Great Baseball Moments- Roberto Clemente’s 3000th Hit- September 30, 1972. I was lucky enough to grow up living in the Pittsburgh area- and from an early was a baseball/ Pirates/ Clemente fan. I run into people who say he was the greatest player they ever have seen. I can’t say that- he was certainly a great one but I can easily say he was the most exciting baseball player I’ve ever seen. I’ve written this about Clemente before but I think if you took someone to a ballgame who knew nothing about baseball- it wouldn’t have taken them long to figure out there was something special about #21- just by his movements. I can remember one game I think my eyes were on him the entire time. I was very fortunate to have grown up a baseball fan in the Pittsburgh area in the late 60’s- 70’s. My two favorite players were Willie Stargell -my all time favorite and Roberto.

Roberto Clemente got hit #3000 on September 30, 1972 at Three Rivers Stadium off of the Mets Jon Matlack- a double to left -center field. There were three games left in the regular season. The Pirates having already won the NL East- would rest Clemente for the playoffs. Hit #3000 would be the final hit in his regular season career. I wish I had been at the game- a later friend of mine was at the game. I was eleven at the time. I saw it on the radio. Clemente would die in a plane crash taking supplies to earthquake stricken Nicaragua on December 31st.