The Charitable Work of Vera and Roberto Clemente

When the baseball humanitarian perished, his wife carried on in his name.

by Rich Watson

Roberto Clemente was not only a superstar player for the Pirates, but for Latin American fans in general. The Puerto Rican right fielder won a National League MVP award, four batting titles, twelve Gold Gloves and two World Series rings over an eighteen-year career.

In 1964, he met banker Vera Zabala in San Juan. It was love at first sight. He was eager to know her because he was dogged by a premonition that he would die young. He wished to start a family soon and do whatever his god required from him.

She wasn’t interested in him at first, but his persistence wore away at her defenses and they married in November. They would remain together only a short time, though, because his premonition turned out to be correct.

Clemente stood up for his heritage 

Despite his success with the Pirates, the Pittsburgh press, in the beginning of his career, played up foreign stereotypes whenever they wrote about him and rendered his accent phonetically in print.

Clemente was undeterred. Conscious of the civil rights movement at the time, he strove to make life better for Latin people by fighting prejudice. His Puerto Rican heritage was important to him; he insisted Vera give birth to their three sons in Puerto Rico.

He wanted Puerto Ricans, particularly children, to have free access to sports facilities. He held baseball clinics for poor kids and played in charity games. As an Eastern Airlines spokesman in 1972, he could more easily travel to Latin countries that needed the most financial help.

The Nicaraguan earthquake 

On December 23, 1972, an earthquake hit the city of Managua, in Nicaragua, on a level that killed thousands and shattered the infrastructure.

Clemente led a relief effort from Puerto Rico. Believing the Nicaraguan National Guard was selling relief supplies, he personally boarded a cargo plane on New Year’s Eve over the protests of Vera and others, due to the bad weather.

Not long after take-off, the plane went down off the coast. Clemente’s body was never found. He was only 38.

MLB quickly honored Clemente’s legacy

Normally the Baseball Hall of Fame requires a five-year waiting period before a player becomes eligible for induction. This was waived in March 1973 for Clemente and he was elected by an overwhelming margin.

The annual Commissioner’s Award, which honors ballplayers who exemplify community service as well as sportsmanship and teamwork, was renamed for Clemente. “Roberto Clemente Day” is held every year on his birthday, August 18.

The Pirates retired his uniform number, 21, in April 1973. In 1994 a statue of him was erected. It stands outside PNC Park, the Pirates’ current home, where the right field wall is twenty-one feet high. In addition, the Roberto Clemente Bridge is near the stadium.

Vera continued Roberto’s work

Prior to her own death in 2019, Vera Clemente picked up where her husband left off. In 1973 President Nixon presented the Congressional Gold Medal to her on behalf of Roberto. She would also accept the Presidential Medal of Freedom for him in 2003 from President Bush.

She became a baseball ambassador, helping to choose the Clemente Award every year. She also became the chair of the Roberto Clemente Foundation, whose mission is “to promote positive change and community engagement” by following the example set by its namesake.

Vera’s greatest contribution to her husband’s legacy may be Ciudad Deportiva Roberto Clemente, a sports complex established by Vera in Carolina, Puerto Rico, Roberto’s hometown.

“Sports City” covers over three hundred acres, donated by the Puerto Rican government. It includes a baseball stadium, football and soccer fields, a swimming pool, tennis courts and a track. 

Over the years, kids have used the facility to help get a regular education as well as a sports one. The facility was damaged by Hurricane Maria in 2017 and is in the process of recovering.

Vera as an All-Star

At the 1982 All-Star Game, held in Montreal, Vera made history as the first woman to be named captain of a MLB All-Star team. She represented the National League team, who beat the American League squad 4-1. She was captain of the NL team again in 1998 (the AL won this time, 13-8 in Colorado).

Vera is missed as much as Roberto

The outpouring of grief over Vera’s passing at 78 was almost as great as when her husband died.

Pirates owner Bob Nutting said she “epitomized grace, dignity and strength in the wake of heartbreaking tragedy and loss.” Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred stated “she led the way in welcoming players to the fraternity of Roberto Clemente Award winners, the single most prestigious off-the-field honor in our game.”

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Did you see Roberto Clemente play?