Review: "Clemente"

Baseball fans know that Roberto Clemente was one of the best players who ever took the field.  His name is mentioned with the likes of Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays.  His story is the stuff of sports legend.  He became a cultural icon.

I am old enough to remember Clamente back in the days when the Pittsburgh Pirates won the 1960 World Series with the legendary 9^th inning home run by Bill Mazeroski.  I was a little league ball player at the time.  It was a glorious moment for everyone, including the young Roberto Clemente, who was just starting to carve out his niche in professional baseball.  He was a rising star.

It was a long, seemingly impossible road, from the island of Puerto Rico to the big leagues.  There was much that stood in his way, such as the double whammy of peer acceptance.  He was neither white (like most of his teammates) nor black (like the legendary, racial boundary breaking pioneer Jackie Robinson).  He struggled with the language barrier, and some sports writers wasted no time mocking his thick accent by printing his uncorrected mispronunciations when they quoted him. 

It was an age when non-whites were restricted from many restaurants. It presented problems when the team traveled.  His early years were fraught with obstacles. He wasn’t playing up to his potential, and he knew that was the key to attaining his dreams of success.

A short stint in the military seemed to be a critical detour for Clemente who returned to baseball in great physical shape.  His game improved noticeably.  The rest, as they say, is history.

Clemente’s story is one that we all think we know.  If you’re a Pittsburgher or a Pirates fan, you’ve heard so much of his story over the years that you think you’ve heard it all.

The documentary “Clemente” proves that you don’t.  It’s a joyous experience discovering all the things you thought you knew, but didn’t. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R_T3dTVwGY

The movie offers deep insight through interviews with Clemente’s son, Roberto Clemente, Jr., his late wife, Vera, a short list of biographers and writers, a short list of teammates and friends like Steve Blass and Manny Sanguillen, as well as a short list of celebrities including Bob Costas, Rita Moreno, Tom Morello and Michael Keaton.

Along the way, there are some very personal moments, like the time a young female fan convinced her dad to drive Clemente to the airport after he had stuck around signing too many autographs after a game and had missed the team bus.  Their chance encounter resulted in a lifelong friendship. 

That was also the case with a young boy who spotted Clemente’s car driving through his neighborhood and found himself playing catch with his baseball hero in the street in front of his house.  His parents invited Clemente in for supper.  He obliged.

My wife had a brush with “The Great One” at Pirates’ Photofest in 1971, when fans were allowed on the field to photograph players from behind a roped off barrier. Much to her surprise, Roberto let her slip under the rope and pose with him for a snapshot she still treasures to this day.

Clemente was a fan of his fans.  He adored the people who supported him and he wanted to give back.  It was that act of love that ironically and tragically ended his life when he boarded a plane to bring aid to disaster victims in Nicaragua back on December 31, 1972.  His body was never found.

Clemente always thought he would die young.  There was so much he wanted to accomplish and did accomplish in his short lifetime.  There was all the success on the field, but in addition to that there was a fairy tale story of falling in love with Vera and having the three boys whom he dearly loved.

Three was a magic number in his magical, mystical tale -- the three boys and the 3000 hits he racked up in the final season of his life.  Exactly 3000.

The movie makes you ponder the spiritual nature of Roberto Clemente’s life and the fact that he seemed to be put here to achieve great things and set an example for us all.  He is a remarkable sports hero and humanitarian whose life and work should never be forgotten.

Exceptional movies like “Clemente” go a long way in keeping the torch burning brightly.  It is an inspiring story for sports fans and everyone who wants to believe that from time to time, there are people seemingly put on this earth to remind us about doing our best and caring about those around us.

It’s what separates Roberto Clemente from all other, celebrated, award-winning sports heroes.  Besides being a remarkable athlete, he was a kind, caring man who selflessly gave his life trying to help others and make the world a better place.