Roberto Clemente

The farther away you writers stay, the better I like it. You know why? Because you're trying to create a bad image of me... you do it because I'm black and Puerto Rican, but I'm proud to be Puerto Rican.

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.

The first day that I get to Fort Myers, there was a newspaper down there. The newspaper said, 'Puerto Rican hot dog arrives in town.'

The Dodgers told me a big bonus was no good, and they said other players would resent it. Better for me to take a small amount of money and work my way.

Brooklyn was a famous team. I wanted to play for the Dodgers.

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.

I used to watch Monte Irvin play when I was a kid. I idolized him. I used to wait in front of the ballpark just for him to pass by so I could see him.

It's not a bad ball if I can hit it.

They said you'd really have to be something to be like Babe Ruth. But Babe Ruth was an American player. What we needed was a Puerto Rican player they could say that about, someone to look up to and try to equal.

I would like to get 3,000 hits.

I couldn't ask for better teammates, and the Pirate fans are the greatest in baseball.

After I failed to win the Most Valuable Player Award in 1960, I made up my mind I'd win the batting title in 1961 for the first time.

My mother has the same kind of an arm, even today at 74. She could throw a ball from second base to home plate with something on it. I got my arm from my mother.

Look at my skin - I am not of the white people.

If I would be happy, I would be a very bad ball player. With me, when I get mad, it puts energy in my body.

I am more valuable to my team hitting .330 then swinging for home runs.

I want to be remembered as a ballplayer who gave all I had to give.

To the people here, we are outsiders. Foreigners.

I am convinced that God wanted me to be a baseball player.

I was born to play baseball.

My father used to say, 'I want you to be a good man; I want you to learn how to work. And I want you to be a serious person.' I grew up with that in my mind.

But some people act like they think I live in the jungle someplace.

Pitch me outside, I will hit .400. Pitch me inside, and you will not find the ball.

If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth.

Baseball has been very good to me.