Is a Great Understatement
This article is a follow-up to my last essay about Nicole Wallace’s interview with Jack Smith. The program aired on July 2. Wallace raised the question of whether Smith might be indicted in the future. A week later, he was indicted, and U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon for the Southern District will be the presiding judge. Interestingly, Cannon was nominated by Trump and became the single most influential person who stood in the way of indicting Trump for the 1/6 attack on the Capitol and the basis of our democracy.
It fascinates me that in my article about Jack Smith, if you are looking for a mentor, he would be a great mentor for this time in which we live. However, Roberto Clemente was my mentor while I was attending Mt. Lebanon High School. He did everything in the ballpark with superb drive and grace. However, it was matched by his dedication to help people who were downtrodden and oppressed.
Clemente was a true legend in his time. He won a litany of awards during his two decades in baseball: National League Most Valuable Player in 1966 and the first Latino player to receive that award; World Series MVP in 1971; National League Gold Glove Awards in 12 consecutive seasons; NL Batting Titles: 4 times (1961, 1964, 1965, 1967); All-Star: 15-time NL All-Star.
No one in the major leagues has ever hit a walk-off inside-the-park grand slam home run. It occurred at Forbes Field seven decades ago. I was in junior high school at the time.
During the World Series in 1960 between the Pirates and the Yankees, I was at my daily cross-country practice. Between laps, we listened to the play-by-play by Bob Prince on our coach’s transistor radio. A dozen teammates and I celebrated the Pirates’ win as if we had just won an Olympic marathon.
Beyond his playing abilities, Clemente was an outspoken and amazing mentor for several important reasons. He stood up personally to discrimination for being the first Puerto Rican in the major leagues. He paralleled Jackie Robinson, who was the first black player in the major leagues.
Picking mentors is important. Mentors will help individuals as they journey down the yellow brick roads of life. Mentors can help us avoid the pitfalls of life. Clemente said, “Anytime you have an opportunity to make a difference in this world, and you don’t, then you are wasting your time on Earth.”
Trump goes to Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria. While he doesn’t like Puerto Ricans, he uses the time as a photo shoot, throwing rolls of paper towels to hurricane victims.
When compared to Trump, Clemente is in a league of his own. Clemente hit his 3000th base hit in September 1972. He is one of the 11 players to have reached that milestone.
Three months later, on December 31, 1972, Clemente rented a plane in Puerto Rico to fly to Nicaragua to bring food and medical supplies to victims of a large earthquake on New Year's Eve. Tragically, the plane had hardly taken off from Puerto Rico before it crashed into the ocean, killing everyone on board, including the great one.
Listen to David Frost’s interview of Clemente.
Clemente's Hopes for His Children with Roberto Clemente 1972
Visit the On Seeing the Light page to read more about this topic.
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Visit the Darkest Before Dawn page to read more about this topic.
Visit the Best and Worst of Times page to read more about this topic.
Visit the My Hauntings page to read more about this topic.
Visit the Living a Life Well Lived page to read more about this topic.
Visit the Man in the Arena page to read more about this topic.
Visit the Mentors and Me page to read more about this topic.
Visit the Donald the Dumb page to read more about this topic.
Visit the Stupid is as Stupid Does page to read more about this topic.
07/31/26