On October 14 2011, the students of Richard Stockton College had the unique privilege of attending the Pop Lloyd Symposium located in the Performing Arts Center. The events purpose was to pay tribute to the late Roberto Clemente, and also to show the effects that sports and athletes have on the world around them. The guest speaker was a Puerto Rican man who has been involved with Major League baseball for years, and he was lucky enough to be able to meet Roberto Clemente. It was clear from the beginning of his speech that the speaker admired Clemente’s tremendous athletic ability, but more importantly he admired his character and heart. Clemente was described as a man who understood that his god given abilities meant more than baseball fame. The speaker describes how Clemente believed in his heart that his true purpose on the earth was to make a difference in the world by helping others and by serving the fans that gave him the great opportunity to play professional baseball while excelling in a league that still hadn’t quite accepted minorities. It was noted in the speech that although many people did not accept Clemente’s Puerto Rican background, they appreciated the way that he played the game. Clemente played the game the way it was meant to be. He went out everyday, played hard, and left everything on the field because he not only loved baseball, but also understood what he meant to the fans.
Aside from baseball, the guest speaker also described Clemente as being a true humanitarian. He took pride in his Puerto Rican roots and often times, went over to Puerto Rico to do community service and make donations. Along with his international help, Clemente eased the pain of people around him with his chiropractic skills. The speaker told the audience of Clemente’s plans to become a chiropractor, something many people don’t know about him, even building a small office by his house.
After attending the Pop Lloyd Symposium, I was taught more about Roberto Clemente the person, not the baseball player. The speaker’s anecdotes reminded me of the meaning of sports. They are meant to build character and it was quite apparent that in this unique case, I think it was Clemente that actually added character to the game of baseball. I learned that he was a good human being first, and a world-class athlete second. It amazes me that so many people reach their ultimate dream playing in the Major Leagues, but to Clemente, baseball was only a small portion of what he wanted in life. Roberto Clemente had a much larger dream for the United States, Puerto Rico, and all humans in general. Unfortunately, I learned that his dream was cut short by a plane crash in 1972 on his way to provide earthquake relief.
Meeting Clemente’s son was not only a unique honor; it was a chance for me to get a glimpse of Roberto Clemente himself. By looking at his son, I understood the joke about Roberto’s large hands and stature. I honestly felt like I was in the presence of a humble human being. He was aware of his father’s legacy, but he chose to speak more about the foundation that they created and not his father. It proved to me that Luis Clemente planned on carrying out his father’s dream, and not to stand in the spotlight of his name. I gained more respect for the Clemente family and their name by attending the symposium because I saw a family that was raised with good morals, athletic ability, modesty, intelligence, and the incredible determination to make a difference. I respect Roberto Clemente as a baseball player, but I admire him as a person.