Roberto Clemente: A great ballplayer and a greater human being

By Ángel R. Cabán González

This book is the English translation of the Spanish 1st edition of Clemente, vigente vibrante siempre, published in Puerto Rico in 2021. It is an updated edition. In it we have several details as a ballplayer, testimonies, and anecdotes of his personality formation. A true Puerto Rican jibaro, noble and humanitarian. He is our ambassador of Puer

• Language: English
• Publisher: ibukku, LLC
• Release date: May 7, 2023
• ISBN: 9781685743819

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Published by Ibukku, LLC

www.ibukku.com

Graphic Design: Diana Patricia González J.

Cover Design: Ángel Flores Guerra B.

Copyright © 2021 Ángel R. Cabán González

[e-mail]

ISBN Paperback: 978-1-68574-380-2

ISBN eBook: 978-1-68574-381-9

Dedicated to my beloved

family and friends

who inspired these writings.

Proud as a peacock, our favourite photo of Roberto.

The satisfaction of accomplished duty

(Photo courtesy of Duane Rieder, Clemente Museum).

A CLEMENTINO REQUEST

Dear reader, this book has been written without financial interest. We donated seven hundred copies to various non-profit entities in 2021 in Puerto Rico, first edition, the Spanish version.

The author’s intention is to encourage readers to live life with the myth and modelling of Roberto Clemente’s legacy. In gratitude on his deeds, we ask that you send a donation to the non-profit entities listed below or any of your preference. With such action, we will continue the Astro’s model: to always help those in need.

Please send donations to:

1. Casa Pueblo,

Box #704

Adjuntas, Puerto Rico 00925

2. Carlos Beltrán Baseball Academy

Florida, P.R.

[phone]

3. Hogar Albergue de Niños Jesús de Nazaret

PO Box 1147

Mayagüez, P.R. 00680

4. La Casa de Todos

HC 23 Box 6128

Juncos, P.R. 00777-9710.

Roberto Clemente admiring the wheel of an old oxcart

(Photo courtesy of Jorge Colón Delgado).

TABLA DE CONTENIDO

FOREWORD

CHAPTER 1 - WHAT DID THIS MAN HAVE?

CHAPTER 2 - EIGHT CLEMENTINES FROM THE HEART OF THE SCROLL

CHAPTER 3 - CLEMENTE OR BELTRÁN?

CHAPTER 4 - ABANDONED UTOPIA

CHAPTER 5 - THE SAINT OF SAN ANTÓN

CHAPTER 6 - TASTELESS GOSSIP

CHAPTER 7 - ANOTHER NOISY NIGGER

CHAPTER 8 - HE WAS SO DIFFERENT…

CHAPTER 9 - THEY HAD NOTHING

CHAPTER 10 - THEY HAPPENED RANDOMLY

CHAPTER 11 - WHAT WAS WRITTEN ABOUT HIM?

CHAPTER 12 - WHO IS THE AUTHOR?

ONOMASTIC INDEX

(Photo courtesy of Duane Rieder, Clemente Museum)

FOREWORD

Carmen González Toro

Since its beginnings, the year 2020 has hit us hard. The prelude, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake, the first week of January. The aftermaths were felt for several months. It seemed that the earth would not settle. Then the COVID-19 pandemic broke out around the world. Likewise, the Sahara dust episodes with dense haze, drought, and heat up to 107˚F were added. All the, while still recovering from the beating suffered by Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Lack of information, insecurity, anxiety about the unknown, and economic instability created a panorama of despair for many. But within all this despair scenery, there are always people who inspire with their example and personal efforts. These are the people who provide us with a light of hope, when we find ourselves lost in the tunnel of uncertainty and uneasiness.

Within this whole panorama, where great efforts are being directed towards to obtain a vaccine to combat the fatal virus, there are other antidotes at hand that can help us maintain our composure and provide the strength to move forward, like a hopeful light.

This antidote can be provided by the great Roberto Clemente, who also, in times of adversity and uncertainty, as Black man, humble and poor origin, ventured into a competitive world of sports, facing discrimination and racism. Times were tough for Clemente too, but he persisted in the way he knew and mastered. His teachings are not only in the baseball park, but mainly outside. Always helping the needy.

Vera Cristina and Roberto sitting on an airplane, on their way to their honeymoon in 1964. (Photo courtesy of Duane Rieder, Clemente Museum)

According to my cousin, Ángel Papo Cabán González, sharing information about the life of this great personality has served him as a balm and an antidote to face the difficult and complicated situation of COVID-19. Now he wants to take advantage of these moments to share the life and anecdotes of this great Puerto Rican, not only in the baseball park, but as a well as a unique human being. Enjoy it.

PrefacE

"Roberto Clemente is the greatest.

and most admired athlete in the world."

–Jorge Colón Delgado, Puerto Rican Sports Historian

ODE TO ROBERTO CLEMENTE

Dedicated to Ángel R. Cabán González

I say you are as star,

Who flies like the birds.

No one would dare to deny it.

No one.

Your glove: a kind of legend.

Your bat: an urgent horizon.

Your arm: like a tuned violin.

Your heart: a heartbeat of eternity.

Your dignity: like a vast country.

Moreover,

you remember the footsteps of a poet.

Antonio Ramírez Córdova

Paso Palma Ward, Utuado, P.R.

10-VII-20

WHY THIS BOOK

Momen es su apodo , Momen is his nickname. As a jíbaro boy when called by friends and family, his quick response, was noble and always ready to help. They said he shouted back un momentito or please wait a minute while I finish the job I am doing. This momentito reply implies human respect for others’ request.

The jibaro or the Puerto Rican hillbilly was born on the countryside of the island. We are descendants of Taíno Indians mixed with blood of Black slaves and European conquistadores. Some were born on the mountain side of a coffee farm or on the coastal sugar cane fields. In Cuba, the jíbaros are call guajiros. Their families depended on salaries earned laboring for farm owners. They inherit that nobility of service to their fellow neighbor or prójimo brother following New Testament commandment: Love thy neighbor as yourself.

Don Eugenio de Hostos was one of the Founding Fathers of our nation, a great thinker and world known educator, born in the mountains of Barrio Río Cañas in the western bay side city of Mayagüez. He wrote in his first novel: La Peregrinación de Bayaóan: "The city perverts the soul of mankind, I like to be better in the country, en el campo la vida es mejor. This what this book is about, including details and anecdotes that confirm the great ballplayer and a greater human being.

Roberto Clemente Walker was a jíbaro boy, born in that culture of nobility, with exuberant nature as his background. His elders were the most important persons in his life. He learned to help people since he was born. His evolution was on that solid rock foundation of service. That is why Baseball Major League management established the highest yearly award to players in his name for human service.

So, Roberto’s deeds were not a passing fad to help Nicaragua victims in 1972. No sir! He was always the same since birth.

In this book, we have several details, testimonies, and anecdotes of his personality formation. A true Puerto Rican jíbaro, noble and humanitarian. He is our ambassador of Puerto Rican culture in the world not with power nor money, but with dignity ethical deeds. A model to be imitated world- wide. This what this book is about, including details and anecdotes that confirm the great ballplayer and a greater human being.

SIDE EFFECTS

Clementino is a word introduced in this book, maybe for the first time in the Spanish vocabulary. It is our understanding that a Clementino is a good fan of Roberto as an athlete as well as a human being. But this nickname like: Cristiano, a follower of Jesus Christ; a true Christian requires an ethics and moral behaviour like Jesus Christ. The same with Clementino.

José "Che" Paralitici and Jósean Ramos, both excellent Puerto Rican writers, advised the author on selecting a word that will describe the fans of Roberto Clemente. Evolution is inexorable or inevitable and make its’ way while living life. We are preaching that if you are a Clementino, your ethics and moral deeds must be accordingly to his.

Ethics is the study of human behavior; a scientific subdiscipline of the philosophy. Aristotle, the great Greek philosopher is its founder. Moral behavior is the actual behavior either good or not so good. Clemente on his last days in life was teaching young kids how to play baseball as well a following their parents’ guidance. His last clinica or baseball drill was in the beautiful bay city of the western town of Aguadilla, four days before dying. To make it admirable, he was collecting food, clothing, and goods to help Nicaragua’s’ earthquake victims, while traveling all over the island. This a great example of good moral behavior like no one else.

One of our priorities in life is to strengthen loving family Bonds and Roberto is our role model. Also, living and helping to live life of others fellow neighbor with positive passion, as he did. He used to say, tomorrow will always be better! Arriba, Arriba, Boricua!

Clemente is a myth for us, Clementinos, to his diehard fans. Roberto has represented admired qualities of a great athlete, but by far, as a humanitarian. He is recognized worldwide for his dual and unique personality. Fans claim that a Cleveland sportswriter once said: He was not feeling well, but he hit 4-3 on a game; ballplayers are not perfect, but Clemente in the most perfect of them.

Medications have side effects, some positive and some less positive. The myth and antidote Clemente overcomes medicines a little bit and has side effects that are always positive. In general, that is what the book is all about; how this human being and great athlete positively influences the lives of many. We will describe some examples of these effects in people who emulate his legacy.

We have on hand is our own testimony. We can speak with evidence and without speculation. In 2009 we were designated as a pro bono construction manager to lead the development of the Carlos Beltrán Baseball Academy in Puerto Rico (CBBA). At that stage of our game in life, we were already retired from the professional world of engineering and construction. Pitching at the bottom of the sixth inning, on the evening of life, this new assignment boosts our existence’s enthusiasm. The idea of constructing a school to learn academics as well as to play baseball was a grand slam. Back in our mind was Roberto Clemente and his dreamed Sports City.

For more than two years, 2009 to 2011, we drove four hours a day, early in the mornings, from the beautiful western town of the island, Cabo Rojo, to the small northern town Florida, Puerto Rico. Later in the afternoon returned home somehow tired but joyfully of the progress of the construction work. This back and forth driving from school site, sometimes up to six days a week, was part of the satisfaction’s energy needed to complete the dreamed job. The main inspiration came from Clemente’s deeds in life as well as the Beltrán’s altruistic donation. One of Clemente’s priorities in life was the education of youth, the Beltran’s learned the lesson on the humanitarian race and finished successfully.

Roberto’s legacy is all about, inspiration for many of his Clementinos’s fans to do some good contributions to society. We do not know where we got the needed energy to lead the work, at that stage of the game in life; but we did it.

Clemente’s inspiration produced a mental transformation for an unexpected performance; our reward was twofold, the satisfaction of a Clementino’s fulfilled duty and the usual smiles from Jessica and Carlitos Beltrán.

When drafting this book, we did not think about financial success. We thought only on sharing Clemente’s inspirational legacy and at the same time, having an economic side effect on needy entities by donating hundreds of books. Roberto and his crew died in an accident in his way to Nicaragua with goods for the needy victims of the 1972 earthquake. Clemente put his money to rent the plane, a DC-7, in which he died; so, part of his humanitarian action expenses came out of his pocket. For us, the Spanish edition of the book, was somehow an economic burden on our personal finances. But that what life is, deep satisfaction instead of material wealth. For us that is the way it goes; as we say in Spanish: Por ahi va la cosa.

This athlete transcends and surpasses in popularity many of the great national patriots, in the sense that his popularity is broader, going beyond political, generational, and religious borders. Many fans in the United States, Germany, Nicaragua, Japan, Dominican Republic, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and other Latin American countries respect and admire him. In Liberia, an African republic, they minted a coin in his honor. In Nicaragua, Central America, he is proclaimed unanimously in 2022 as a National Hero. In Puerto Rico, on his birthday, 18 of August, is celebrated as the Roberto Clemente Walker National Day, by law. On that day schools have many youth activities honoring him.

There are more than a dozen statues honoring him in around the world, nearly one hundred books of his biography; public buildings, schools, and parks surpasses one hundred, named on his memory. That is why so many fans thinks he is the greatest athlete of the world. Greatness comes from the public true recognition, not from the paid publicity.

Clemente is an antidote because he has helped us neutralize the toxicity we faced in life. One of the best vaccines against COVID-19 is a healthy mind; Roberto helps us to have that well-being cerebral medicine.

A literarily essay was published and dedicated, by the Revista of the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture in 2003, the 13th issue, to our champion.

The mythification of Roberto Clemente as a foundational hero in a Nicaraguan poem, was the title of the article written by a well-known intellectual and university professor, and author: Ramón Luis Acevedo. We quote him:

Even before his death, his performances as an athlete and human being, projected by the mass media, had turned him into a popular hero. With his tragic death, this process culminated in his mythification, turning him into a paradigm of heroic dimensions of the Puerto Rican, the Caribbean, the Antillean, and the Latin American.

Another excerpt from the same writing:

Thus, by virtue of his actions and poetic word, the humble Puerto Rican baseball player enters the dimension of legend and myth as one of the founding heroes of the great Latin American homeland.

With these quotes, we want to express how Clemente’s legacy influences some of his fans to modify their behavior in a positive way. Their actions are modified for a better way in life, produced by his humanistic modeling. Their virtuous deeds are a Clementinos’ trademark.

Finally, we have some Critica Social or social criticism in the book on important life’ issues. We are as sincere as Clemente. When he was asked: how are you, Roberto? If he felt sick, he said it bluntly.

Then the press called him hypochondriac. No, he was sincere but misinterpreted. So, think about our hidden intentions. The book is not a novel. You can read any part or any page you please. It will spark your thoughts of memories, recuerdos buenos, and that is a pleasure in life.

RETIREMENT OF THE NUMBER 21 (MLB)

We do not agree with the proposed retirement of the Clemente’s number 21 from baseball players shirts as MLB did it with the number 42 of Jackie Robinson.

Carlos Delgado and Sammy Sosa were excellent ballplayers. They have said that when wearing #21 on their uniform, they felt very proud. Clemente inspired them, but his memory imposes a great responsibility on their shoulders to perform well in and out of the baseball park. Both players won the MLB’s Roberto Clemente Award for their social work on behalf of those in need.

By retiring #21, Clemente could be forgotten, and only on anniversaries would he be remembered; however, if his number remained on the players’ jerseys, his presence would be preserved. Retiring #21 is like taking a family member to a nursing home, many relatives forget about them. Loneliness is their company.

The main ingredient on this book is emotional. Roberto has been the inspiration in our lives to do positive deeds. He lifts our self-esteem, instills emotional pride, and inspires us to get up when we fall. Sharing these individual experiences to encourage others to live passionately is the main purpose of the book.

HEALTHY MIND, HEALTHY BODY

What I want in life is to have good health and to educate my children. For them, to respect the people I respect, common or normal people, people who have suffered, and for them to respect my children. May they enjoy life, but may they learn, even if they suffer, to respect the hard-working, suffering man, because he has a very different vision of life.

Thus spoke Clemente in the interview with Sam Nover, sports caster for WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh in October 1972, three months before he died.

Physical health was one of the most precious things for Roberto, half a century ago. Today, with the pandemic, it is still the greatest human concern. There is nothing new under the sun. There may be hundreds of books, radio and television interviews, photographs, and reports written about him. Why one more? What is new in this book?

He has evolved within us a Clementinos’ idolatry and we want to share it with friends, family, and anyone interested, clementino or not, to inspire a passion for life. This motivation is special at this historic moment when pandemic fear reigns.

Roberto on a Caribbean beach, working out. His body was like that of an African Adonis or prince. That physical sculpting required a lot of work, healthy eating, and proper bodybuilding (Photo courtesy of Duane Rieder, Clemente Museum)

It has been many months since these first innings of the 2020 game, a new wave of life began with COVID-19. The slogan: Quédate en tu casa! Or stay at home! opened the door for us to sit down and write the dreamed biography. This writing is tinged with historical and personal subjectivism. We are usually more subjective than objective. So, mi querido amigo lector or my dear reader, you will find much of Roberto’s’ biography and some of our family and personal history lace for your enjoyment. Everything described is intertwined or laced with Clemente’s life.

We write according to how we perceived truth. It is the case of the referee, who calls the play as he sees it, not as the fan wishes to see it. The author and this work are a bit controversial, as with everything in life. El testamento lo hace el testador, it is a common saying in Spanish, and it is translated as: the will is made in the name of the will-maker. We do not intend to write a doctoral and historical thesis on Roberto Clemente, we only wish to share our views on him with you. We apologize to our readers for our controversial pitches. As we say in baseball slang: "if we hit you with the ball of our arguments, you are entitled to go free to first base and then conclude your truth.

When talking about Clemente or us, we expect respect for diverse opinions and thoughts, to keep our dialogue open. There is nothing worse in a conversation than trying to impose one’s views; this domineering attitude turns off the colloquy.

Raúl Julíá Arcelay was one of the best-known movie actors born in our Caribbean Island. He was fluent bilingual but never lost his Latino accent; that was one of his assets. The writer of this book, dear reader, is not so prolific as Raúl. Our Puerto Rican writing accent may be tinted all over the book. That may our trademark. Our writing is from the hearth. One Puerto Rican writing of another great homeland hero. It is difficult for a foreign to understand our culture neither our idiosyncrasy. Jay Feldman was a well-known writer of the era of Clemente. We quoted him on a below chapter of this book:" the cultural barrier that exist between latinos and americanos is almost impossible to bridge."

In baseball, as in all sports, fans unite in solidarity in a magical way as political, racial, language, and religious barriers are broken down. In the Clementino’s fanaticism it happens in the same way, its followers are like those of a religious congregation: we profess faith in it in unison, blind with passion. A great reverence of all puertoriqueños for Clemente may be that when the conversation is on him, almost all the time, there is silence veneration on his name.

AN UNKNOWN RECORD

There is a very rare MLB record not known by baseball historians. The human body capacity normally declines with age. A baseball player performance declines as aged takes its tolls on him. Most of the athletes’ statistics declined at their late years. Clemente record is the exception to the rule. He broke it.

Two Puerto Rican baseball historians and a long time Clementinos: "Jossie Alvarado and Henry McLeod, find out recently that Clemente batting average on his last four years are an unknown record for MLB players on the last century. Roberto’s batting average from 1969-1972 was .339, larger than his lifetime average of .317. This valuable player performance was far better with age, an abnormal natural behavior. Willie Mays, his Puerto Rican teammate, and outstanding contemporary player batted .280 on his last four years in the Major Leagues. Pete" Rose, his long-time competitor, belted a .307 in his 15th. To 18th, years in MLB. Rose played 24 years in MLB, six more than Roberto. Ted Williams last four years batted .333, or .006 under Clemente.

Clemente always surprises us with his performance, Alvarado said proudly last year in a press conference at Casa Pueblo, Adjuntas, Puerto Rico.

In life, everything is relative, nothing is absolute, only God is absolute. In Spanish we say: todo en la vida es relativo, nada es absoluto. And it is so, for those who believe in the Absolute.

In this book, we included many anecdotes and stories already known about Clemente, and others less known, or unpublished. Some topics are controversial, such as the gossip about his alleged affairs with a Nicaraguan lady, his controversy, with the national sports press, the decline of Sports City, and the racism he suffered in the United States. Others are more pleasant, such as his museum and statue in Pittsburgh. The Beltran’s Baseball Academy in the Florida municipality of Puerto Rico. His early years in his hometown, Carolina, is covered in detail. We also discuss some of the many books published about him. His similarity of deeds with the Poor Man of Nazareth may be an interesting and unique topic for many. We included impressive, mysterious, and personal coincidences with Clemente.

This book in English is a updated translation of the 1st Spanish Edition, sold out 1,500 copies of: Clemente, vigente vibrante siempre (Clemente, actual vibrant always).

Also included pleasant and interesting interviews; such as the with his only alive older brother, Don "Matino" Clemente Walker; with his all-timer teammate pitcher: Juan "Terín Pizarro; with a cousin, Joaquín Ortiz Velázquez; with the awarded manager and disciple: Max Mako" Oliveras; with his intimate friend and baseball player: Marcial "Canenita" Allen; with José "Palillo" Santiago, his fellow winter league pitcher; with doctor Enrique Zorrilla, son of his great mentor, Don Pedrín Zorrilla; with baseball historians: Jorge Colón Delgado and Luis Rodríguez Mayoral.

DON and DOÑA

Dear reader, we will use throughout the entire book the Spanish noun: DON, which means: "a prefix to man’s given name, a person of significant importance, shows respect as an elder, head of a family. It is the world known prefix on Don Quijote, the world-famous novel of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. DOÑA is the female prefix with similar meaning.

The topics will be honestly outlined, as they have come from the soul of a Clementino fan.

We included details that no author has written on such specific details in Clemente’s life: his relationship with American journalists. The myth began when these sports’ writers spotted a different and charismatic ballplayer.

We will discuss some of their articles in detail and seasoned them some personalized comments. Some of these baseball writers misunderstood Clemente’s words by the culture barrier between them. These texts give us an x-ray of Roberto’s mind and soul, from the perspective of great sports writers. Some of them are outstanding priced authors who covered him in detail because of his charismatic latino personality. This was the fuel to energized them, he always writes on his performance on the ballpark. He always spoke his mind.

Lastly, we published the book for the love of our fellow neighbour, without financial interest, just for the pleasure of sharing Clemente’s inspirational effects on our lives. Thus, we continue to run the relay race on the Clementine legacy.

If Clemente had played in this era, he would kneel at the beginning of every game.

We affirm this because we know his philosophy of life. He would do so in solidarity with the athletes and the masses who are currently protesting with the slogan: Black Lives Matter, with black jersey. This is a natural reaction for the nefarious constant racial discrimination and violence engendered around the world, especially in some places in the United States.

In the month of December 2020, news circulated that the MLB would rank ballplayers who played in the Negro Leagues equally with those in the White Leagues. Such action is part of the centennial celebration of the Negro Leagues.

Historian and well-known sport writer Jorge Colón Delgado has an exceptionally good record of these ballplayers, mainly when they played in Puerto Rico.

Some Puerto Ricans stars ballplayers participated in the Negro Leagues. This statement by MLB further confirms the high quality of the sport that was once played in Puerto Rico’s Winter League Baseball.

We declared our speculation on some issues; for others, we have evidence; on others, we copy from other biographers. Everything is done to explain Clementine idolatry as the best all-around ballplayer.

We believe, as he believed, that it is not about being good inside the park, but, more importantly, being better off the field. We see his great humanism reflected in his performance since the philosophy of life is reveal with concrete actions or deeds.

We know that the teacher is the one who learns the most in the classroom. Those of us who write, even if it is our first time at bat, are the ones who most enjoy doing so. Clemente’s theme gives us strength; we are inspired by this Puerto Rican who overcame, and how he did it! in a foreign country. Our self-esteem is inflada or increased with great pride. He is alive in the spirit of those of us who idolize him. There are many of us, Clementinos, who are encouraged by this great boricua. His history is refreshing, neutralizing, and positive, both for those who are in the diáspora and those who are in the beloved homeland.

For some religious people, this is a common posture in celebration of their faith. kneeling on the right leg, in Pirate uniform; quite young, looking into the distance. (Photo courtesy of Duane Rieder, Clemente Museum)

The Buruquen or Borinquen sun rises every day and fills us with hope; we have often admired the beautiful sunrise, rising from the east. It is a pleasure to observe the view of the vistas of the norther Atlantic Sea shoreline or Cordillera Central, mountains of central Puerto Rico. This natural beauty from the height of La Cadena Mountain, on PR 110 in between the western municipalities of Añasco and Moca are astonishing. That is why we say that mañana será major or tomorrow will be better. Roberto, on many occasions, encouraged his teammates, family, and friends to forget what happened, the lost game, and to dream of the next day’s victory.

The solitary and surprising retirement forced to mankind by the 2020 pandemia was experienced like a squeeze play at home plate in baseball.

Forcing the play is a fascinating strategy to win the game. Sadly, it is no longer a common play used by managers in baseball. This pandemic at the beginning was called 2019 coronavirus disease.

We have an old personal strategy often used in conversations with friends or family members.

When we get into controversial discussions with political, religious, or very personal topics and these become sour or disgusting; we use a baseball strategy: a squeeze play. Mejor háblame de Clemente, we better talk about Clemente. Thus, we change the subject to a more positive and pleasant one. Similarly, in a ball game, it is like when the pitcher is loading the bases; then, the coach asks for a time-out to visit the mound. This way he gives the pitcher a break or replaces him with a rested one, it may change the rhythm of the game.

Wings of an Angel is the name of this photo by Les Bannon, the Pirates’ official photographer, in Roberto’s era. Note the clouds that covers his background in the sky. If the photo was retouched is not importante but the message is noticeably clear and prophetic; he is an angel nowadays, the image was captured on the early sixties on a spring training camp in the state of Florida. Les Bannon gifted most of his Pirate’s negatives library to his fellow Pennsylvanian photographer, Duane Rieder (Photo courtesy of Duane Rieder, Clemente Museum.)

CHAPTER 1

WHAT DID THIS MAN HAVE?

"Roberto gave it his all.

to put his team in a position to win."

—Michael Jordan

We never saw Clemente play baseball, we missed him, we didn’t know him; we insist life is a like thief. Sometimes it stole joy from us. In 1971 we saw him close the on-Summit Hills Baseball Park, municipality of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. He held a baseball coaching drill or clinica to youngsters called los periquitos or little league parakeets. Our oldest son, Paco was seven years old while learning his first steps in the sport.

Clemente regularly held such training drills to youth in his winter vacations while managing the San Juan Senators professional baseball team.

Now we know Roberto in depth through evolution of the Clementine idolatry. Press reports, biographies, television short films, and talking to other fans, who did know him personally, helped us to know him in depth. The privilege of meetings with Vera Cristina, his lovely widow and his son, Luis Roberto, expanded our knowledge of this baseball immortal. His deeds have contributed the growth of our clementinos’ idolatry. In addition, interviewing others who knew him very well, such as his older brother Don "Matino", increased our in-depth insight.

Pito sabe or "Pito" knows, is a phrase used by our family on the author, not because our wisdom, but because of his old age. Pito is the nickname for granddaddy or abuelito papito, commonly used in the island. Wisdom comes with the gray hair, from joys, and from sufferings in life. We have accumulated many anecdotes after more than 75 years of cultivating clementine’s idolatry. Now, in this book, we share them to encourage you, my dear friend, and others to live life with a positive passion, as Clemente used to lived.

ROBERTO’S BREAD or PAN ROBERTO

Casabi

Barriga llena, corazón contento (full belly makes a happy heart) is a popular saying in Spanish. For thousands of years, bread has been men’s main sustenance. The Taino Indigenous people’s ancestors had bread made from yuca (manioc). The casabi or casabe, as it is known today, is a bread made from the cassava, an edible root. Spanish navigators, in the middle age, discovered that this bread travelled much longer and with a better quality than the one made out from wheat. Thus, they switched to its consumption on long voyages in tall sailing ships through the seas of their bloody conquest and shameful slavery.

Cassava or Yuca (mandioc), the mother plant of the West Indies, has recently been named by the United Nations as the most important food of the 21st century. The Taino Indians, a subgroup of the Arawakan Indians (a group of American Indians in north-eastern South America) inhabited de Greater Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. They believed that during the preparation of casabi, the god Yocajú gave this delicacy to the cacique or chief, as a sign of his appreciation for his leadership.

A burén is a griddle made of steel, iron, or cured clay where you cook with charcoal or firewood. The photograph is by the author of the cover page of the book: El Burén de Lula, published by the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture and the photo was captured by José A. Rosario.

A