Roberto Clemente was one of the greatest right fielders and humanitarian players in Major League Baseball history. Born in Puerto Rico in 1934, Clemente broke into the majors with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1955 and went on to have an illustrious 18-year career. He was awarded the National League’s Most Valuable Player award in 1966 and helped lead the Pirates to two World Series championships in 1960 and 1971. Tragically, Clemente’s life was cut short in a plane crash on New Year’s Eve 1972 while attempting to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. He was just 38 years old but had already cemented his legacy as one of baseball’s all-time greats both on and off the field. Clemente’s incredible career and humanitarian work made him a hero and role model to millions.
Clemente’s baseball career is well documented in the thousands of baseball cards that were printed featuring him from his rookie season in 1955 up until his untimely death in 1972. Some of Clemente’s earliest and most valuable baseball cards include his 1955 Topps rookie card, his 1957 Topps card where he is pictured sliding headfirst, and his 1972 Topps card which was one of the last cards printed of him before his passing. Clemente’s 1955 Topps rookie card in near mint condition has sold for over $100,000 in recent years, showing just how iconic and sought after those earliest cards depicting his career are to collectors. While Clemente played his entire career for the Pirates, many different card companies printed cards of him through the years including Topps, Fleer, and Kellogg’s.
In the late 1950s and 1960s, Clemente’s baseball cards started gaining more prominence as he established himself as a true superstar and one of the best right fielders in the game. His defensive skills, cannon arm, and clutch hitting made him a fan favorite on a rising Pirates team. Cards from 1957-1966 show Clemente in the prime of his career and capture the excitement of some of the Pirates’ early championship seasons. Notable cards include his 1959 Topps card where he hits a home run and his 1966 Topps card where he is pictured sliding, the year he won the NL MVP. Clemente’s 1960 Topps card is also highly sought after by collectors as it commemorates the Pirates’ first World Series title since 1925.
By the late 1960s and early 1970s, Clemente had cemented his legacy as a true baseball icon and was one of the most respected players in the game. His 1971 Topps card stands out, as it pictures Clemente mid-swing from the Pirates’ 1971 World Series victory over the Orioles. It was Clemente’s second championship and last full season before his tragic death. His 1972 Topps card is perhaps the most famous and well-known of all his baseball cards, as it was one of the last to be printed before his passing. The card captures Clemente in the prime of his career at age 38, little knowing it would be one of the final images of him alive. Due to the circumstances surrounding his death, the 1972 Clemente Topps card took on a much deeper meaning and is incredibly valuable to collectors today.
In the decades since his untimely death, Roberto Clemente’s legacy and impact has only grown stronger. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and inducted posthumously into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973, receiving over 90% of the vote in his first year of eligibility. Major League Baseball also renamed the award for the player who best represents the game through sportsmanship and community involvement to the Roberto Clemente Award. Clemente’s humanitarian work in helping Latin American communities is also commemorated through the Roberto Clemente Walker Foundation. To this day, Clemente remains an icon and role model not just in baseball but for millions worldwide. His incredible career and legacy live on through the thousands of baseball cards printed over the years, capturing Clemente’s greatness for generations of fans and collectors to enjoy.
