The Great One specifically speaks of the tragic circumstances surrounding the death of the great Roberto Clemente. Baseball recognized his greatness and waived the five year waiting period to place him into the Hall of Fame only months after he passed away.
"...it forced tears out of grown men..." - Tom Clark
The Great Oneby Tom Clark © |
Published: Fan Poems (1976) |
So long Roberto Clemente When your plane went down You had a quiet No matter how many times I just hope those Martians realize |
The Great One by Tom Clark © |
Roberto Clemente was the first Hispanic elected into the hall of fame and the third baseball player ever pictured on a United States stamp (pictured below).
How good was "The Great One's" arm? He led the National League in assists five times and won twelve consecutive Gold Glove awards.
Roberto Clemente was often criticized by critics of the game and labeled a hypochondriac, yet he managed to play superbly in one-hundred plus games for eighteen consecutive seasons.