his 414 batting average and two home runs including a big
home
run
in game 7; and
WHEREAS,
In 1973 Roberto Clemente was posthumously elected to the Baseball Hall of
Fame
and awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his lifetime of humanitarian
service. In
2002
Clemente was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom; now,
therefore be
it
RESOLVED,
That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
hereby
urges Major League Baseball to retire Jersey Number 21 in honor of the lifetime
achievements
of the late Roberto Clemente; and be it further
RESOLVED,
That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to
transmit
duly certified copies of this resolution to the family of the late Roberto
Clemente, and
Bud
Selig, the Commissioner of Major League Baseball.
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LC01224
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