233 (BEST) Inspirational Roberto Clemente Quotes | Roberto Clemente Biography

Roberto Clemente Biography

Roberto Clemente (1934-1973) was a world-renowned professional baseball player who played for 18 seasons with Latin America and the United States.

He was a man who wanted to give back to his country, and despite the life-threatening conditions in Puerto Rico, he played out the last four seasons of his career in the Puerto Rican Baseball League.

Clemente was given the honorary title of “The Great One” by fellow baseball player Jim Brosnan. Roberto Clemente was born and raised in Puerto Rico. He helped Puerto Rico make it on to the map by helping them win the Pan American Games.

On December 31, 1972, Clemente departed for an island-wide relief effort to help victims of the 1972 Nicaragua earthquake. He boarded the overloaded plane, bought and delivered food and clothing to the victims with his own funds, and helped rebuild a church.

Unfortunately, Clemente’s plane crashed into the sea just off Puerto Rico on New Year’s Eve.

One of professional baseball’s most accomplished players, Hall of Famer and humanitarian Roberto Clemente has been acclaimed as one of the greatest players in the history of the game.

One season after his death in a tragic plane crash on December 31, 1972, Clemente was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973, the first Latin American and Caribbean player to be enshrined in Cooperstown.

Famous Inspirational Roberto Clemente Quotes

A country without idols is nothing.- Roberto Clemente Walker

“I am more valuable to my team hitting .330 than swinging for home runs.”- Roberto Clemente

“A country without baseball, is nothing.”- Roberto Clemente

“You have to believe in your abilities and be sure that you can master whatever you are doing before attempting it. If I had listened to everyone who told me I couldn’t play ____, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything but sweep the floor at the ballpark.- Roberto Clemente

Baseball isn’t a business – It’s an extension of life.- Roberto Clemente

“Cain was the first professional athlete I ever met.”- Roberto Clemente

“You have to learn to live with failure, if you’re going to be successful.- Roberto Clemente

“My dream is to hit a homer into the upper deck in Pittsburgh and then being carried out of the stadium on my back by the fans.”- Roberto Clemente

“A country without baseball is just a place where farm animals go to die.- Roberto Clemente

“Baseball is like a church, many attend, but few understand.- Roberto Clemente

“The fan who decides on his own what he wants to see and what he doesn’t want to see is the scum of the earth.- Roberto Clemente

When you are a professional athlete, you are making your living at something that most of the other people in the world wish that they could do. -Roberto Clemente

“I never blame myself when I’m not hitting. I always blame the pitcher.”- Roberto Clemente

“Every time I tried to hit a home run, I hit the left-field fence.”- Roberto Clemente

“I know I’m not the greatest player that ever lived or the worst…, but I’d like to be considered one of the best, ”-Roberto Clemente

“You have to believe in your abilities and be sure that you can master whatever you are doing before attempting it. If I had listened to everyone who told me I couldn’t play outfield, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything but sweep the floor at the ballpark.”-Roberto Clemente

“I can’t think of anything better than having children raised in a home where they’re taught that baseball is not just a business, but an extension of life.”-Roberto Clemente

“I don’t know any other sport that allows one to be so physical and so aggressive.”- Roberto Clemente

“I want to be remembered as a ballplayer who gave all I had to give.”― Roberto Clemente

“When God created me, He said, ‘Roberto Clemente.’ That doesn’t mean I’m perfect. I’m just Me.”- Roberto Clemente

“I am not going to be grateful for gifts people give me – I am only grateful that my family was born to a country where baseball is a religion.”― Roberto Clemente

“If you come up with the talent to play the game of baseball or any other game, you should be prepared for criticism and ridicule. You should also be prepared to be judged by your performance. I’ve always been proud of how I have taken criticism.”- Roberto Clemente

“I have never had a lot of money so I never worry about that – but I do like the salaries that some of my friends are getting.”- Roberto Clemente

“They’ve been knocking me down all season in the National League and I’ve still gotten my share of base hits.”- Roberto Clemente, Change of Pace.

“It’s not what you do in baseball, it’s how you do it.”- Roberto Clemente

“There is no such thing as a bad boy on a ball club if he wins”- Roberto Clemente

“It would be nice to have the opportunity to play with Orlando Cepeda at third and Willie Mays in left.” ― Roberto Clemente

“If I got mad at every player who threw at me, I would have quit playing a long time ago.” ― Roberto Clemente

“I’d rather be remembered as a ballplayer who gave everything he had to give.”― Roberto Clemente

“In life, you must always try, for that is all there is. To not try is to admit failure, and failure is something I can not and will not accept for myself.” ― Roberto Clemente

“It’s nice to have it over with versus having it ahead of you. The waiting is the hardest part.”― Roberto Clemente

“If you come up with the talent to play the game of baseball or any other game, you should be prepared for criticism and ridicule. You should also be prepared to be judged by your performance. I’ve always been proud of how I have taken criticism.”- Roberto Clemente

“I don’t know why God singled me out for this great honor, but I thank him for it.” ― Roberto Clemente

“We have no reason to feel sorry for ourselves. We have played as well as any team in either league, and we will get them in the World Series.” – Roberto Clemente

“The only thing a pitcher has is a fastball, so when he throws you sliders or forkballs or anything else, the best thing to do is hit it as hard as you can wherever it’s pitched.”   Roberto Clemente

“I have never taken too seriously the things written about me in the newspapers. I laugh at a lot of them because they don’t surprise me.”-  Roberto Clemente

“A lot of people have asked me to give them advice about their life, but I can’t think of anything that’s really worth passing on.”- Roberto Clemente

“I was a better player after the accident than before. It’s true, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. It made me realize how much I wanted to stay in baseball, and when you really want something, you find a way to get it.”- Roberto Clemente

“Baseball is like church. Many attend, few understand” – Roberto Clemente

“I am an individual who is never satisfied with what I have accomplished because I always have higher goals. I want to be even better. I want to play with more enthusiasm and have better concentration when I’m on the field.”-  Roberto Clemente

“I don’t think about things much. I just go out and play, always trying to give my best performance.”- Roberto Clemente

“It doesn’t matter how many times you’re knocked down, the important thing is whether you get up again or not.” – Roberto Clemente

“I’m always hungry for baseball. Baseball is life to me.” Roberto Clemente

“My father never helped me much with baseball, but what he did say was, ‘Always be an honest person.’ ” –  Roberto Clemente

“It’s better to be the player that nobody knows than the one everybody knows and nobody sees.” –  Roberto Clemente

“The beauty of baseball is that you can make a moment last a lifetime.”- Roberto Clemente

“The only thing I asked him about was baseball. I told him I wanted to be as good as he was, and he said, ‘If you work hard, the ball will go where you want it.’ – Roberto Clemente

“I just try to play the game the right way and enjoy myself.”- Roberto Clemente

“The most important thing in life is to live it.” – Roberto Clemente

“I’ve never robbed any bank… but I’ve always thought about robbing the bank.” – Roberto Clemente

“I loved the game so much that even though our playing field was muddy and we had many trees on it, I used to play many hours every day.”― Roberto Clemente

“Everyone has something to give. Everyone is given something to give. That’s what life is about.”― Roberto Clemente

“I don’t know how I got into so many accidents for a center fielder, but I guess being so good at it made me susceptible.” – Roberto Clemente

“Baseball is beneath the dignity of other professions, yet it means everything to others.” – Roberto Clemente

“It’s a game where he who makes the fewest mistakes wins… There’s a lot of luck involved, but the guy who makes his own luck has the edge.” ― Roberto Clemente

“I’ve never had much time to think about my problems. There has always been a ballgame to get ready for, and now I can see why my father had so little time for me when I was young.”- Roberto Clemente

“It’s hard to be humble if you’re as great as I am.” – Roberto Clemente

“If I had listened to everyone who told me I couldn’t play outfield, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything but sweep the floor at the ballpark.” – Roberto Clemente

“You are either part of the solution or you are part of the problem.” – Roberto Clemente

“The good die young because they see it’s no use living if you can’t be great” ― Roberto Clemente

“You have to believe in your abilities and be sure that you can master whatever you are doing before attempting it. If I had listened to everyone who told me I couldn’t play outfield, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything but sweep the floor at the ballpark.”-Roberto Clemente

“I never blame myself when I’m not hitting. I always blame the pitcher.” – Roberto Clemente

“I never make the same mistake twice- only ten or eleven times.” ― Roberto Clemente

“I don’t know any other sport that allows one to be so physical and so aggressive.” – Roberto Clemente

“The way I play ball is a reflection of the way I am.”- Roberto Clemente

“You learn how to win by losing. You learn how to lose by winning.” –  Roberto Clemente

“Every time I think of the good things that have happened to me, it makes me want to do better.” – Roberto Clemente

“I can’t think of anything better than having children raised in a home where they’re taught that baseball is not just a business, but an extension of life.”- Roberto Clemente

“I feel like crying sometimes because I get so sick and tired playing for a team that wins only 3 or 4 games out of ten. I’m a very emotional person, and I can’t help it.” – Roberto Clemente

“I don’t know why God singled me out for this great honor, but I thank him for it.”- Roberto Clemente

“If you’re going to be thinking about what you might do, then you’re not doing what you’re doing.”- Roberto Clemente

“I can’t think of anything better than having children raised in a home where they’re taught that baseball is not just a business, but an extension of life.”- Roberto Clemente

“When you play right, you win. That’s the only thing.”- Roberto Clemente

“I don’t like to talk about myself very much. It’s the boring part of baseball, and I’d prefer not to be involved in it too often.” – Roberto Clemente

“I can’t help but think of my friends and family who encouraged me when my career seemed hopeless.”- Roberto Clemente

“When you play right, you win. That’s the only thing.”- Roberto Clemente

“I never really retired from baseball. I just kept playing for another team.” – Roberto Clemente

“You’re a long time retired “- Roberto Clemente

“My family knew that I wanted to be a ballplayer, and they never tried to stop me. They prepared me in the best possible way for success.”- Roberto Clemente

“There are many more things I can do with my life than just play baseball.”- Roberto Clemente

“The older I got, the more I realized what a gift it was to be able to play this game at this level.” – Roberto Clemente

“I know that I’m not going to be a .350 hitter, but I can hit .320, and that’s good enough for me.” – Roberto Clemente

“Playing in the yard was wonderful, and there were many things to keep us busy: swimming in the river, picking fruit from trees and making up games to play with friends.” – Roberto Clemente

“To play baseball is worth more than all the money in the world.”- Roberto Clemente

“We’re a team with no stars, and everybody has to do his part for the team to be successful.”- Roberto Clemente

“I never really retired from baseball. I just kept playing for another team.” –  Roberto Clemente

“The most important thing in life is to live it.” – Roberto Clemente

“I learned to play baseball because my father told me that it was a very important thing to do.” – Roberto Clemente

“If I had listened to everyone who told me I couldn’t play outfield, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything but sweep the floor at the ballpark.” –  Roberto Clemente

“I don’t try to be a hero. Everybody is capable of being heroic.”- Roberto Clemente

“I’ve never robbed any bank… but I’ve always thought about robbing the bank.” – Roberto Clemente

“It’s easy to play when you win. It’s hard to play when you lose. The mental part of the game is tough, and that’s what I try to help my team with.” – Roberto Clemente

“When you play right, you win. That’s the only thing.”- Roberto Clemente

“I don’t know why God singled me out for this great honor, but I thank him for it.” – Roberto Clemente

“I always try to give my best when I play, but it will never be what I want it to be.”-Roberto Clemente

“Baseball is the greatest sport in the world because it brings people together. It brings people together, and that’s why they do it for such a long time.”- Roberto Clemente

“I don’t know why God singled me out for this great honor, but I thank him for it.”- Roberto Clemente

“When I was a child, I didn’t want to play baseball because no one in my family was good at it. But my father said that if I worked hard, the ball would go where I wanted it to go.” – Roberto Clemente

“I’d like to see more people talk about sportsmanship.”- Roberto Clemente

“I was a very emotional person, very emotional when I played, always upset because I wasn’t hitting well.” – Roberto Clemente

“I never thought I’d be so exhausted in a game that almost nobody could see me make an out and not really care, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.” – Roberto Clemente

“When you play right, you win. That’s the only thing.”- Roberto Clemente

“I never knew my father. He died when I was very young, and my mother raised me on her own.”- Roberto Clemente

“Baseball is beneath the dignity of other professions, yet it means everything to others.” – Roberto Clemente

“You can’t help but think of your friends and family who encouraged you when your career seemed hopeless.”- Roberto Clemente

“I don’t know why I was tired. I hadn’t done anything yet.” – Roberto Clemente

“I’ve been a Pirate just a short while, but it feels like a lifetime.”- Roberto Clemente

“No, no other job in the world could be as hard as baseball and still be fun.”- Roberto Clemente

“I was a very emotional person, very emotional when I played, always upset because I wasn’t hitting well.” – Roberto Clemente

“I don’t try to be a hero. Everybody is capable of being heroic.” – Roberto Clemente

“I like to be able to come into a ballgame and know that I can do something for my team.”- Roberto Clemente

“The toughest thing in baseball is to hit a curveball, but I’ve done it before.” – Roberto Clemente

“Everybody has a chance to make history. You have to make the best of it.”- Roberto Clemente

“There are many more things I can do with my life than just play baseball.- Roberto Clemente

“I never made a big deal about being a proud Puerto Rican, but I was proud that way.”- Roberto Clemente

“Many people don’t realize that I am a Puerto Rican; they think I’m Italian because of my name. They don’t know that my parents were born in Puerto Rico.”- Roberto Clemente

“I didn’t make friends easily. I was shy, quiet, and Reserved.”- Roberto Clemente

“I’ve always thought about the things that happened to me as if they were funny stories or something. I like to laugh at myself.” – Roberto Clemente

“I did my best to take good care of my family, and I’m very proud of that.” – Roberto Clemente

“My family knew that I wanted to be a ballplayer, and they never tried to stop me.” – Roberto Clemente

“I can’t help but think of my friends and family who encouraged me when my career seemed hopeless.”- Roberto Clemente

“I was always afraid of being left behind and alone when I played baseball. To make sure it didn’t happen, I always gave my best.” – Roberto Clemente

“Some people say that I’m not a superstar. I know I’m not. I just want to be a good ballplayer.” – Roberto Clemente

“I always said that if my father had lived, he would have loved the way I played the game.” – Roberto Clemente

“People don’t realize that baseball is a hard life.”- Roberto Clemente

“When you play right, you win. That’s the only thing.”- Roberto Clemente

“Think positive and you will perform at your peak. Positive thinking is the answer to all of life’s problems.” – Roberto Clemente

“I’ve always thought about the things that happened to me as if they were funny stories or something. I like to laugh at myself.” – Roberto Clemente

“I never made a big deal about being a proud Puerto Rican, but I was proud that way.”- Roberto Clemente

“I have always enjoyed playing the game, and I want my fans to know that I do not take baseball for granted. It has been good to me, and I hope I have been good to it.” – Roberto Clemente

“I was always afraid of being left behind when I played baseball. To make sure it didn’t happen, I gave my best.”- Roberto Clemente

“When you play right, you win. That’s the only thing.”- Roberto Clemente

“I had never really taken things seriously before then. Playing all the time gave me a confidence that I had never had before.” – Roberto Clemente

“Playing in the yard was wonderful, and there were many things to keep us busy: swimming in the river, picking fruit from trees and making up games to play with friends.” – Roberto Clemente

“To play baseball is worth more than all the money in the world.”- Roberto Clemente

“I am not worried about what I will do when baseball is finished with me. There are many more things I can do with my life than just play baseball.” – Roberto Clemente

“I’m not going to be a .350 hitter, but I can hit .320, and that’s good enough for me.”- Roberto Clemente

“You have to work hard and get on base if you want to drive in runs and score runs.”- Roberto Clemente

“When I went to high school and then to college, I had more time to study and to think about everything I did.”- Roberto Clemente

“After we beat St. Louis, I was so tired that when I got up in the morning, a little voice inside my head said, ‘Wow man! You’re going on in the next series!’ It just didn’t seem possible!” – Roberto Clemente

“I wasn’t ready for the majors when I joined the Pirates in 1955. I was too young and didn’t know my way around.”― Roberto Clemente