[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 54 (Thursday, April 3, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E674-E675]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNITION TO MR. LUIS RODRIGUEZ MAYORAL FOR HIS LONG TIME DEDICATION 
            TO THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF ROBERTO CLEMENTE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOSE E. SERRANO

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 3, 2003

  Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, 30 years ago, in 1973, the National 
Baseball Hall of Fame held a special election for Roberto Clemente, who 
had died on New Year's Eve while attempting to deliver supplies to 
earthquake victims in Nicaragua. He was the first Latino elected to 
Baseball's Hall of Fame. In celebrating this milestone, my dear friend 
Mr. Luis Rodriguez Mayoral wrote a very fitting tribute to Clemente 
that is posted on the National Baseball Hall of Fame's website. Mr. 
Rodriguez Mayoral has written, and continues to write extensively, on 
the long and distinguished career of Mr. Clemente.
  The National Baseball Hall of Fame gave special thanks to Luis 
Rodriguez Mayoral for his account of Roberto Clemente. After 9 years as 
a Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers official, Luis is in his 34th year 
in baseball. He is the author of five baseball books and he coordinated 
Major League Baseball's Latin American Baseball Players' Days for 25 
years. A veteran of over 2,000 MLB radio broadcasts, he has been 
honored by the Puerto Rican, Mexican and Laredo-Texas Halls of Fame.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert into the Record the 
latest tribute to Roberto Clemente by Mr. Rodriguez Mayoral, and I ask 
my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to Roberto Clemente and 
congratulating Luis Rodriguez Mayoral for a well written piece.

                            Roberto Clemente

                          (By Luis R. Mayoral)

       Early one December 1987 morning, while chatting over 
     breakfast at a golf course in Dorado, Puerto Rico, golfer Chi 
     Chi Rodriguez said of Roberto Clemente, ``If I were half of 
     the man that he was, I would say I was a very fortunate 
     man.''
       Those words impacted me so profoundly that since then I 
     began thinking of the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Famer, more 
     than ever, as an inspirational icon rather than as a superbly 
     gifted player.
       Clemente's death on December 31, 1972, provoked 
     bereavement, for I faced the reality of no longer sharing 
     precious time with a dear friend trying to ``fix'' the world, 
     while knowing that the international world of baseball had 
     forever lost a figure that personified excellence.
       Many thought of him as Latin America's Jackie Robinson in 
     search of equality for Hispanic players...but I also saw him 
     as our Joe DiMaggio, for he gave us hope with his touch of a 
     perfect hero.
       Roberto was a man of simple, yet profound words who had a 
     genuine interest in humanity.
       The last time I saw him was several days prior to his 
     untimely death while at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan. He 
     directed the collection of goods destined to earthquake 
     victims in Nicaragua.
       That afternoon, in his eyes I saw the seriousness and 
     dedication I had seen so many times while he wore a baseball 
     uniform.
       Moments before leaving the stadium, he invited me to his 
     home on New Year's Eve.
       That never came to be; as the second 1973 arrived he had 
     been dead for some two hours

[[Page E675]]

     and forty-five minutes in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean a 
     mile north of Puerto Rico. Roberto lived 38 years, 4 months 
     and 13 days. That's how long it took him to become a Hall of 
     Famer, a better person and a legend.

     

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