Roberto Clemente and the Pirates

Last night, I was in Pittsburgh to see the Pirates play the Brewers. It was the BEST venue yet. Hands down.

I am not sure why, but everything clicked last night from getting to the ballpark to getting back to my hotel room and everything in between. Including an eraser on the pencil provided with the scorecard.

and the peanuts were good, too.

My dad loved baseball. He had two favorite teams; I believe. He loved the Cleveland Indians and the Pittsburgh Pirates. I think. I’ll have to go with what I think because I don’t have anyone to ask, anymore.

When I was cleaning my parent’s home in Oxford, Mississippi, I came across a World Series program for the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians) from 1954. I also saved the 1947 baseball almanac he was given for his 14th birthday. Both sit behind my desk at home.

I remember my dad being a Pirates fan, too, his parents lived in Pittsburgh and their final resting place is not far from where I am staying. I will be stopping to visit and tidy up their memorial.

Roberto Clemente statue with the Roberto Clemente bridge in the background

Roberto Clemente was one of the first Latino players to play major league baseball. His first year was 1955 and over the next seventeen seasons he was the cornerstone of the Pittsburgh Pirates on the field and off. He was killed a December 31, 1972 when his small plane crashed on takeoff while he was en route to Nicaragua to assist with earthquake relief.

I know my dad admired him and some yesterday’s visit to Pittsburgh and the game was a small way to honor my dad.

pregame photo

I am an Astros fan, but last night I adopted a new team and purchased a new jersey, yep Roberto Clemente.

Major League Baseball has an award to honor baseball players who display a commitment to community and understand the value of helping others. It was first awarded in 1971 and was named the Commissioner’s Trophy. It was renamed the Roberto Clemente Award after his death in 1973.

Below is last night’s seventh inning stretch and the ‘pierogy’ race. The Pirates fans were really into the game and the experience, one more reason that this game will be remembered.

I have two more games – tonight and Saturday. I can hardly believe it is Friday, but it is. Today is going to be an amazing day and it seems that each day gets better by a factor close to a million and six, So I’d better jump up, jump in, and seize the day. Making the Days Count, one day at a time, making a difference in all that I do.

How is your day going today?

5 thoughts on “Roberto Clemente and the Pirates

    1. Thank you. I was working on a post abut my trip to Pittsburgh Saturday morning that I couldn’t seem to finish. I have a lot more to unpack and I hope to have the post finished this week. We are sum of all of our parts and sometimes it takes time. Today is going to be an amazing day! Thank you for following along. Peace.

  1. Haha, I’m a slow learner. When I began reading, I assumed the post was going to be about a play you’d seen: ‘Pirates play the Brewers’, I only twigged when I got to the bit about the eraser and the scorecard ;). Glad you had a good evening!

    1. It was a great evening and I had fun. Many of the baseball mascots have roots in the history of the town, some don’t. I have no idea how the Pirates got their mascot. They are one of the original baseball teams and trace their beginnings back to the origins of the league in the late nineteenth century. The Brewers are relatively new coming to Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the late 1960s. They take their name from the beer brewing heritage of the region, Germans settled the area in early 1800s. Oddly, I didn’t have a beer at any of the ballparks! Probably should have!

Thanks for visiting MtDC. How are YOU Making YOUR Days Count?