How old was Roberto Clemente when he died? A closer look into the tragic plane crash that took his life

Modified Feb 22, 2023 13:53 GMT

World Series - Kansas City Royals v New York Mets - Game Three — How old was Roberto Clemente when he died?

Roberto Clemente is an icon of the game of baseball and a tragedy. Not only was his life cut short in tragic and unfortunate fashion, it was a life he barely got to live. Clemente didn't even technically retire from baseball as he died before that happened.

Clemente was just 38 when a tragic plane crash took his life. He was coming off an All-Star season in which he recorded a .312 batting average. His numbers didn't look like those of a player on his way out.

The plane crash occurred on Dec. 31, 1972. This was just a few months after Clemente recorded his 3,000th hit in the Pittsburgh Pirates' final game of the season.

According to the History Channel, Clemente's plane never had a chance:

"The plane took off at 9 p.m. and the sounds of engine failure were heard as it went down the runway. It reached an altitude of only 200 feet before exploding and plunging into the ocean."

A friend of Clemente's said that was the night happiness died. Clemente, just 38 years old, had been trying to go and help deliver aid to Nicaragua but never made it there.

Ultimately, Clemente's tale is a tragedy, but it's also a cautionary one. The former Pirates outfielder didn't have a good plane to fly and the person he hired didn't let him know there was no crew.

It really seems as if this mission, as well-intentioned as it was, was doomed from the start. If only Roberto Clemente had seen that, too.

Recent Roberto Clemente award winners

After his death, MLB named their most prestigious off-field honor after him. Several iconic stars have had that honor bestowed upon them. Here are a few of the more recent winners: