Roberto Clemente 1962 Timeline

This is the 1962 installment in a chronology of memorable moments in the professional career of Roberto Clemente.

__ Apr 06 __ Winding up Spring With a Bang

“Roberto Clemente, the National League batting champion, belted two homers into the distant centerfield bleachers.”

__ Apr 10 __ Opening Day Game-Winning Grand Slam

RC picks up where he left off – both last season and this spring:

“Clemente brought an opening day crowd of 28,813 Forbes Field fans to its feet in the third inning by lofting one of losing pitcher Jim Owens’ deliveries over the left-centerfield wall at a spot 406 feet from home plate.”

__ Apr 16 __ First-Inning BooBoo, Fifth-Inning Bomb

All – or at least 1st-inning flub – is forgiven following 5th-inning, 3-run blast out of Wrigley Field, putting Pittsburgh up by one, en route to 6-5 win:

"Roberto poled a Hobbie fastball against the wind into the left-center bleachers over the 360-foot mark."

So wrote the Jack Hernon of the Post-Gazette, helpful regarding direction, but on distance, somewhat lacking, mistaking the 368 for 360, and missing the fact, noted by Cubs beat writer, A.S. 'Doc' Young, that:

"The big blow was Bob Clemente’s three-run homer over the left field fence into Waveland Avenue."

__ May 10 __ 400-Plus-Foot 'Insurance' to Left Center

And that's precisely what this prodigious, 8th-inning solo shot seems when it lands in the laps of the left-center 'bleacher creatures' of Milwaukee County Stadium:

"Roberto Clemente ripped a homer into the left-center seats in the eighth and it appeared the Braves were doomed."

But, as it turns out, while it takes 400-plus feet in the top of the eighth to expand Pittsburgh's margin from 2 runs to 3, in the bottom of that frame it'll take exactly 325 feet down the left field line to erase that margin entirely:

"Earl Francis took a handsome 3-0 lead into the eighth inning and never looked better. He retired the first two batters, then came his third walk, a single and boom - a three-run homer that barely dropped over the 323-foot mark in left field by left-handed hitting Mack Jones."

But the Braves' work is not done. It will take one more wind-aided 330-footer to put Pittsburgh out of its misery. And, although the Pirate starter has delivered a goodly number of pitches in the process of losing this lead, bullpen ace Elroy Face will be mercifully concise in his game-ending effort:

"Face threw a strike and Bolling hit the next pitch almost to the same spot over the left-field fence near the foul line with a favoring wind helping it along."

__ Jun 02 __ RC HR Almost Reaches FF's Right-Field Roof

Aside from digging Houston a quick 3-run hole (an advantage which Pirate starter Vernon Law will not relinquish), Clemente's tremendous opposite-field moon shot nearly makes Forbes Field history (even as it both echoes and foreshadows respective RC "longest" wrong-field blasts of August 30, 1960 and July 23, 1969):

''Roberto Clemente almost made history Saturday - missing by a foot or so of being the first right-handed batter to hit a ball to the right field roof. Clemente's homer in the first inning landed against the facing of the right field roof, a tremendous blast as it was.”

Fortunately for us, Roberto's talkative ex-manager Bobby Bragan just happens to be employed by Houston at this time and, in this capacity, is situated in the visiting bullpen (in foul territory down the right field line), well situated to witness Clemente's handiwork. Here's his account, as told to Les Biederman:

"The ball was within a foot or so of landing on top of the roof and perhaps two or three feet in fair territory. It probably was the longest ball ever hit to that field by a right-handed batter.”

__ Jun 15 __ "Aaron and Clemente each hit grand slams...

... but it was Clemente’s that ignited a seven-run rally in the eighth for a 9-8 Pirate victory.” "Clemente hit a 3-1 serve into the right-center seats for his grand slam and now the Braves led by 8 to 6.”

__ Jun 23 __ Roberto's Defense Makes a Big Difference

"A glaring difference in the mileage the two clubs got from distance pokes to right-center field also figured in the Cubs’ tale of defeat. [Cubs’ right fielder George] Altman was unable to get back for Virdon’s triple in the first inning – a blow which was followed by an infield single by Dick Groat. But in the eighth inning, Lou Brock sent a drive even deeper to right center, and this one went for naught when the amazing Clemente raced to the wall and pulled it down somewhere beyond 400 feet from the plate.”

__ Jun 30 __ Yet Another Rooftop Shot to Right from RC

Reprise of last season's May 27 roof-reacher, but, unlike that forlorn solo shot, only ever so briefly forestalling one ugly St. Louis massacre, this three-run Busch Stadium blast puts Pitt up by 8:

"Skinner’s [bases-loaded] skimmer went through Javier, but was ruled a hit, giving Julie the benefit of the doubt in the mud. Clemente gave the Cards no such benefit when he followed with a three-run drive to the pavilion roof.”

__ July 20 __ Mays – and Mac – vs. Momen – minus M.D.

Mays and McCovey overpower Pirates with assist from Pittsburgh's very own fifth column, Dr. Strangeglove.

"Law was not around long. Hiller led off with a single and Davenport forced him. Mays then hit a line drive, 420-foot home run for 2-0. With two down in the third, McCovey belted a memorable shot over the left-field scoreboard. It was one of the few ever ripped into that area by a lefthander in the more than half a century existence of ivy-cloaked Forbes Field. The McCovey smash stood up for the victory, as Lamabe, Tom Sturdivant and Francis shut out the Giants on four hits until Stuart goofed in the eighth. The Bucs started to move in the fourth, when Bill Mazeroski singled home Roberto Clemente, who also contributed a dazzling throw from right field to cut down the sliding McCovey at the plate in the sixth."

_ Aug 28 __ 430-Foot Triple Triggers Corsairs' Comeback

“Clemente drove in two runs in the Pirates’ third with a triple, the ball bouncing against the monument of Barney Dreyfuss, early-day owner of the Pirates, in center field.”

This 2-out, 2-run triple shaves Pittsburgh's deficit to three, en route to a come-from-behind, 7-6 win.

_ Sep 17 __ 3rd-Inning, Opposite-Field, Upper-Deck 2-Run Shot

“Clemente’s drive into the upper right-field stands" makes it 5-0 and seals Mike McCormick's fate. Clendenon's subsequent single only puts him out of his misery.