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. Roberto Clemente More Quotes by Roberto Clemente More Quotes From Roberto Clemente I want to be remembered as a ballplayer who gave all I had to give. Roberto Clemente give who remembered want I couldn't ask for better teammates, and the Pirate fans are the greatest in baseball. Roberto Clemente teammates better fans baseball 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. Roberto Clemente me you black proud 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. Roberto Clemente good man work father Look at my skin - I am not of the white people. Roberto Clemente i-am look white people 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.' Roberto Clemente down day dog hot Pitch me outside, I will hit .400. Pitch me inside, and you will not find the ball. Roberto Clemente inside will me you 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. Roberto Clemente be-happy bad me happy I would like to get 3,000 hits. Roberto Clemente hits would get like It's not a bad ball if I can hit it. Roberto Clemente hit ball bad i-can 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 every-day loved day game 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 know ready young way 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. Roberto Clemente she mother home today 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. Roberto Clemente award win mind time 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. Roberto Clemente wait kid see play Brooklyn was a famous team. I wanted to play for the Dodgers. Roberto Clemente famous brooklyn team play 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. Roberto Clemente good me money work I know it was a special day to have all his brothers on that team that day, and I knew it was a special moment because that meant (minority players) had arrived. Roberto Clemente I grew up with people who really had to struggle to live. Roberto Clemente
