Awards And Education
Roberto Clemente Awards comprise 4 NL batting champions and NL MVP (1966). He was also inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Roberto Clemente high school education was completed in a public school named Vizcarrondo Coronado High School in Puerto Rico. When Clemente was a student in high school, he began participating in softball for the Sello Rojo squad.
For two years, he was a shortstops. He joined the Ferdinand Juncos squad representing the town of Juncos in Puerto Rico's amateur division when he was sixteen years old. Along with playing softball, he also competed in high jumping and javelin throwing. He was considered qualified enough to represent Puerto Rico in the Olympics for these games.
Here is the list of Awards by year received by Roberto Clemente:
- MLB Player of the Month Award: 1960, 1967,1969
- Gold Glove Award (National League Outfielder): 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968,1969, 1970, 1971, 1972
- Silver Bat Award (Bud Hillerich Award): 1961, 1964, 1965, 1967
- Most Valuable Player Award (BBWAA): 1966
- Sporting News Player of the Year Award: 1966
- The Babe Ruth Award (The World Series Most Valuable Player): 1971
- World Series Most Valuable Player Award: 1971
- National Baseball Hall of Fame: 1973
- Frank Slocum Big B.A.T. Award: 2002
- Presidential Medal of Freedom: 2003
- Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award: 2006
Similarly, Clemente was included in All-Star for 13 seasons and selected to 15 All-Star games. The Pirates retired his number 21 after his passing, and MLB renamed its annual award in his honor. Currently known as the Roberto Clemente Award, it is given to the player who most exemplifies baseball, sportsmanship, volunteerism, and teamwork.
The Baseball Hall of Fame typically requires players to wait five years after their playing career ends before being inducted. Roberto Clemente, however, was given an exception, and he was admitted in 1973. He was the first player of Hispanic descent to win this award.