I never think about that before the season. Toward the end of the year I start thinking about it. Not before. I did it last year by just meeting the … - Roberto Clemente

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I never think about that before the season. Toward the end of the year I start thinking about it. Not before. I did it last year by just meeting the ball, he said. I didn't swing hard at all. I think I'm going to do the same thing this year. We have two good hitters behind me now and I don't have to swing so hard. He means Donn Clendenon and Willie Stargell. The two hit a total of 41 homers to Clemente's 10 last year. They always say we need someone to hit home runs. We got some guys who can now. I don't care for home runs. I showed 'em I could do it when I hit 23 in 1961. Home runs aren't that important, though. Not to me, anyway.

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About Roberto Clemente

Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker (August 18, 1934 – December 31, 1972) was a Puerto Rican Major League baseball player from 1955 through 1972, exclusively with the Pittsburgh Pirates. A posthumous inductee to the National Baseball Hall of Fame (following his fatal plane crash on December 31, 1972, en route to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua), Clemente became both the first Latin American and the first Caribbean player to be enshrined. The National League's Most Valuable Player in 1966, as well as the 1971 World Series MVP, Clemente was also a 4-time NL batting champion, 12-time Gold Glove winner, and 12-time All-Star.

Also Known As

Alternative Names: Roberto Clemente Walker Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker
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Additional quotes by Roberto Clemente

You all wrong. You try to hit home run every time but you no can do. No man can do. I wish you try to hit ball like you did when you joined team last July. Then you just try to meet ball because you want to make good showing after coming from minors. You swing easy and ball goes into centerfield seats. Next day, you swing easy again and ball goes over left field wall. Now you swing too hard. Try to hit home run every swing. You wrong. You have no timing, you miss ball. Please, for me, just try to meet ball when we open season. You have so much power, you just meet ball and whoosh—it goes over fence. Stu, with my brains, if I have your power, I make $200,000 in baseball.

I have more respect for this man than any of my previous managers, and I played for Fred Haney, Danny Murtaugh and Bobby Bragan. This fellow makes me feel that he really appreciates what I do. When he has something to tell you, he tells you in front of everybody. You don’t hear it from some newspaperman. I don’t see why people say he has a big mouth. He knows this business real good and he is doing a great job. He works with the players and he gives them more confidence. Matty Alou never did anything until he came to this man. Donn Clendenon is having his best year and also Willie Stargell. And me, too. That is the reason I want to win so bad. I never played with a club that put out 100 percent like this one. If somebody gets down he comes and talks to the others. No matter what happens, we get together and solve everything. I don’t even think we tried this hard to win in 1960 when they won the pennant and the World Series.

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