Deseret News Archives: Clemente recorded his 3,000th hit. It was his last MLB hit

A look back at local, national and world events in the Deseret News archives. For baseball

For baseball fans, Roberto Clemente's 3,000th career hit – on this day in 1972, the final game of the season – was indeed a poignant experience.

On September 30, 1972, Clemente and the reigning World Champion Pittsburgh Pirates hosted the New York Mets at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. Clemente, a fantastic star from Carolina, Puerto Rico, hit an impressive .311 early in the season finale. He also had 2,999 hits in his career. At that point, only ten other players had joined the 3,000-hit club, and only three – Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Stan Musial – had done so in the second half of the 20th century.

Historians say that in addition to being a world-renowned humanitarian, Clemente now had the chance to be the first Latin American ballplayer to score 3,000 goals.

On September 30, he hit a double in the fourth inning against eventual Rookie of the Year Jon Matlack, earning his 3,000th hit. Although Clemente and the Pirates made the playoffs, Major League Baseball does not count postseason statistics toward a player's career results.

Three months later, on December 31, the 38-year-old chartered a plane from his native Puerto Rico to personally deliver relief supplies to victims of an earthquake that struck on December 23 near Managua, the capital of Nicaragua .

The plane crashed into the sea shortly after take-off, claiming the lives of all on board.

Clemente was also a 15-time All-Star, four-time National League batting champion, two-time World Series champion and MVP of the 1971 World Series. In 1973, Clemente was posthumously inducted, becoming the first player from the Caribbean and Latin America to be inducted into the Hall of Fame Fame was inducted.

Clemente is a hero in his country, and rightly so. Additionally, the Roberto Clemente Award is presented each year to the player who best exemplifies the game of baseball on and off the field.

Here are some stories from the Deseret News archives about Clemente:

“All-Star Game glory will once again belong to Roberto Clemente”

“Clemente legend hovers over the games”

“Puerto Rico honors Clemente with holiday”

“Pirate Debate: Clemente or Barry Bonds?”

“Rose Jr. and Clemente Jr. form a bond to help each other advance in baseball.”

“The essence of Clemente’s bravery captured in new children’s book”