Res. No. 285
Title
Resolution calling upon the United States Secretary of the Interior to recognize the historical significance of Roberto Clemente's place of death in Lo?za, Puerto Rico, by adding it to the National Register of Historic Places.
Body
By Council Members Rivera, Miller, Menchaca, Adams, Ayala, Ampry-Samuel, Eugene, Cornegy and Barron
Whereas, Roberto Clemente, born August 18, 1934 in Carolina, Puerto Rico, was a renowned Major League Baseball (MLB) right fielder who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates ("Pirates") from 1955 to 1972; and
Whereas, Roberto Clemente was first scouted in 1952 by the Brooklyn Dodgers, who signed him 15 months later and assigned him to Triple A Montreal for the 1954 season before the Pirates, utilizing the Major-Minor League Rule 5, claimed him for their team; and
Whereas, While playing for the Pirates, Roberto Clemente hit a remarkable .317 over 18 seasons, collecting 3,000 hits, and placing in the Pirate's Top Ten in every offensive and defensive category; and
Whereas, Roberto Clemente, an All-Star for 12 seasons, the National League (NL) batting leader for four years, and a Gold Glove Award winner for 12 consecutive seasons, was the first Latino to help win a World Series as a starter (in 1960), to receive an NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award (in 1966), and to receive a World Series MVP Award (in 1971); and
Whereas, As a Black Puerto Rican in MLB less than a decade after Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier, Roberto Clemente faced discrimination for being a "double outsider;" he (as well as his Black teammates) were barred from dining in segregated restaurants or staying the same hotel with the rest of the team during spring training in Florida, while the press relied on Latin stereotypes, mocked his accent by quoting him with phonetic spelling, and ignored his requests to not Anglicize his name in print; and
Whereas, Roberto Clemente challenged the stereotypes that had...
Click here for full text