When asked to choose a topic from our pillars inside the Mirenda Center here at Neumann, I chose what I believe is a truly inspirational story. This is the story of baseball player Roberto Clemente. Clemente played 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He spent much of his off season involved in charity work, specifically in his home of Latin America. When Managua, Nicaragua, was affected by a massive earthquake on December 23, 1972, Clemente immediately set to work arranging emergency relief flights. His chartered airplane crashed into the ocean off the coast of Puerto Rico immediately after takeoff on December 31, 1972. Clemente’s body was never recovered. It was not money, fame, and athleticism that made Roberto Clemente famous, it was his selfless acts of generosity that would leave an amazing legacy behind.
I chose this story, because I was taken aback and inspired by such a selfless act. This is a man who had everything going for him in life. He lived many young men’s dream of being a professional athlete, but this was not enough for Roberto. He was extremely selfless and generous, also an obvious humanitarian. As an athlete, this story inspired me to not only focus on athletics, but to focus on the less fortunate. Roberto Clemente now has a statue of him commemorating his honor in front of the Pirates’ most recent stadium, PNC Park. The meaning of this statute might have a small something to do with his skill, but many baseball players have achieved what he has on the field, with no commemorative statue. It was his endless sacrifice, his complete and utter selflessness, and his passion to give back to the community that earned Roberto that statue, as well as legacy that will live on forever.