Quotes
Quotes by Roberto Clemente
"Any time you have an opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don't, then you are wasting your time on Earth."
"I am convinced that God wanted me to be a baseball player. I was born to play baseball."
"I am more valuable to my team hitting .330 than swinging for home runs."
"I dedicated the hit (his 3,000th) to the Pittsburgh fans and to the people in Puerto Rico and to one man (Roberto Marin) in particular. The one man who carried me around for weeks looking for a scout to sign me."
"I felt kind of bashful (when the fans went crazy). I'm a very quiet, shy person, although you writers might not believe because I shout sometimes."
"If I could sleep. I could hit .400."
"I am convinced that God wanted me to be a baseball player. I was born to play baseball."
"I am more valuable to my team hitting .330 than swinging for home runs."
"I dedicated the hit (his 3,000th) to the Pittsburgh fans and to the people in Puerto Rico and to one man (Roberto Marin) in particular. The one man who carried me around for weeks looking for a scout to sign me."
"I felt kind of bashful (when the fans went crazy). I'm a very quiet, shy person, although you writers might not believe because I shout sometimes."
"If I could sleep. I could hit .400."
"I tell you, (Steve) Blass, you pitch me inside, they never, never find that ball."
"I want to be remembered as a ballplayer who gave all he had to give."
"I will hit .450 if you give me Ralph Garr's legs, Johnny Bench's age and cut the travel schedule."
"Nobody does anything better than me in baseball (said before the 1971 World Series)."
"There's no difference between me and you (Manny Sanguillen). You need something, a glove, a place to live, you let me know."
"When I put on my uniform, I feel I am the proudest man on earth."
"Why does everyone talk about the past? All that counts is tomorrow's game."
"I want to be remembered as a ballplayer who gave all he had to give."
"I will hit .450 if you give me Ralph Garr's legs, Johnny Bench's age and cut the travel schedule."
"Nobody does anything better than me in baseball (said before the 1971 World Series)."
"There's no difference between me and you (Manny Sanguillen). You need something, a glove, a place to live, you let me know."
"When I put on my uniform, I feel I am the proudest man on earth."
"Why does everyone talk about the past? All that counts is tomorrow's game."
"In a way, I was born twice. I was born in 1934 and again in 1955 when I came to Pittsburgh. I am thankful to say that I lived two lives."
– Roberto Clemente
Quotes About Roberto Clemente
"(Roberto) Clemente could field the ball in New York and throw out a guy in Pennsylvania." - Broadcaster Vin Scully
"He's a shining star to many, many people. He grows and grows over time. He doesn't diminish... The sad part is that there are not enough TV pictures of him. He made so many great plays that people can only talk about. You could never capture the magnificence of the man." - Pirate General Manager Joe L. Brown
"He gave the term 'complete' a new meaning. He made the word 'superstar' seem inadequate. He had about him the touch of royalty." - Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn (1973 eulogy)
"He was the one player that players on other teams didn't want to miss. They'd run out of the clubhouse to watch him take batting practice. He could make a 10-year veteran act like a 10-year-old kid." - Pitcher Steve Blass
"He's a shining star to many, many people. He grows and grows over time. He doesn't diminish... The sad part is that there are not enough TV pictures of him. He made so many great plays that people can only talk about. You could never capture the magnificence of the man." - Pirate General Manager Joe L. Brown
"He gave the term 'complete' a new meaning. He made the word 'superstar' seem inadequate. He had about him the touch of royalty." - Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn (1973 eulogy)
"He was the one player that players on other teams didn't want to miss. They'd run out of the clubhouse to watch him take batting practice. He could make a 10-year veteran act like a 10-year-old kid." - Pitcher Steve Blass
"If (Roberto) Clemente were a football player, he'd make Ray Nitschke look like a pussycat." - Pirates psychologist Dr. Thomas Tutko
"If we have a foundation with Roberto Clemente's name on it, as a franchise we have a responsibility to make sure that it grows. Having kids play baseball in the inner city was important to Roberto Clemente, and we're going down that same road." - Pirate Owner Kevin McGlinchy
"I still see him sometimes when I am alone. People remember him as a ballplayer, but he was so much more. He was a father, a husband, a wonderful man." - Vera Clemente
"Roberto Clemente played the game of baseball with great passion. That passion could only be matched by his unrelenting commitment to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate and those in need. People saw Roberto as a great ballplayer and humanitarian. He was also a great father, husband, teammate and friend." - Manny Sanguillen
"Roberto Clemente was a legendary figure both as a player and a humanitarian. I have long been aware of his heroic efforts on behalf of others, and to have my name associated with his is a very special honor." - Al Leiter (winner of the 2000 Roberto Clemente Award)
"If we have a foundation with Roberto Clemente's name on it, as a franchise we have a responsibility to make sure that it grows. Having kids play baseball in the inner city was important to Roberto Clemente, and we're going down that same road." - Pirate Owner Kevin McGlinchy
"I still see him sometimes when I am alone. People remember him as a ballplayer, but he was so much more. He was a father, a husband, a wonderful man." - Vera Clemente
"Roberto Clemente played the game of baseball with great passion. That passion could only be matched by his unrelenting commitment to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate and those in need. People saw Roberto as a great ballplayer and humanitarian. He was also a great father, husband, teammate and friend." - Manny Sanguillen
"Roberto Clemente was a legendary figure both as a player and a humanitarian. I have long been aware of his heroic efforts on behalf of others, and to have my name associated with his is a very special honor." - Al Leiter (winner of the 2000 Roberto Clemente Award)
"Since 1971, Major League Baseball has annually presented an award that recognizes the player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team. In 1972 the award, formerly know as the Commissioner's Award, was renamed to honor Roberto Clemente who tragically died in a plane crash while delivering much needed supplies to earthquake-stricken citizens of Nicaragua. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the award." - MLB Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig (2002)
"The big thing about (Roberto) Clemente is that he can hit any pitch. I don't mean only strikes. He can hit a ball off his ankles or off his ear." - Hall of Fame pitcher Juan Marichal
"The day of the crash I was in Puerto Rico. I went with the divers out into the ocean. It was really rough. I said, 'I'm gonna dive.' They gave me a tank and [scuba gear]. I went down. I saw barracuda and sharks. Big sharks. I got scared and pulled on the rope and they pulled me up." - Manny Sanguillen
"This is a tremendous honor (winning the 2002 Roberto Clemente Award), to be considered in the same class as Roberto Clemente. He is a hero and role model for all of us who play the game and strive to be as good a player and person as he was." - Jim Thome
"The big thing about (Roberto) Clemente is that he can hit any pitch. I don't mean only strikes. He can hit a ball off his ankles or off his ear." - Hall of Fame pitcher Juan Marichal
"The day of the crash I was in Puerto Rico. I went with the divers out into the ocean. It was really rough. I said, 'I'm gonna dive.' They gave me a tank and [scuba gear]. I went down. I saw barracuda and sharks. Big sharks. I got scared and pulled on the rope and they pulled me up." - Manny Sanguillen
"This is a tremendous honor (winning the 2002 Roberto Clemente Award), to be considered in the same class as Roberto Clemente. He is a hero and role model for all of us who play the game and strive to be as good a player and person as he was." - Jim Thome