“Proud!” That’s almost always one of the first word anyone uses in describing Roberto Clemente who was perhaps the finest right fielder in baseball history. Blessed with a cannon of an arm, Clemente won 12 consecutive Gold Gloves. A 15-time All-Star and 1966 National League Most Valuable Player, Clemente was also a threat at bat, winning four batting titles. On December 31, 1972, he died in a plane crash delivering aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. The Roberto Clemente Award, presented annually to the Major League Baseball player who “best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team,” was created in his honor. Upon his death the Hall of Fame waived the five-year wait rule to allow his immediate induction.

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