Burgos: Roberto Clemente, proud and resolute in 3,000th hit photo
From SABR member Adrian Burgos Jr. at La Vida Baseball on December 15, 2018:
This photo gives me chills: Roberto Clemente standing at second base tipping his hat to the Pittsburgh crowd after his 3,000 hit.
The sense of accomplishment he must have felt as the first Puerto Rican and Latino player to reach 3,000.
The hit came during the last game of the 1972 season, which meant Clemente would not have to go through the winter stuck on 2,999.
It was a truly quintessential Clemente hit. A line drive into the left field gap, with Roberto hustling out of the box for a stand up double.
So there he stood at second.
What shakes me deeply, and makes me emotional about this photo is that we the viewers know what those in Pittsburgh had no way of knowing on September 30, 1972.
Read the full article here: https://www.lavidabaseball.com/el-profe-image-clemente-3000/
- Related link: “September 30, 1972: Roberto Clemente collects 3,000th career hit in final at-bat” (SABR Games Project)
Originally published: December 17, 2018. Last Updated: December 17, 2018.