50 Years ago yesterday Roberto passed on

Good read about events leading up to that fateful flight and the off field humanitarian he was. The Tom Walker they reference in the story is former Pirate Neil Walker's dad.

https://triblive.com/sports/pirates...oberto-clementes-death-brings-mixed-emotions/

 

I remember when that happened. I was crushed.

 

I know exactly where I was and who told me and my friends

 

I was too young to remember but one of the few times I wish I were older so I could have watched him some.

 

I consider it an honor that I got to watch him play at Forbes Field and Three Rivers. There were so many amazing Pirates that I got to watch growing up. He always had time for us kids. Signed autographs etc. He was a great man

 

Do you still have his autograph? That would truly be a gem to have.

 

I do. I gave it to my son a few years ago.

 

It might have been around 1964, I was a pimply faced grade-schooler then and watched Roberto hit a line drive homer to straight away center field during a day game at Forbes Field against Dodgers and Sandy Koufax, out where they stored the batting cage after pre-game practice. The ivy covered wall was marked 459 ft as I recall and the ball traveled about 20 feet high over the wall and just kept going way out into Schenley Park - easily a 550 footer plus. Loved watching those nonchalant basket catches out in right, even on difficult runs and catches. My childhood hero along with Maz.

 

Watching from the RF bleachers at Forbes, dirty stinky RR, hard bleacher seats, and at times Roberto close enough to almost touch. Same on the LF side with Willie. Then the move to 3 rivers, OF seats were so far away, yet at 12 saw Bob Gibson mow down my heros in a no hitter. NP, we were still in first place, but seeing Gibson and the control he mastered with that ball was truly a once in my life thrill.

 

I think I got to see the best Major league players of all time as a small boy. Clemente and Mazeroski were my favorites. Willie was right up there. Man it was a great time to be watching Major league baseball!

 

It really was, sure the hometown team was always the fave, but listening to the radio's 50,000 Watt stations you could hear many games from NY, Boston, Cincy, Cleveland' Detroit, Chicago, St Louis. Sleeping out with the transistor radio held to the ear, it was a grand time.

 

Testing the brain cells here but I remember (I think) the BUCS were playing a DH against Dodgers and it was Koufax and Drysdale for them and I think we won both games. Or was it Seaver and Koosman and we were playing the Mets?????? Hell, at least I'm pretty sure we won both games.

 

My folks bought me a real AM FM clock radio for me. I kept it right by my bed and listened to Bob Prince call the games. Man I miss those days!

 

Steel Machine: "You ever been to Spain?"
Mojave: "Nope".
Steel Machine: "Me neither".
Mojave: "Hmm. Must have been two other people!"

 

I listened to them with my grandfather on the porch of his summer cottage

I can’t get the games on tv now so I listen on the radio on my porch

Life is good

 

But they have been to Oklahoma

- Three Dog Night

 

Proof that I’m really not a good person

Roberto hit a home run to right field bleachers of Forbes Field and next to no one was sitting there

I ran with my friends to get the ball

I’m slow no chance

Bob got it and I tried to buy beg borrow steal the ball from him to no avail

40 years later someone told me Bob committed suicide

Did I think about how sad his life must have been

No not me my first thought I had was where is that ball

 

That's truly a sad story and outcome. Sorry to hear JEH. On a brighter note, back in April 1990 I was staying at same hotel in San Francisco as the Pirates. I went to the game that evening that Doug Drabek pitched, he won and even hit a home run. Later by pure coincidence I met him in the hotel bar and struck up a conversation. I was so excited to meet him and other Pirates at the time that I signed my scorecard and gave it to him as a big fan and wished him and them well for the season. He said it was a long season but thanked me. He folded it up and put it in his pocket. The Bucs went on to finish first and make it to the playoffs for first time since 1979 WS and Drabek went on to his best season ever 22-6 and won the Cy Young Award (first Pirate since 1960 Vernon Law and last since). I'd like to think he went back to Pittsburgh and taped my scorecard to the inside of his locker and it helped him win another 21 games that year. My own personal Field of Dreams moment.

 

Only baseball I ever got was at a BUC/phillie game in Philly and Ed Ott looked up and saw my Pirate hat and threw me the ball. I almost dropped it but for the last 40+ years that ball has sat on my dresser.

 

LoL.....
That's horrible.