The Great One by Tom Clark

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.

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"...it forced tears out of grown men..." - Tom Clark

The Great One

Roberto Clemente

by Tom Clark ©

So long Roberto Clemente
you have joined the immortals
who've been bodysnatched
by the Bermuda Triangle

When your plane went down
it forced tears out of grown men
all over the hemisphere
Al Oliver and
even Willie Stargell cried

You had a quiet
pissed-off pride
that made your countrymen
look up to you
even if you weren't
taller than they are

No matter how many times
Manny Sanguillen
dove for your body
the sun kept going down
on his inability to find it

I just hope those Martians realize
they are claiming the rights to
far and away the greatest rightfielder
of all time

The Great One by Tom Clark ©
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baseball almanac fast facts

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).

Roberto Clemente Stamp

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.