Roberto Clemente Puerto Rico

About Roberto Clemente early years in Puerto Rico. Roberto was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico to Melchor Clemente and Luisa Walker. He was the youngest of seven siblings, having five brothers and one sister.

During his childhood, Don Melchor worked as foreman of the sugar crops located in the municipality. The family’s resources were limited and Roberto had to work to earn money; this work included delivering milk cans to the family’s neighbors.

Clemente demonstrated interest in baseball early in his life and would often play against neighboring barrios. He studied in Vizcarondo High School, a public school located in Carolina. During his first year in high school, he was recruited by Roberto Marin to play softball with the Sello Rojo team; Marin had taken interest in Clemente when he saw him playing baseball in Barrio San Anton. He was with the team two years, playing shortstop.

Clemente joined Puerto Rico’s amateur league when he was sixteen years old; while there, he played for the Ferdinand Juncos team, which represented the municipality of Juncos.

Roberto Clemente Wikipedia