The league-wide retirement is Jackie’s honor and Jackie’s alone.
There are numerous other ways Clemente can be honored.
NJthecollector
That’s my skipper
DryAfternoon7779
Name the gold glove award after him. Universal Retirement should be reserved for Jackie.
Distinct_Frame_3711
Do we not realize that retiring more numbers makes it less significant? Clemente was a great person and a great player. Literally the only jersey I have that isn’t team. He didn’t do anything ridiculously ground breaking. He wasn’t the first Latino player he was the first Latino superstar (not first All Star even) Once you focus on just a guy who was a solid guy you have a lot of other numbers you could argue. Babe Ruth was very outspoken to integration so we should retire his number. Probably Gehrig too for that matter.
So on and so forth.
How many of you know about Roger Brenshaw? Joe Tinker? Pie Traynor? We forget about so many HoFers and by throwing many numbers out there the luster of Jackie’s will have less shine.
Keep it just Jackie please.
OceanPoet87
Jackie Robinson did something beyond the game. So did Clemente. I’m still torn if it diminishes what Jackie did or complements it. Either way, Clemente was under appreciated in his day.
When people ask why 42 is retired, you talk about his integration of the game and what a huge impact it had on American culture as a whole.
notaquarterback
yes we know this comes up all the time. It’s not the same as Jackie. Also, they never should’ve stopped people from wearing 42. Hang it in every stadium, but don’t ban it where it’s already retired.
Selig was atoning for the fact they’ve killed baseball for young people, and RBI and Urban Academies aren’t filling the void. Ironic that we’ve already dried up investment in Puerto Rican baseball thanks to the draft.
Baseball ought to finding the next Jackies and Robertos.
Jackie’s retired number is more symbolic of baseball’s original sin, not saying Jackie was only important to Black baseball fans/players. Roberto is a baseball icon, but it’s a different thing.
Docphilsman
I think MLB should have a day of service in memory of clemente instead of a number retirement. Have a day with no games where all the players go out and do charity/volunteer work within their communities. He died while working to provide aid to his community, I think it would be a great way to honor his legacy by continuing that work. It would also be amazing PR for the league to have these guys out visibly helping people across the country. That way, he and Robinson both have their own unique and special days and nobody feels the need to compare the two
Bug-03
The Clemente award is prestigious and exemplifies exactly who he was as a player and what he should be remembered for.
TedStrikersAnxiety
21 for Sosa*
Kenny_Heisman
I agree too. I don’t think being *one of two* numbers to be retired league-wise would diminish Jackie Robinson at all, and Clemente definitely deserves it
12 Comments
Wait I thought we already did this?
Absolutely should be
100% disagree.
The league-wide retirement is Jackie’s honor and Jackie’s alone.
There are numerous other ways Clemente can be honored.
That’s my skipper
Name the gold glove award after him. Universal Retirement should be reserved for Jackie.
Do we not realize that retiring more numbers makes it less significant? Clemente was a great person and a great player. Literally the only jersey I have that isn’t team. He didn’t do anything ridiculously ground breaking. He wasn’t the first Latino player he was the first Latino superstar (not first All Star even) Once you focus on just a guy who was a solid guy you have a lot of other numbers you could argue. Babe Ruth was very outspoken to integration so we should retire his number. Probably Gehrig too for that matter.
So on and so forth.
How many of you know about Roger Brenshaw? Joe Tinker? Pie Traynor? We forget about so many HoFers and by throwing many numbers out there the luster of Jackie’s will have less shine.
Keep it just Jackie please.
Jackie Robinson did something beyond the game. So did Clemente. I’m still torn if it diminishes what Jackie did or complements it. Either way, Clemente was under appreciated in his day.
When people ask why 42 is retired, you talk about his integration of the game and what a huge impact it had on American culture as a whole.
yes we know this comes up all the time. It’s not the same as Jackie. Also, they never should’ve stopped people from wearing 42. Hang it in every stadium, but don’t ban it where it’s already retired.
Selig was atoning for the fact they’ve killed baseball for young people, and RBI and Urban Academies aren’t filling the void. Ironic that we’ve already dried up investment in Puerto Rican baseball thanks to the draft.
Baseball ought to finding the next Jackies and Robertos.
Jackie’s retired number is more symbolic of baseball’s original sin, not saying Jackie was only important to Black baseball fans/players. Roberto is a baseball icon, but it’s a different thing.
I think MLB should have a day of service in memory of clemente instead of a number retirement. Have a day with no games where all the players go out and do charity/volunteer work within their communities. He died while working to provide aid to his community, I think it would be a great way to honor his legacy by continuing that work. It would also be amazing PR for the league to have these guys out visibly helping people across the country. That way, he and Robinson both have their own unique and special days and nobody feels the need to compare the two
The Clemente award is prestigious and exemplifies exactly who he was as a player and what he should be remembered for.
21 for Sosa*
I agree too. I don’t think being *one of two* numbers to be retired league-wise would diminish Jackie Robinson at all, and Clemente definitely deserves it