2006-12-13 06:49:18 · 15 answers · asked by Mr. E 3 in Sports ➔ Baseball
No. He was a great player to be sure and a hero and humanitarian in his native country. However there have been others who have done special things for their countries as well. You can't compare Clemente to Jackie Robinson. If not for Robinson, Clemente never plays a game in the majors!
2006-12-13 08:17:37 · answer #1 · answered by The Mick "7" 7 · 20⤊ 1⤋
A few years ago, someone proposed the idea of retiring Jackie Robinson's number, with the execption of 1 player. That player would be chosen by Fans, Players, Writers, to wear Robinson's number as a living tribute to Jackie. He would embody all of Robinson's traits/qualities, and wearing the number would be an honor. The idea didn't go through, but I'm willing to suggest the same idea for Clemente's number. Only 1 player in the entire league wearing that 1 number, very powerful image.
2006-12-13 16:26:13 · answer #2 · answered by Chris L 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No
The Pirates have retired his number, he's in the Hall of Fame and that's all one can really expect. How many numbers have been retired league-wide in the history of the MLB? One and that one pretty much turned the world of baseball on its bum and changed the way the game was perceived by a nation. Roberto Clemente was a great man and a great ball player, but not a revolutionary.
2006-12-13 14:59:29 · answer #3 · answered by Takfam 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
No, it should not.
Jackie Robinson's number was retired by Major League Baseball (the only number so honored), but that should really be it. (Players who were already wearning #42 at the time it was retired by Major League baseball could continue to wear it for the rest of their careers,but no new players can wear 42. Mariano Rivera is one example of a player who still wears that number).
Clemente's performance in the 1971 World Series (against the four 20 game winners of the Baltimore Orioles) remains the greatest Series performance I've ever seen.
Clemente's number has been retired by the Pirates. He's in the Hall of Fame (the HOF even waived the five year waiting period in order to elect him immediately after his death). That's a sufficient enough tribute to him. We need to be very, very careful in calling for all of major league baseball to start retiring numbers.
The reason the Clemente campaign got started is because he is "Hispanic"... that's no reason for all of major league baseball to retire his number, in spite of his heroic death.
2006-12-13 20:10:46 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Maybe. He not only was a fantastic player, but a humanitarian, one of the few athletes who seemed to care for people other than himself. But there are others, like Jackie Robinson, who did similar things. If they don't get retired, why should Clemente?
2006-12-13 14:56:58 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
no, and neither should jackie robinson's, there are other ways to honor their contributions to the game. like setting aside a day during the season for them. robinson didn't play for the rockies or clemente didn't play for the redsox, its ludicrious to suggest that their #'s be retired thru out the sport.
2006-12-15 08:14:06 · answer #6 · answered by acoustic_sam 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No.
There's absolutely no comparison between what he went through, and what Jackie Robinson endured to improve the game. Clemente was a great player and a philanthropist, but that doesn't mean his number should be retired. Tough luck that he died in a plane crash, but it's not justification for putting him above the hundreds of other HOFers who have played.
Jackie Robinson transcended the game, and changed it in an incredibly dramatic way. Clemente was a great man, but it's somewhat insulting to put him on Robinson's level.
2006-12-13 14:54:38 · answer #7 · answered by Craig S 7 · 1⤊ 4⤋
How in the world....where did it come up that the reason it got started because he is "Hispanic".....this just got started due to it being a lot in the news.....just guessing it was some sort of anniversary or something like that since his death......a "tragic" end to one of the greatest players but most important "caring" man for his fellow men......his accomplishments do not come close to measuring to Robinson's.....he was truly a "great" person and a loving family man.....the problem is that there is not enough of them around and this also helped to fuel the "push" to retire his jersey......if you start here....where do we stop if we do his......how about my number "7"!!!
2006-12-14 13:26:48 · answer #8 · answered by Mickey Mantle 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
i had the chance to see him play and the greater chance to meet him and his family, i was young but he gave me great inspiration and told me one thing that has always been with me...he told me that if God didnt give me the talent to play at the level he did, which he didnt, i could teach young players the game and how important they are as people, not just players...ive coached for 20 years and taught others to take something fromthe game...they are the most important part of it, so keep playing....retired or not retired, he was one of the greatest
2006-12-13 17:15:45 · answer #9 · answered by sweetness666 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO! It is retired by the Pirates and that is enough. There are other players who already have #21 retired for them so what is to happen to them: Warren Spahn (Braves) for one.
2006-12-14 15:50:09 · answer #10 · answered by Mailman Bob 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋