Roberto Clemente was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico on August 18th 1934. From his early childhood Roberto showed signs of great athletic ability. At school, he won regional competitions, once tossing the javelin 190 feet—the world record in 1953 was just over 263 feet. He was also very fast on the track competing in both sprinting and hurdling events.
But baseball was his passion.
At the age of 14, little more than a boy, Clemente played softball with men on the Sello Rojo team, sponsored by a large rice-processing company. He quickly moved up to a very competitive amateur baseball league, playing for a team known as Ferdinand Juncos.
Roberto’s mother wanted him to seek a career in engineering and hoped he would pursue the profession. But in 1952, before he finished high school, Roberto was offered a professional baseball contract. Engineering would have to wait.
At age 18, Clemente made the huge leap from amateur status to the Puerto Rican professional league. He signed with......
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Approximate Pages: 8 (260 words per double-spaced page) |