Administration » Clemente Chronology
The greatest right-fielder to ever play the game of baseball!
| Born Roberto Walker Clemente on August 18 in Carolina, Puerto Rico. | 1934 |
| Discovered by scout Roberto Marin. | 1948 |
| Signs first professional contract with the Santurce Cangrejeros of the Puerto Rican League. | 1952 |
| Signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers in February and assigned to Triple-A Montreal Royals; purchased by the Pittsburgh Pirates in November for $4,000 draft price. | 1954 |
| Pirates win World Series in seven games over the New York Yankees. | 1960 |
| Records 1,000th career base hit; wins first batting title with .351 average; wins first of 12 Gold Gloves Awards; appears in first All-Star Game. | 1961 |
| Marries Vera Cristina Zabala; wins second batting title. | 1964 |
| Wins third batting title. | 1965 |
| Records 2,000th base hit; becomes first Puerto Rican baseball player to win the MVP Award. | 1966 |
| Honored at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh with Roberto Clemente Night. | 1970 |
| Bats .414 in World Series against the Baltimore Orioles and is named Series MVP. | 1971 |
| Records 3,000th base hit; killed in plane crash on New Year's Eve. | 1972 |
| Clemente's number is retired by the Pirates; becomes the first Hispanic player to be voted into the Hall ofFame. | 1973 |
| Roberto Clemente Middle School opened in Germantown, Maryland. | 1994 |
| Roberto Clemente Middle School dedication ceremonies held; Vera Clemente attends ceremony and festivities. | 1995 |