Book Review: Clemente: The True Legacy of an Undying Hero

By the Clemente Family

Every Pittsburgh Pirates and Roberto Clemente fan ought to own this exquisite coffee table book about Roberto Clemente, who was born on this date in 1934. Except for two glaring flaws, the book’s binding, paper and photographic quality yield an impeccable collection of some of the most glorious pictures, thoughts and records of the late athlete available. Clemente was a father, husband, Pittsburgher, Puerto Rican and U.S. Marine Corps reservist.

The family, which authorized this hardback volume, made the memoir available in e-book stores as well as bookstores and the Clemente Museum in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood. Clemente contains warm, personal and historical reflections about Clemente from those who knew him best before he died at 38 years old in the crash of an airplane on a charity flight which was badly and excessively loaded. Roberto’s brother, for example, writes that the late Los Angeles Dodgers legend Tommy Lasorda helped Roberto the most with learning the English language.

Other disclosures abound, including details of a death threat in late September 1972, weeks before Clemente died. The warning came from a man who’d sent a typewritten note in red ink to Three Rivers Stadium threatening Roberto Clemente that he’d be shot by a New York Mets fan with a shotgun while playing right field at the top of the second inning in a game against the Mets in Pittsburgh. It didn’t happen.

Besides his widow Vera Clemente’s remembrances of her husband and the recollections, thoughts and writings of Clemente’s three sons, Enrique, Luis and Roberto, Jr., among others, the primary value of this family memoir are the stunning and beautifully rendered photographs. See Roberto Clemente in his white shirt and white tie. Marvel at the masterful outfielder, Most Valuable Player and baseball Hall of Fame inductee at play, posing after his 3,000th — and final — hit and the many rare family photos with his wife, Vera, who died in 2019. Unfortunately, the makers of the family’s Clemente: The True Legacy of an Undying Hero chose not to credit photos or write captions, which limits this otherwise striking collection.

But, in story after story and picture after picture, the bound book is an absolute treasure and testament to the power, grace and beauty of Roberto Clemente. See him pose for pictures with his children and the children who came to watch and admire him playing baseball; Clemente exudes tenderness, depth and passion. See him in flip flops, a tuxedo, with teammate Willie Stargell and in gaudy Seventies getups. In one memorable picture, after he’s hit the baseball at home plate, and he’s starting for first base, everyone—in the dugout and in the stadium—stares up in anticipation during a game against the Mets. Even Roberto Clemente looks up.