Honoring Roberto Clemente

Ask any Pirates fan who "The Great One" is, and they'll always say "Roberto Clemente." One of the most revered baseball players in the world, Roberto Clemente played his entire major league career with the Pittsburgh Pirates - before his untimely death in a plane crash while on a humanitarian mission to Nicaragua on New Year's Eve in 1972. Tonight, the Great One was honored at the 77th MLB All-Star Game with the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award, presented to his wife, Vera Clemente.

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig presented the award during tonight's All-Star Game, saying: "The Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award is presented to a player or former player who has made an enormous historical impact on the game of baseball. Roberto Clemente has done that. Roberto was a legend not only in Pittsburgh, not only in the Latin American community, but he was a legend - and still is - throughout America and around the world."

"He was truly one of the game's all-time great players. A Hall of Famer with 3000 hits. A .317 lifetime batting average. 14 All-Star Game appearances. 12 consecutive Golden Glove Awards. And named the 1971 World Series Most Valuable Player."

"More importantly, Roberto Clemente was and always will be remembered for his wonderful humanitarian efforts. Roberto Clemente was taken from his wife, Vera, his children, and from all of us much too young, while escorting a planeload of emergency supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua on December 31, 1972. Roberto was a hero in every sense of the term. He was idolized by fans here in Pittsburgh and throughout America. Roberto will be remembered as long as the game of baseball is played."

Roberto Clemente is definitely remembered in Pittsburgh. The right-field wall at PNC Park is 21 feet high, in memory of Clemente's No. 21. The bridge which leads from downtown Pittsburgh to the park was renamed the Roberto Clemente Bridge. And a life-sized statue of Clemente stands outside the ballpark, with other Pittsburgh legends Honus Wagner and Willie Stargell.

The only thing that could have made this most deserving honor better, would have been for Roberto Clemente, who would now be age 71, to step onto the field and wave as he received the award in person.