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Roberto Clemente
171 quotes
“I hit it good and thought it was going over the wall when it left my bat," he observed. Clemente also said this is the fifth time he has hit a ball that was within inches of clearing the fence at the 436-foot sign—two against the Dodgers and two against the Braves.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1966 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted and paraphrased in "Clemente Shows He's Bat-Man: Hitting Mets Like Robbin' for Roberto" by Les Biederman, in The Pittsburgh Press (Monday, May 2, 1966), p. 35
“Clendenon isn't like he was last year. If he comes back again, I'll start punching the ball again. But I've been taking a good cut and swinging hard.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1966 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in “Donn Drags, Not Clemente” by Murray Chass (AP), in The Tuscaloosa News (Tuesday, June 14, 1966), p. 5
“For years, I have been pleading with somebody in charge at Forbes Field to put clay instead of sand in the batter’s box. Sand causes your feet to slip. Clay gives you a chance to keep your feet solid. So all I got for years was sand and more sand. Batters would dig holes. I come to bat and scrape dirt to cover up the holes. Suddenly this year, they put clay in the batter’s box. Now I have firm footing. Now I can get a toe-hold.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1966 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in “Clemente Sinks Feet in Clay To Mold Stout Swat Figures” by Les Biederman, in The Sporting News (July 2, 1966), p. 8
“You could have put salt and pepper on me and fried me out in right field.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1966 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speaking with reporters after the 1966 MLB All-Star Game, as quoted in "Frank Doesn't Miss NL Pitching" by Neal Russo, in The St. Louis Post-Gazette (Wednesday, July 13, 1966), p. 4C
“With two men on base I was more concerned with driving in a run than getting No. 2,000. I set a goal of 100 RBIs and 25 home runs at the start of the season. Usually I'm not a home run hitter but I've been swinging more for home runs this season then ever before.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1961 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speaking with reporters after simultaneously reaching several milestones with one swing of the batː 2,000 career hits, 23 home runs (matching his previous high in 1961), and, for the first time in his career, 100 RBIs o…
“The Braves have been digging in on us all year. They're taking toeholds on our pitchers. Somebody is going down tonight if I have to come in from right field and do it myself.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1966 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speaking with reporters after a 14-1 loss, as quoted in "Hot Braves Stagger Pirate Pennant Hopes" by Les Biederman, in The Pittsburgh Press (September 23, 1966), p. 32
“I'm very happy. Very happy. This is a great honor. The only thing I would trade this for is a pennant. This is the first year a manager made me feel like I wanted to keep going all the time. In 1965 he told me I'd hit .325 when I was sick with malaria and batting about .270. Last spring he told me he wanted me to hit 25 home runs and drive in 100 runs. He made me feel I belonged. He did the job. Maybe he isn't the best manager in the game but he works hard. He made us what we are. Got to give him credit. I had my best year for Walker. So did a lot of others.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1966 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in "The Scorebaord: Pride Drives Clemente" by Les Biederman, in The Pittsburgh Press (Wednesday, November 16, 1966), p. 87
“At the beginning of the season he told me he wanted more homers and more runs batted in. He even named the figures: 25 homers and 115 RBIs. I could have hit more homers before if I wanted to, but I never cared about hitting them. I think a .350 batting average does the same good for a team as 25 homers and 100 runs batted in. But of course, if Walker wants more homers, it's okay with me.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1966 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in "Clemente Voted Most Valuable In National League" by the Associated Press, in The Sarasota Journal (Wednesday, November 16, 1966), p. 20
“I am having a plaque put on the front of my house. It will say, "To God, Mother, Father and Baseball.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1966 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in "Clemente's Smiling All the Way to the Bank" by Milton Richman (UPI), in The San Bernardino County Sun (Tuesday, December 6, 1966), p. 27
“You know, Nellie, when I was young I would run on fly balls hit to the outfield. I'd go around second base and I suddenly realize the ball is going to be caught. Sometimes I would run across the infield and never re-touch second base. Sometimes the umpires wouldn't notice if the players wouldn't. I didn't know how to run the bases well the first couple of years.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1967 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speaking with Nellie King in 1967 or later; as quoted by King in "Frustration in the Fifties", from Roberto Clemente: The Great One (1998) by Bruce Markusen, pp. 60-61
“I like to see Maury in Pittsburgh uniform much better than watching him steal bases when I stand helpless in right field.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) said by 1972 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Yes, my biggest game, but not my best game. My best game is when I drive in the winning run.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1967 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Bemoaning his wasted 3-home run/7-RBI performance of May 15, 1967; as quoted in “Biggest Game Wasted: Roberto Collects 3 HRs, 7 RBIs As Bucs Lose, 8-7” by Les Biederman, in The Pittsburgh Press (Tuesday, May 16, 1967), …
“I don't know. I don't know. I want to be happy because I have never hit three home runs in one game. But how can I be happy when we lose?”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1967 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in "Bob Says 'They Try': Feeble Pitching Takes Joy From Clemente's Night" by Charley Feeney, in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Wednesday, May 17, 1967), p. 26
“I never go for home runs. I haven't tried to hit one since 1960 when I thought I had a chance to hit 20.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1967 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: After hitting 2 home runs off Don Drysdale—the second and deciding one coming four pitches after being decked by Drysdale, presumably in response to the first—and driving in all 4 runs in a 4-1 Pirate win, as quoted in …
“If I had not won the MVP, I would not have been mad, because Sandy Koufax was a great pitcher and he deserved it. Besides, I know I would have been close and not snubbed like I was in 1960. And I tell you one thing. I didn't win the MVP alone. I couldn't win it without having a good team, without men getting on base an without us winning. I was sad because we didn't win the pennant. But I thought the MVP was something the ball club could be proud of because it gave our whole team recognition.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1967 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in "Why the Pirates Love the New Roberto Clemente" by Lou Prato, in Sport (August 1967), p. 81
“Once upon a time I never believed I could get tired of baseball. I played baseball from morning to night. But today it isn't as it once was. I just never seem to get enough rest. And if I can't play at my best all the time, why play?”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1967 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in "Clemente: Happy 33, With 3 Years to Go" by Les Biederman, in The Pittsburgh Press (August 17, 1967), p. 39
“I would have to say myself, but it would not look good for me to say it. I just have confidence I am the best because I believe in myself. If I had to pick another player, it would be Hank Aaron. He does everything so well.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1967 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in "The Scoreboard" by Les Biederman, in The Pittsburgh Press (Tuesday, December 26, 1967), p. 40
“It is my greatest year, but my biggest disappointment.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1967 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Assessing his 1967 season, as quoted in "Roberto Clemente—Baseball's Brightest Superstar" by Arnold Hano, in Boy's Life (March 1968), pp. 25 and 54
“Everybody, they say Roberto just swings the bat and hits the ball. I work hard. No one works harder than I do. People think things come easy to me. They don't.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1968 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in "Clemente Says Hitting Does Not Come Easy" by Ralph Bernstein (AP), in The Reading Eagle (March 26, 1968)
“Why you think I play this game? I play to win. Competition is the thing. I want to play on a winning team. I don't want to play for sixth place. I like to play for all the marbles, where every game means something. I like to play for real, not for fun.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) said by 1972 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“We play too many games with too much traveling. We should stay in one city longer and have a day off now and then. It would be beneficial for the teams, keep them in top physical shape more.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) said by 1972 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The best advice and most help he ever received came from Buster Clarkson, an American player, when he was in Puerto Rico."I played for his team and I was just a kid," Clemente recalled. "He insisted the other players allow me to take batting practice and he helped me. He put a bat behind my foot and made sure I didn't drag my foot. Willie Mays also helped me. He told me not to allow the pitchers to show me up. He suggested I get mean and if the pitchers knocked me down, get up and hit the ball. Show them.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1968 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As paraphrased and quoted in "The Scoreboard: Clemente's Only Regret? One Pennant" by Les Biederman, in The Pittsburgh Press (Sunday, March 31, 1968), Sec. 4, Pg. 3
“Thank you. I guess a fellow like me has to die to get voted in by the writers.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1968 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: In Cooperstown, New York, July 22, 1968, for the annual Hall of Fame Game; replying to a fellow Museum patron (who, upon seeing him photographing various exhibits, had informed Clemente, "Some day they will be taking pi…
“I was so anxious for this season to start when I was at home last winter. I was thinking in terms of a big year for myself—moneywise. I had batted .357 last year and I thought that if I had another big year I might get paid more money than anybody ever did in baseball. Then I fell and then I wonder if I will be able to play at all.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1968 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in "Top Salary Vision of Clemente Dims; Subpar Season Hurts" by Charley Feeney, in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Friday, September 27, 1968), p. 23
“The 100 grand right fielder revealed that Danny Murtaugh once fined him $650 when he did not run after hitting a ball to the shortstop. He never explained how Murtaugh reached the $650 figure. "I hit the ball and I slip at home plate and they fine me $650. First time up I hit a homer one-handed. I just limped around the bases.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) said by 1972 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I give you bastards four minutes to get outside. They are honoring the greatest second baseman the game has ever known and anyone not out there in four minutes will have to fight me.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1969 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Addressing unnamed cards-playing teammates on June 14, 1969, Bill Mazeroski Day; as quoted in Reflections on Roberto (1994) by Phil Musick, p. 29
“What I said was "Here, look at all these marks I got on my body from different injuries. Nobody ever writes anything about these, but they always write about Mickey Mantle’s injuries." I wasn’t saying anything against Mickey Mantle. I respect Mickey Mantle and I know what a great ballplayer he was.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1969 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in "Sports Parade: Clemente Could Run for Mayor" by Milton Richman (UPI), in The Desert Sun (Saturday, July 5, 1969), p. 29
“I can't think of average. I have to go for the long ball. We have only Stargell to hit homers. You need more than one man. We have the best leadoff man in baseball in Matty Alou. He will get on base. We have to get the long hits.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1969 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in "Give Us Strollers, Not Swingers,' Shouts Shepard" by Charley Feeney, in The Sporting News (July 12, 1969), p. 23
“These were great fans when I first play here, and they are still great. These fans never boo. They become frustrated because the Dodgers used to bring up some of the better minor-league players from here, but they never boo. Now, they are happy to have a big league team, and they are willing to wait five years, like the Mets' fans did, for the team to begin winning. But the thing that amazes me more than the players not being booed is the umpires. They never hear it from the fans, either, no matter if it does seem to be a bad call.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1969 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: On revisiting Montreal, 15 years later; as quoted in "Sports Beat: Expo Fans OK -- Clemente" by Bill Christine, in The Pittsburgh Press (Friday, July 18, 1969), p. 22
“I feel better now than I did at any time last season; the shoulder really hurt me bad last year. The left shoulder still gives me some trouble. It makes me swing differently. I have to adjust. Sometimes I find I'm over-cutting the ball. That is not my natural style. I used to swing and I just knew I could hit the ball hard. I knew when I could hit to right field, when I could pull. Now it's different. I have to force myself more than I ever did. Maybe it's because I'm getting old. Maybe.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1968 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Discussing two separate pre-season shoulder injuries, sustained, respectively, in February 1968 to the right shoulder, and in March 1969 to the left; as quoted in "A Sounder Clemente Has New Outlook; Buc Super Star May …
“Writers used to say, "You don't drive in 100 runs," but they forget I played for the worst team in baseball from 1955 to 1960. I didn't drive in runs because there was no one to drive in.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1969 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in "Clemente Changes Batting Title Tune" by Phil Musick, in The Pittsburgh Press (Thursday, August 14, 1969), p. 38
“Blass, if you pitch me inside, I will hit forty-three home runs a year, thirty-seven of them off you!”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1970 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Circa 1970, '71 or '72, responding to the novel approach facetiously suggested by teammate Steve Blass, were he ever to be traded from the Pirates; as quoted in "A Teammate Remembers Roberto Clemente” by Steve Blass, as…
“If you pitch me inside, I'll hit the ball to McKeesport.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1970 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Circa 1970, '71 or '72, as quoted by Blass in "Through Good and Bad, Blass' heart is with Pirates” by Rick Hummel, in The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Sunday, July 27, 2003), p. 22
“You pitch me the fuck inside and I hit the fucking ball to McKeesport.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1970 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Circa 1970, '71 or '72; as quoted by Blass in Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero (2006) by David Maraniss, p. 173
“Blass, I'm going to tell you something: You pitch me inside, I hit the ball to Harrisburg.'”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1970 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Circa 1970, '71 or '72; as quoted by Blass in "40 years later, Clemente remains man for all time" by Martin Fennelly in The Tampa Bay Tribune (September 28, 2012)
“Blass, I 'm going to tell you this. You pitch me inside; I will hit the freaking ball to Harrisburg.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1970 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Circa 1970, '71 or '72; as quoted by Blass in A Pirate for Life (2012) by Blass and Erik Sherman
“If you pitch me inside, I will hit the fucking ball to Harrisburg.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1970 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Circa 1970, '71 or '72; as quoted by Blass in Clemente: The True Legacy of an Undying Hero (2013) by the Clemente family
“Last year when I hurt my shoulder, I couldn't hit high pitches, but they kept throwing me low and away, and I could hit that pitch without much pain. "Look, he gets three hits, but he says he's in pain," they say, but they don't know that I can't go for the high pitch, and I'm not about to tell them!”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1970 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speaking with the San Juan Star in September 1970, as quoted in Clemente! (1973) by Kal Wagenheim, p. 178
“Look, here is the way I swing. I swing hard. I don’t punch the ball. I have bat control, and I don’t go for home runs, but I still swing as hard as some fellows who swing for the fences. My back is practically to first base when I finish the swing. I have to turn around before I can start running. Sometimes the ball is in the fielder’s hands before I drop the bat.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1964 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: On how being right-handed negatively impacted his chances of batting .400, as quoted in "Aches, Pains... and Base Hits" by Jim Murray, in The Los Angeles Times (August 10, 1971). Also see the above comment (August 11, 1…
“Jackie, what is the matter with you? You did not lose this ball game. We all lost it. No one man loses any ball game. You remember that. You are a good ball player. We need you to play shortstop. Come now, get dressed, let's go out and have a steak.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1971 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: English translation of pep talk given on August 21, 1971, after Hernandez' 6th-inning miscue—scored as a hit—had contributed significantly to Cincinnati's 6-3 come-from-behind victory over Pittsburgh, as quoted in "Play…
“How do you measure a man? How can you compare one man with another unless you’ve seen them both? I cannot tell about other men who played long ago. I saw Mays. To me, Willie Mays is the greatest who ever played. But he is forty and has had his days – he is tired. San Francisco is all tired. For them it was not easy. For twenty days, they were in a tight pennant race and don’t know where they are. Mentally, they were going to be tight. You could see Mays is tired.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1971 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speaking with reporters after the 1971 NLCS, as quoted in Clemente! (1973) by Kal Wagenheim, pp. 194-195
“You know, when the season is over a lot of guys go home and eat peanuts and drink beer and they show up in spring training with a big belly. I will go home and start working on my body right away. My right shoulder is not the way it is supposed to be. I'm not going to wait until spring training and hope it is all right. I will work on it when I get home.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1971 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speaking during the 1971 World Series, as quoted in The Chicago Tribune by Bob Markus, reprinted in I'll Play These: From Ecstacy to Angst, A Sports Writer’s Journey (2011), p. 219
“I could always hit a home run, but if I try to do that all the time, maybe I not hit over .300. I am more valuable to my team hitting .330, .340, than I am swinging for home runs.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1971 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speaking before Game 7 of the 1971 World Series, as quoted in "Numero Uno: Roberto!" (1973) by Bill Christine, p. 141
“I want everybody in the world to know that this is the way I play all the time. All season, every season. I gave everything I had to this game.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1971 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speaking to Roger Angell before Game 7 of the 1971 World Series, as quoted in "Some Pirates and Lesser Men" by Angell, in The New Yorker (November 6, 1971), p. 148; reprinted in Angell's The Summer Game (2004), p. 285
“I couldn't stand the pain. All the doctors said there was nothing wrong with my spine because there was nothing they could see. But the chiropractors said they thought they could help and they did.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1957 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: From his 1971 World Series MVP acceptance speech, recalling the time in 1957 when he considered quitting baseball, as quoted in "Pittsburgh's Clemente Honored" by United {Press International, in The Wilmington Star-News…
“One day I could play and three days later I couldn't move. Our relationship was shaky because if one day you can play and the next day you can't, a person has to wonder if there's not something wrong in your head. But we straightened it out.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1971 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: From his 1971 World Series MVP acceptance speech, discussing his sometimes strained relationship with manager Danny Murtaugh, as quoted in "Pittsburgh's Clemente Honored
“When I put on my uniform, I feel I am the proudest man on earth. The players should pay the people to come and see us play.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1971 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: From his 1971 World Series MVP acceptance speech, as quoted in "Pittsburgh's Clemente Honored
“I get a kick out of people thinking I'm a very young fellow. They tell me, "You can play 10 more years." Yeah, I can play 10 more bad years.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1972 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in "It's Dr. Clemente for Teammates, Too" by Milton Gross, in The Boston Globe (March 15, 1972)
“Bragan and Walker talked to me the most. The fellow who helped me most of all was Buck Clarkson. I think he lives in Donora. He managed me in the Puerto Rican League when I was a boy. He used to see me throw a ball from the outfield 400 feet on the line, most of the time wild. And I hit good. Buck Clarkson used to tell me I am as good as anybody in big leagues. That helped me a lot.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1972 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Evaluating previous managers, as quoted in "Sidelight on Sports: Roberto Remembers" by Al Abrams, in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Friday, March 31, 1972), p. 10
“I only wiggle my neck when I'm ready for work. You never see me wiggling it when I'm off the field.”
Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) first seen 1972 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in "Great One' Still Wringing His Neck But Opposing Pitchers Feel the Pain" by Phil Fuhrer, in The San Bernardino Sun Telegram (June 21, 1972), p. 32