This made me feel good, and I hope that it does you, as well.
https://www.delawareonline.com/picture- ... 439049001/
The Everlasting Reach of A Man
Moderators: SammyKhalifa, Doc, Bobster
-
DemDog
The Everlasting Reach of A Man
Roberto's number should be retired throughout baseball. As Lanny Frattare would say, "No Doubt About"
-
GreenWeenie
- Posts: 4012
- Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2020 3:47 pm
The Everlasting Reach of A Man
I'd support it, not knowing how retiring Jackie Robinson's number across the game came to pass. I don't know whether someone proposed it and teams voted in favor of that, or whether the commissioner more or less pressed for it.
Retiring Roberto Clemente's number across all lines would have more meaning to me if clubs were to do it voluntarily on their own rather than have it mandated or forced upon them. I would perceive their voluntary gesture as being so gracious of them rather than doing it because someone told them that they have to do it.
I bet the Orioles might do it with a few secondary thoughts. (A little humor there.)
Retiring Roberto Clemente's number across all lines would have more meaning to me if clubs were to do it voluntarily on their own rather than have it mandated or forced upon them. I would perceive their voluntary gesture as being so gracious of them rather than doing it because someone told them that they have to do it.
I bet the Orioles might do it with a few secondary thoughts. (A little humor there.)
-
Bobster21
The Everlasting Reach of A Man
46676F466D65020 wrote: Roberto's number should be retired throughout baseball. As Lanny Frattare would say, "No Doubt About"
Clemente is my all time favorite but I dislike the idea of forcing every team to retire a number he never wore for them. His number was retired by the team whose uniform he wore. That was a tribute. When a team is required to retire a number it's a mandate, not a tribute. When I look at the retired Pirate numbers, I sometimes find myself trying to remember what famous Pirate wore 42. Then I recall it's Jackie Robinson, who never wore a Pirate uniform and the Pirates were mandated to add 42 to their list of retired numbers.
If a team wants to retire 21 in Clemente's honor, that's fine. But it might seem odd to fans of other teams, especially those that didn't even exist when Clemente was living. I find it a much greater tribute when a player on another team requests 21 because they want to wear it in honor of Clemente. I remember Ruben Sierra doing that and I'm sure there have been others. IMHO, that's a heartfelt tribute to Clemente, much more so than an order from the Commissioner's office.
Clemente is my all time favorite but I dislike the idea of forcing every team to retire a number he never wore for them. His number was retired by the team whose uniform he wore. That was a tribute. When a team is required to retire a number it's a mandate, not a tribute. When I look at the retired Pirate numbers, I sometimes find myself trying to remember what famous Pirate wore 42. Then I recall it's Jackie Robinson, who never wore a Pirate uniform and the Pirates were mandated to add 42 to their list of retired numbers.
If a team wants to retire 21 in Clemente's honor, that's fine. But it might seem odd to fans of other teams, especially those that didn't even exist when Clemente was living. I find it a much greater tribute when a player on another team requests 21 because they want to wear it in honor of Clemente. I remember Ruben Sierra doing that and I'm sure there have been others. IMHO, that's a heartfelt tribute to Clemente, much more so than an order from the Commissioner's office.
-
GreenWeenie
- Posts: 4012
- Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2020 3:47 pm
The Everlasting Reach of A Man
654845545342551516270 wrote: Roberto's number should be retired throughout baseball. As Lanny Frattare would say, "No Doubt About"
Clemente is my all time favorite but I dislike the idea of forcing every team to retire a number he never wore for them. His number was retired by the team whose uniform he wore. That was a tribute. When a team is required to retire a number it's a mandate, not a tribute. When I look at the retired Pirate numbers, I sometimes find myself trying to remember what famous Pirate wore 42. Then I recall it's Jackie Robinson, who never wore a Pirate uniform and the Pirates were mandated to add 42 to their list of retired numbers.
If a team wants to retire 21 in Clemente's honor, that's fine. But it might seem odd to fans of other teams, especially those that didn't even exist when Clemente was living. I find it a much greater tribute when a player on another team requests 21 because they want to wear it in honor of Clemente. I remember Ruben Sierra doing that and I'm sure there have been others. IMHO, that's a heartfelt tribute to Clemente, much more so than an order from the Commissioner's office.
Another exceptional point, Ster! I was tempted to write about something I heard on MLBNR last week on JRD:
A current player (can't remember who, but it was someone from Puerto Rico, I think.)
They were discussing the issue of retiring Roberto Clemente's number, etc. and he said that there are players who think of Roberto Clemente as "theirs" or "the Pirates", and that they felt that wearing his number was showing so much respect for his memory. So, I can see that.
My opinion doesn't matter. While I think of Roberto Clemente as "ours" (Pirates fans,) I'm willing to share, too. He's not just ours. He's everyone's, in my opinion. To be willing to lose your life while trying to help someone else in need is a "universal" quality.
Clemente is my all time favorite but I dislike the idea of forcing every team to retire a number he never wore for them. His number was retired by the team whose uniform he wore. That was a tribute. When a team is required to retire a number it's a mandate, not a tribute. When I look at the retired Pirate numbers, I sometimes find myself trying to remember what famous Pirate wore 42. Then I recall it's Jackie Robinson, who never wore a Pirate uniform and the Pirates were mandated to add 42 to their list of retired numbers.
If a team wants to retire 21 in Clemente's honor, that's fine. But it might seem odd to fans of other teams, especially those that didn't even exist when Clemente was living. I find it a much greater tribute when a player on another team requests 21 because they want to wear it in honor of Clemente. I remember Ruben Sierra doing that and I'm sure there have been others. IMHO, that's a heartfelt tribute to Clemente, much more so than an order from the Commissioner's office.
Another exceptional point, Ster! I was tempted to write about something I heard on MLBNR last week on JRD:
A current player (can't remember who, but it was someone from Puerto Rico, I think.)
They were discussing the issue of retiring Roberto Clemente's number, etc. and he said that there are players who think of Roberto Clemente as "theirs" or "the Pirates", and that they felt that wearing his number was showing so much respect for his memory. So, I can see that.
My opinion doesn't matter. While I think of Roberto Clemente as "ours" (Pirates fans,) I'm willing to share, too. He's not just ours. He's everyone's, in my opinion. To be willing to lose your life while trying to help someone else in need is a "universal" quality.
The Everlasting Reach of A Man
I've said it once, I've said it 100 times before:
42 was retired, and should remain a unique occurrence. Retiring 21 throughout all of baseball just seems too copy cat, too low hanging of fruit.
I say they name the World Series trophy after him. Commissioner's trophy is so generic.
42 was retired, and should remain a unique occurrence. Retiring 21 throughout all of baseball just seems too copy cat, too low hanging of fruit.
I say they name the World Series trophy after him. Commissioner's trophy is so generic.
-
GreenWeenie
- Posts: 4012
- Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2020 3:47 pm
The Everlasting Reach of A Man
I don't see that happening. They already have the Roberto Clemente Award, and it ranks up there with the other highly-respected ones, I would think. They won't name some "trophy" after him, too.