Roberto Clemente 1959 Timeline

This is the 1959 installment in a chronology of memorable moments in the professional career of Roberto Clemente.

__ Apr 17 __ Clemente vs. Pizarro, PART THREE: Left Hanging

After his 8th-inning, game-tying solo shot, Clemente has countryman Juan Pizarro right where he wants him – namely, ahead 0-2 in the count and thus poised to give up what's threatening to become an annual occurrence: i.e. a game-winning home run to Roberto. Alas, that's precisely the point at which the skies open, bringing the tense confrontation to an abrupt and extremely unsatisfying conclusion, no resolution possible as the game will ultimately have to be replayed in its entirety.

__ Apr 25 __ Spectacular – and Prototypical – Play Courtesy of 'Carlos' Hustle

Aggressive base-running erases Philly's recently acquired 2-0 lead:

"The most spectacular play was Clemente's run scoring dash from first base on Burgess's sharp single to right in the third. That brought in Bill Virdon, who also had singled, from second ahead of the throw to catcher Jim Hegan. Hegan then tried to pick Burgess off after he rounded first base. Second baseman Sparky Anderson took the throw, couldn't get Burgess and then tried unsuccessfully to nail the speedy Clemente at the plate.”

__ Apr 29 __ Mays vs. Momen: Tape-Measure Triple Triggers Game-Winning Rally Redux

Reminiscent of that May 6, 1955 "430-foot triple" "so far over Mays’ head that even Willie on his charger, shedding the cap, couldn’t catch it," RC once again gets one over Willie's head in midst of decisive three-run rally.

"This started with a triple off the bricks in center by Bob Clemente.”

__ May 02 __ When Doubles Don't Get it Done, Deliver a Walk-Off Single Instead

"Right-fielder Roberto Clemente, who cracked out two doubles earlier in the game, delivered a bases-loaded single in the ninth inning to give the Pirates a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.”

__ May 09 __ RC vs. RG: Two Triples Including 420-to-440-Footer "near the monument"

Again showing no mercy to fellow Puerto Ricans, at least those standing on pitching mounds:

"The Pirates moved into the lead in the first inning when Clemente hit the first of his two triples and scored on Smoky Burgess’ sacrifice fly... Gomez kept the game tight until the big seventh when with two out, Clemente connected for his second triple and started a four-run scoring spree.” "Clemente's second three-bagger was a long shot near the monument."

__ May 11 __ Mays vs. Momen: Momen Makes His Bid For... The Roberto Clemente Award?

Albeit not as dramatically as Mays had done at Forbes Field almost one year earlier on May 25, 1958, Clemente likewise endears himself to opposition fans via extra-curricular activity:

"The shivering fans in the stands took their hands out of their pockets to applaud Roberto Clemente for a small, but at the same time very large, sympathetic act. During batting practice, a little boy in the right-field stands was hit in the arm by a line drive. He then hid among the seats to have his little cry. Clemente retrieved the ball and gave it away, his thanks coming in a puddle of tears."

__ May 12 __ Mays vs. Momen: Nice Win Becomes Near Nightmare

After RC singles and scores insurance run in 8th, Mays doubles to spark game-tying rally. In 12th, RC tries again, this time driving in insurance run. Said insurance will ultimately prove necessary only because of three consecutive Buc boo-boos, first two courtesy of RC himself:

"In the Giant 12th, Jim Davenport led off with a single and went to second on Clemente's wild throw. Willie Mays singled to right and Davenport scored, with Mays taking second on Clemente's second error.”

To make the nightmare almost complete, Don Hoak throws in another error for good measure before Daryl Spencer bails out Bucs with infield pop fly.

__ May 17 __ Clemente's Longest Ever? It's Got Some Big Time Backers

5th-inning sac fly breaks 2-2 tie. Two-out, 9th-inning, bases-empty blast leaves Bucs one run short, but also just happens to be one of only two batted balls in twentieth century to almost hit Chicago’s Wrigley Field scoreboard, itself close to 500 feet from home plate; other near-miss was by Cubs' Bill Nicholson in 1948. Actually, if I may digress briefly, that should read 'one of only two batted base-balls.' Chicago's 1951 home opener was in fact preceded by golf legend Sam Snead's successful assault on otherwise unassailable barrier . Getting back to baseball, following Snead/Wrigley's crowd-pleasing stunt by exactly eight years and one month, RC's 500-plus-foot shot to dead center is:

• 1) Longest home run Ernie Banks ever saw at Wrigley Field:

"Some of you fans may remember the ball he knocked out of Wrigley a few seasons ago, just to the left field side of the scoreboard. That’s the longest one I’ve seen hit there and we all agreed it must have traveled more than 500 feet on its trip into Waveland Avenue."

• 2) Longest home run Rogers Hornsby – and Cubs' manager Bob Scheffing – ever saw anywhere:

"Rogers Hornsby, the Cubs' batting coach, said it was the longest he had ever witnessed and Bob Scheffing agreed it was No. 1 in his book."

• 3) Longest – and hardest hit – home run Cubs' broadcaster Jack Brickhouse ever saw anywhere (contrasted in this instance with famously wind-blown blast by Dave Kingman):

"Another example is a supposedly 630-foot blast that then Chicago Cub Dave Kingman hit at Wrigley Field in 1979.^✱ Retired Cub sportscaster Jack Brickhouse, who saw this home run, revealed that the ball was greatly helped by a strong wind of about 35 miles per hour. Brickhouse estimated Kingman's blast in reality went about 500 feet. In fact, Brickhouse stated Kingman's drive was not the longest ball he had ever seen. A 500-foot blast by the late Roberto Clemente remains the hardest hit ball Brickhouse has seen which was unaided by the wind. This is not meant to diminish Jackson's or Kingman's tremendous drives, only to demonstrate that a powerful wind can carry a ball an extra 150 to 200 feet."

^✱ Brickhouse appears to be confusing Kingman's home run of May 17, 1979 with an almost identical, similarly wind-aided shot launched on April 14, 1976 (when Kingman was a New York Met), beneficiary of the infamous 100-foot-long typo by the New York Times. In any event, veteran ballhawk Rich Buhrke confirms that the '76 and '79 shots were virtually identical in distance.

• 3A) Quoted directly in 1989, Brickhouse—who'd covered the Cubs from 1948 to 1981—leaves nothing to interpretation:

"Clemente's was the longest I ever saw at Wrigley; longer than Kingman's. That's the one I'll always remember."

__ May 20 thru July 08 __ RC Sidelined with Elbow Injury

In a game against the Cardinals on May 19, Clemente injures his right elbow.

"The Puerto Rican lasted three innings last night as the Cardinals beat the Pirates, 8 - 2, retiring in favor of Roman Mejias after making an underhanded throw while pitcher Larry Jackson waltzed from first to third on an ordinary single in the third inning. Clemente complained of pains in the right elbow in Chicago but X-rays taken there failed to reveal anything wrong. Clemente says he injured the arm making a sliding catch in Los Angeles and simply aggravated an old ailment."

Pittsburgh's banged-up ball hawk will not return to the starting lineup until July 9, making only two cameo appearances – as a pinch-runner on May 24 and as a defensive replacement on July 5 – in the interim.

_ July 09 __ Back Among the Living, Helps Face Get 18th Straight

Fresh off DL, Robby helps Roy Face get his 18th consecutive victory.

"Roberto Clemente, on the disabled list with a sore elbow since May 25, returned and started the Pirates' 10th inning rally with a single to left. Roman Mejias sacrificed Clemente to second and he scored from there on Bright's single.”

_ July 12 __ Walk-Off Single Off Right Field Wall Extends Face to 19

RC's walk-off wall-banger makes it 19 straight for Face:

"The Pirates won their 12th of 13 extra-inning games when Roberto Clemente smashed a hit off the right-field wall with the bases filled in the 10th.”

_ July 18 __ Mays vs. Momen: Roberto Begins / Willie Wins

Clemente nearly brings Giant starter Eddie Fisher’s day – not to mention his life – to an abrupt end in the first inning, adding insult to injury with constant annoyance on the bases. Mays, however, takes matters into his own hands in the end:

"An infield single by leadoff man Roberto Clemente rocked Fisher back on his heels in that first inning. Clemente then swiped second and continued on to third on catcher Jim Hegan’s wild throw into centerfield. When Fisher walked Dick Groat behind Clemente, the Giant bullpen exploded into action. Fisher nailed Bob Skinner on a deep fly to left field. Then came Stuart, the San Carlos executioner, with a first-pitch blast over the left-field wall and over a tall stand of trees beyond, and Fisher appeared to have had it. But manager Bill Rigney stayed with Eddie and his confidence brought rich rewards.

"[Pirate starter] Harvey Haddix, ultimately to strike out nine, bagged four of them in the first three hitless innings, then lost both his no-hitter and his no-runner. Mays banged a two-bagger in the fourth and fled home when shortstop Dick Groat missed Orlando Cepeda’s grounder for an error.

" Bressoud opened the fifth with a 410-foot home run, his third of the year and second off Haddix. Harvey had a three-hitter going into the eighth. He came out of it with his seventh defeat.

"[With one] out, Jimmy Davenport singled to left. Groat made a thrilling backhanded stab of Felipe Alou’s grounder to the right of shortstop to force Davenport at second and there were two away. Mays sent the next pitch downtown for his 15th home run. Then it was up to the 20-year-old McCormick to make Willie’s drive count for something.

"Another infield single by Clemente got Mike in trouble to start off the eighth, when Cepeda fumbled Groat’s sacrifice for an error. Clemente fled to third. But Mike got Skinner to foul out, retired Stuart on a blazing fastball for a called third strike and wiped out pinch-hitter Harry Bright on a routine pop to Bressoud."

_ Aug 04 __ 436-to-457-Foot Triple Furnishes Final Line

Robby's RBI's? First and final.

"Bob Skinner led off the game with a double and moved to third on an infield grounder. Roberto Clemente’s sacrifice fly scored Skinner.” “Groat's single and Clemente's triple to left-center off Lindy McDaniel fashioned the seventh and final run." "Groat romped home on Clemente’s scorching triple to the centerfield wall.”

_ Aug 12 __ "I Wish I'd Thrown the Ball As Hard As He Hit It."

Such was Robin Roberts' melancholy memory of this two-out, 7th-inning, bases-clearing, game-winning triple to left center.

_ Aug 17 __ Back To Reality aka Forbes Field

One day before his 25th birthday and three months to the day after his historically humongous Wrigley Field blast to dead center, the foolhardy star-in-waiting launches a merely normal home-run-sized blast to the middle of the field in the not so 'friendly confines' of his own home park:

“Rarely has a pitcher been cuffed around so hard during three no-hit innings as was Hillman, but his outfielders were nimble, catching first-inning drives hit by Skinner and Clemente that would have been home runs in most parks.”

_ Aug 28 __ 440 to 450-foot IPHR

Over Ashburn's head, off "the dead centerfield wall on one bounce," this booming, bases-empty blast touches off two-out, game-breaking rally. Its direction is more precisely pegged as "to the flagpole in center field," in other words, to the deepest part of Forbes Field, i.e. the 457-foot mark at least 40 feet to the left of dead center.