Should MLB Retire Clemente's Number

Charles I. Guarria

6 days ago

3 min read

Should the late Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Roberto Clemente’s uniform number 21 be retired across baseball in the same fashion that Jackie Robinson’s has been?

It’s a question that annually sweeps the baseball landscape on and around Roberto Clemente Day, Sept. 15.

This year was no different. However, an interesting thing happened during my research for this piece. The information I seeked didn’t come crashing across my computer screen like a wave hitting Domes Beach in Rincón.

The small sample size response from my followers indicated a resounding no to a league-wide retirement of Clemente’s number. “I don't believe so,” wrote Ed Kisko from Connecticut. “He was a great man, a great player, and his number is retired in Pittsburgh.”

The most cited poll on the topic is a 2017 ESPN Poll in which near 75% of the approximately 23,000 respondents said yes to the idea of retiring his number.

Clemente played with the Pirates from 1955 until his untimely death in 1972. During those 18 years, he collected 12 Gold Gloves, was a 15-time All-Star, won the MVP in 1966, enjoyed two World Series wins (1960 and 1971), had a .317 batting average a 130 OPS+, and was known for his great arm in right field. He played 97.26% of his 2,370 games in right field. And though he came to the majors eight years after Robinson did, Clemente, a black Puerto Rican, still had a boatload of racism to deal with.

His number was retired by the Pirates on Opening Day, April 6, 1973, at Three Rivers Stadium, just months after Clemente passed at the age of 38 in a New Year's Eve 1972 plane crash. He was on the plane to deliver emergency aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. The plane took off from the same city he was born in, Carolina, Puerto Rico, crashing one mile off the coast.

As for me, I am The Opinion Guy; however, on this topic, I will take a bye. I am fine either way.

**ESPN ranked Jackie Robinson as the 30th-best player of all time and Roberto Clemente as the 18th-best.**

Congratulations All Around The Baseball World

Philadelphia Phillie Zach Wheeler spun a beauty, helping the Phillies to a 6-4 win against Milwaukee on Tuesday evening. Wheels set a new Phillies franchise record by striking out the first seven batters he faced, totaling 11 Ks over his five and two-thirds innings pitched, passing 2000 and exiting the game with a total of 2,008.

Will the city of Angels have two baseball champions? It is up to the Dodgers to make that happen, as the Los Angeles Queens are the first Women’s Pro Baseball League Champions. I will add that the WPBL made a big mistake having their games on ESPN+, a non-free platform. A new league expecting fans to pay to watch is a stretch.

The Opinion Guy tips his cap to Washington Nationals middle infielder Nasim Nunez on becoming the Nat’s single-season stolen-base record holder when he stole number 48 on Wednesday evening. He enters today’s play with 49 stolen bases.

Happy retirement to one of the best broadcasters in all of sports, New York Mets' Howie Rose.

The Opinion Guy Power Five

This is the final The Opinion Guy Power Five of the season. It is a composite of fans, coach, major sports media outlets for the best teams' rankings and news. The Chance to win WS is Fangraphs' data. Stay tuned for a ranking of each league's playoff teams.

**Charles I. Guarria is The Opinion Guy**

Charles I. Guarria is an author, blogger, reporter and former streaming host based in the state of Florida, USA, covering any topic, anywhere in the world. His career began in 2009. Mr. Guarria is a three-time winner of Emerald Group Publishing’s Highly Commended Award amd is available for hire to write, research, or beta-read.