WTHBALLS CUSTOM SET SPOTLIGHT: 1960S STARS OF THE GAME: ROBERTO CLEMENTE

Good day all!

On the blog today, we spotlight my 1960 "Stars of the Game" card for the great Roberto Clemente, from my 2019 custom set in WTHBALLS gelatin packaging:

I instantly knew the direction of how this set would be released, and I hope you all found it just as interesting, with deluxe packaging and special inserts! Too much fun putting this one together!

Anyway, as for the man himself, Clemente's career is the stuff of legend: His fiery play on the field, his good deeds, and his absolute adoration by teammates and fans alike.

On the field Clemente's numbers were incredible: four batting titles, five seasons batting over .340, four 200 hit seasons, 12 all-star nods, 12 Gold Gloves and a Most Valuable Player Award in 1966.

And a prime example of Clemente's importance to the game was his immediate induction into Cooperstown by special committee in 1973, waiving the standard five-year wait before a player joins the Hall ballot, as well as the establishment of the "Roberto Clemente Award", given every year to the player that exemplified "outstanding baseball playing skills who is personally involved in community work."

The man was truly something else, and I'm not even thinking of his baseball prowess.

Just special and truly one of a kind!

WTHBALLS "BASEBALL ICONS" SPECIAL SET: ROBERTO CLEMENTE

Up on the blog today, my special "Icons" custom card for "The Great One", Roberto Clemente, creating a set utilizing artwork of a players' home field as a background:

I have some pretty cool ideas of how this set will be released, and I hope you all find it just as interesting, with deluxe packaging and special inserts!

Anyway, as for the man himself, Clemente's career is the stuff of legend: His fiery play on the field, his good deeds, and his absolute adoration by teammates and fans alike.

On the field Clemente's numbers were incredible: four batting titles, five seasons batting over .340, four 200 hit seasons, 12 all-star nods, 12 Gold Gloves and a Most Valuable Player Award in 1966.

And a prime example of Clemente's importance to the game was his immediate induction into Cooperstown by special committee in 1973, waiving the standard five-year wait before a player joins the Hall ballot, as well as the establishment of the "Roberto Clemente Award", given every year to the player that exemplified "outstanding baseball playing skills who is personally involved in community work."

The man was truly something else, and I'm not even thinking of his baseball prowess.

Just special and truly one of a kind!

 

1960S ALL-DECADE TEAM: N.L. OUTFIELDER ROBERTO CLEMENTE

The first National League outfielder I've picked on my "All-1960s Decade Team" is an easy one, as are pretty much ALL outfield slots for both leagues to be honest, and today we start with the great Roberto Clemente of the Pittsburgh Pirates:

I'm sure you can also figure out who the other two outfielders for the National League will be as well!

Anyway, as for the man himself, Clemente's career is the stuff of legend: His fiery play on the field, his good deeds, and his absolute adoration by teammates and fans alike.

On the field Clemente's numbers were incredible: four batting titles, five seasons batting over .340, four 200 hit seasons, 12 all-star nods, 12 Gold Gloves and a Most Valuable Player Award in 1966.

And a prime example of Clemente's importance to the game was his immediate induction into Cooperstown by special committee in 1973, waiving the standard five-year wait before a player joins the Hall ballot, as well as the establishment of the "Roberto Clemente Award", given every year to the player that exemplified "outstanding baseball playing skills who is personally involved in community work."

The man was truly something else, and I'm not even thinking of his baseball prowess.

Just special and truly one of a kind!

"CLASSIC BASEBALL" CUSTOM WTHBALLS SET: ROBERTO CLEMENTE

Up on the blog today, a spotlight on my "Classic Baseball" custom card for "The Great One", Roberto Clemente, all-time great and true hero in a time when the term gets thrown around a bit too freely:

On the field Clemente's numbers were incredible: four batting titles, five seasons batting over .340, four 200 hit seasons, 12 all-star nods, 12 Gold Gloves and a Most Valuable Player Award in 1966.

And a prime example of Clemente's importance to the game was his immediate induction into Cooperstown by special committee in 1973, waiving the standard five-year wait before a player joins the Hall ballot, as well as the establishment of the "Roberto Clemente Award", given every year to the player that exemplified "outstanding baseball playing skills who is personally involved in community work."

The man was truly something else, and I'm not even thinking of his baseball prowess.

Just special...

As we all know, after the 1972 season, a season which saw him attain his 3000th career hit on the last at-bat of the regular season, Clemente was was killed on December 31, when the plane he was a passenger on crashed on it's way to deliver relief packages to victims of a massive earthquake in Managua, Nicaragua.

A tragic end to one of the game's greatest players of the post-war era.

It's even more tragic when you read that the only reason Clemente was on the plane in the first place was to ensure the supplies would reach their intended target, since the previous three planes full of supplies were diverted by corrupt politicians.

WTHBALLS GUM PACK CUSTOM SET: ROBERTO CLEMENTE

Good day all!

On the blogtoday, my fun Roberto Clemente mini card from my recent custom card set packaged like a pack of gum, released a few months ago:

Again, I just wanted to create a fun little mini set using the idea of a pack of gum.

As for the man himself, Clemente's career is the stuff of legend: His fiery play on the field, his good deeds, and his absolute adoration by teammates and fans alike.

On the field Clemente's numbers were incredible: four batting titles, five seasons batting over .340, four 200 hit seasons, 12 all-star nods, 12 Gold Gloves and a Most Valuable Player Award in 1966.

And a prime example of Clemente's importance to the game was his immediate induction into Cooperstown by special committee in 1973, waiving the standard five-year wait before a player joins the Hall ballot, as well as the establishment of the "Roberto Clemente Award", given every year to the player that exemplified "outstanding baseball playing skills who is personally involved in community work."

The man was truly something else, and I'm not even thinking of his baseball prowess.

Just special...

 

1960'S "IN-ACTION": 1967 ROBERTO CLEMENTE

The next card from my recent "1960s In-Action" custom set to be spotlighted here on the blog is my 1967 Roberto Clemente, a really fun "add" to the WTHBALLS stable:

 

Just a nice in-game action shot of the "Great One" that would have been an awesome addition to the classic 1967 set!

Clemente's career is the stuff of legend: His fiery play on the field, his good deeds, and his absolute adoration by teammates and fans alike.

On the field Clemente's numbers were incredible: four batting titles, five seasons batting over .340, four 200 hit seasons, 12 all-star nods, 12 Gold Gloves and a Most Valuable Player Award in 1966.

And a prime example of Clemente's importance to the game was his immediate induction into Cooperstown by special committee in 1973, waiving the standard five-year wait before a player joins the Hall ballot, as well as the establishment of the "Roberto Clemente Award", given every year to the player that exemplified "outstanding baseball playing skills who is personally involved in community work."

The man was truly something else, and I'm not even thinking of his baseball prowess.

Just special...

SPECIAL FEATURE: 1973 "MISSING" ROBERTO CLEMENTE KELLOGG'S CARD

Good day everyone.

Special card featured today on the blog, my "missing" 1973 Kellogg's Roberto Clemente tribute I had as an insert in my Series 12 set, memorializing the great man after his tragic death:

As we all know, after the 1972 season, a season which saw him attain his 3000th career hit on the last at-bat of the regular season, Clemente was was killed on December 31, when the plane he was a passenger on crashed on it's way to deliver relief packages to victims of a massive earthquake in Managua, Nicaragua.

A tragic end to one of the game's greatest players of the post-war era.

It's even more tragic when you read that the only reason Clemente was on the plane in the first place was to ensure the supplies would reach their intended target, since the previous three planes full of supplies were diverted by corrupt politicians.

Clemente's career is the stuff of legend: His fiery play on the field, his good deeds, and his absolute adoration by teammates and fans alike.

On the field Clemente's numbers were incredible: four batting titles, five seasons batting over .340, four 200 hit seasons, 12 all-star nods, 12 Gold Gloves and a Most Valuable Player Award in 1966.

And a prime example of Clemente's importance to the game was his immediate induction into Cooperstown by special committee in 1973, waiving the standard five-year wait before a player joins the Hall ballot, as well as the establishment of the "Roberto Clemente Award", given every year to the player that exemplified "outstanding baseball playing skills who is personally involved in community work."

The man was incredible, and I'm not even thinking of his baseball prowess.

Just incredible...

 

1971 "BASEBALL'S GREATEST MOMENTS" EXTENSION SET: ROBERTO CLEMENTE

Today's blog post continues on my new thread extending the checklist of my favorite Topps odd-ball set, the 1971 "Baseball's Greatest Moments" rarity, this time adding a card for the great Roberto Clemente:

 

I celebrated his fourth batting title of the decade in 1967, when he paced the league with a .357 average along with his 209 hits.

In November of 1954 the Pittsburgh Pirates made one of the all-time greatest moves when they purchased Clemente in the Rule 5 Draft, having him become one of the greatest, if not THE greatest player in franchise history.  
Clemente's career is the stuff of legend: His fiery play on the field, his good deeds, and his absolute adoration by teammates and fans alike.
On the field Clemente's numbers were incredible: four batting titles, five seasons batting over .340, four 200 hit seasons, 12 all-star nods, 12 Gold Gloves and a Most Valuable Player Award in 1966.
Throw in his 3000 hits, 1416 runs scored and 1305 runs batted in and you see how the man was a lethal threat at the plate.
And a prime example of Clemente's importance to the game was his immediate induction into Cooperstown by special committee in 1973, waiving the standard five-year wait before a player joins the Hall ballot, as well as the establishment of the "Roberto Clemente Award", given every year to the player that exemplified "outstanding baseball playing skills who is personally involved in community work."

1970 IN-GAME ACTION: ROBERTO CLEMENTE

The next legend featured in my new 1970 "In Game Action" sub-set is "The Great One", Roberto Clemente, who was already well on his way to a Hall of Fame career by the time this card would have seen the light of day:

 

In November of 1954 the Pittsburgh Pirates made one of the all-time greatest moves when they purchased Clemente in the Rule 5 Draft, having him become one of the greatest, if not THE greatest player in franchise history.  
Clemente's career is the stuff of legend: His fiery play on the field, his good deeds, and his absolute adoration by teammates and fans alike.
On the field Clemente's numbers were incredible: four batting titles, five seasons batting over .340, four 200 hit seasons, 12 all-star nods, 12 Gold Gloves and a Most Valuable Player Award in 1966.
Throw in his 3000 hits, 1416 runs scored and 1305 runs batted in and you see how the man was a lethal threat at the plate.
And a prime example of Clemente's importance to the game was his immediate induction into Cooperstown by special committee in 1973, waiving the standard five-year wait before a player joins the Hall ballot, as well as the establishment of the "Roberto Clemente Award", given every year to the player that exemplified "outstanding baseball playing skills who is personally involved in community work."
Just an amazing human being.

MINOR LEAGUE DAYS- ROBERTO CLEMENTE

The second player up in my new “Minor League Days” 1971 sub-set is the all-time great Roberto Clemente, “The Great One”,  showing him as a member of the Montreal Royals, for whom he suited up for one season in 1954 before embarking on his Hall of Famer career:

Clemente hit .257 over 87 games for Montreal as a 19-year-old, scoring 27 runs and driving in 12 with a stolen base for the Brooklyn Dodgers affiliate.
Of course, in November of 1954 the Pittsburgh Pirates made one of the all-time greatest moves when they purchased Clemente in the Rule 5 Draft, having him become one of the greatest, if not THE greatest player in franchise history.  
Clemente's career is the stuff of legend: His fiery play on the field, his good deeds, and his absolute adoration by teammates and fans alike.
On the field Clemente's numbers were incredible: four batting titles, five seasons batting over .340, four 200 hit seasons, 12 all-star nods, 12 Gold Gloves and a Most Valuable Player Award in 1966.
Throw in his 3000 hits, 1416 runs scored and 1305 runs batted in and you see how the man was a lethal threat at the plate.
And a prime example of Clemente's importance to the game was his immediate induction into Cooperstown by special committee in 1973, waiving the standard five-year wait before a player joins the Hall ballot, as well as the establishment of the "Roberto Clemente Award", given every year to the player that exemplified "outstanding baseball playing skills who is personally involved in community work."
Just an amazing human being.

NICKNAMES OF THE 1970'S- 1971 ROBERTO CLEMENTE. "THE GREAT ONE"

Time to finally go and add a Roberto Clemente “nickname” card to my long-running thread, celebrating one of the all-time greats, aptly tagged with the nickname “The Great One”, not only for his on-field heroics but his incredible life off the field:

I know his other nickname was “Arriba”, but I felt this one is more suitable for the legacy of the man, as he really was “The Great One” for so many Puerto Ricans who looked up to him at a time when Latin players were not as appreciated as they are today.
Clemente was just incredible. As a hitter, as an outfielder, and as a man who was always helping others, which as we all know tragically led to his death as he was helping Nicaraguans after an earthquake, trying to deliver supplies on December 31st, 1972.
It’s incredible to think that the only reason he even needed to get on the plane himself to accompany the much needed supplies to Nicaragua was because the first THREE supply planes had the supplies diverted by the corrupt government there, leading Clemente to think that if he went there personally the government would allow the supplies to reach the people who needed them most. Think about that. Just awful.
Just an amazing player I wish I had gotten a chance to see first hand.
Indeed “The Great One”.

LEADERS OF THE DECADE: BATTING AVERAGE

Next up on the new thread celebrating the high-marks in each league for various statistics is batting average, with the legendary Roberto Clemente and Tigers long time slugger Norm Cash representing each league for the 1960’s:

Clemente’s 1967 average of .357 would give him the fourth, and last, batting championship of his career, and would top his own mark of .351 from 1961 as the National League’s high mark in that category.
Norm Cash, who put together an excellent 17-year Major League career between 1958 and 1974, would have what would normally be an MVP season in 1961 when he topped the league in batting with a .361 mark along with 41 home runs and 132 runs batted in as well as 119 runs scored.
But alas, he had that season at the same time as some other guys named Maris and Mantle, so he had to settle for the American League’s highest average for a season in the 1960’s.
Ironically, it would be the ONLY time Cash even hit .300 in his career, with his .286 average the season before as his NEXT highest mark. Go figure!

A SPECIAL REQUEST FOR A SPECIAL CARD- 1974 ROBERTO CLEMENTE

Forgive me for forgetting exactly who, but someone who reads this blog brought up the subject of creating a “Hero” card for Pittsburgh Pirate great Roberto Clemente, perhaps in the 1974 Topps set, memorializing the recently deceased superstar while on a flight to help victims of an earthquake on New Year’s Eve, 1972.
I thought this was a very nice idea and went ahead with the following:

Clemente was indeed a ‘hero” to so many outside of baseball, even before he died so tragically trying to help others in need, so a card calling him as such made sense.
On the ball field he was perhaps the greatest Pirate outside of a guy called Honus Wagner, being named to 12 all-star teams, taking home four batting titles, and winning 12 straight Gold Gloves while collecting exactly 3000 hits with a .317 lifetime average.
Who knows how much longer he could have, or would have played had tragedy not struck, but it never mattered as far as his baseball accomplishments.
The man was already in the upper stratosphere in his sport.

HALL OF FAME #18: ROBERTO CLEMENTE: CLASS OF 1973

Today my "Hall of Fame Inductees" thread moves on to 1973, and a special election that was held because of tragic circumstances, the election of Pirates great Roberto Clemente:

As we all know, Clemente was killed in a plane crash as he was trying to deliver relief help to victims of a Nicaragua earthquake on New Years Eve, 1972.

Just an outright superstar of the game, Clemente was a Most Valuable Player in 1966, a four time batting champ, a two time World Champ (1960 and 1971) and Gold Glove winner TWELVE times.

It has always astounded me at the quirks of fate in the game, as he collected his 3000th hit on his final Major League at-bat before the tragic crash, leaving us with one of those incredible instances where we think "it couldn't have happened any other way".

It's also really nice to see Major League baseball was once again open to do the right thing (as with Lou Gehrig) and waive the mandatory five-year waiting period before electing him into the Hall in 1973.

Seems many times MLB doesn't think straight, leading us to gripe about one thing or another…

THEN AND NOW #20: ROBERTO CLEMENTE 1973

Here was a card I wasn't so sure how to tackle: a "Super Veteran/Then and Now" card of Roberto Clemente.

If not for the tragedy that took Clemente's life during the 1972/73 off-season, I don't think 1972 would have been his last in the big leagues.

But history being the way it is, for better or worse, Clemente's Hall of Fame career was indeed ended in 1972, so I'd like to think this is more of another "tribute" card to his memory than anything else.

Take a look:

Teamed up with the "In Memoriam" and "Highlights from the 1970's" cards I've already introduced earlier on this blog, I hope you all feel this is a nice addition to the Clemente "virtual" Topps card roster.

A Hall of Famer in every sense of the term both on and off the field, his star still shines bright some four decades later.

"HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 1970'S" #14: 3000 HITS FOR ROBERTO CLEMENTE

Today's customized "highlight card that should have been" depicts Roberto Clemente's 3000th Major League hit, which he collected on the last game of the season against the Mets on September 30th, 1972.

As we all know the hit would be his last, as he sadly perished in a plane crash while delivering supplies to victims of an earthquake in Nicaragua on December 31st of the same year.

Take a look at my design:

It really would have been nice to have a card like this in the 1973 Topps set, especially considering everything that it could have represented for fans and admirers of the Hall of Famer.

I often forget that Clemente was pinch-hit for in this game, and wonder how different this story could have been had he not doubled in that last at-bat, becoming the eleventh player at the time to reach the historic mark.

Clemente finished with those 3000 hits on 9454 at-bats, good for a career .317 batting average to go along with an M.V.P. award in 1966, eleven Gold Gloves, 12 all-star games and four batting titles in 18 seasons.

In a rare lucid moment, Major League Baseball decided to hold a special election in 1973 and induct Clemente into the Hall of Fame without the standard five year waiting period.

Next up on this thread, another milestone that would have been nice to see represented on a card: Steve Carlton and his 19 strikeouts from 1969 celebrated in the 1970 Topps set.

"1960'S ALL-DECADE TEAM" SUB-SET FOR THE 1970 TOPPS SET: OUTFIELDERS (3 of 3)

Today we round out the outfield slots for my imagined 1970 sub-set celebrating the "All-Decade" team of the 1960's.

As with the other two outfield entries, this one doesn't disappoint, as it presents another two future Hall of Famers: Al Kaline and Roberto Clemente.

Take a look at the card I designed:

What a quiet legend Kaline was. Buried under names like Aaron, Mays, Mantle, etc, he just went about his business year in and year out and paved the way for his eventual induction into Cooperstown's hallowed halls in 1980.

The 1960's saw Kaline make eight All-Star teams, win seven Gold Gloves, and receive solid M.V.P. support seven of ten years, finishing as high as second in 1963.

Though he only lead the league in a primary offensive category only once (doubles in 1961), Kaline's consistency was his strength, as he topped .300 four times, 20 homers five times, and a .500 slugging percentage five times.

Over in the National League, who else could fill out the outfield but the Pittsburgh Pirate legend?

Gee, let's see…

All Clemente did was win four batting titles, have four 200-hit seasons, win an M.V.P. in 1966, and win nine Gold Gloves (which was part of a 12-year run of the award).

In nine of ten years during the 1960's Clemente received considerable M.V.P. votes, finishing in the top-10 seven times.

When you look at Clemente's performance throughout his career you see a guy that could pop a homer, slap a double, leg out a triple, whatever you needed.

Just look at his power numbers by the time his career was tragically ended in that fateful plane crash in December, 1972: 440 doubles, 166 triples and 240 home runs.

Throw in his 3000 hits, 1416 runs scored and 1305 runs batted in and you see how the man was a lethal threat at the plate.

It comes as no surprise that Major League Baseball honored the man by waiving the five-year waiting period for Hall of Fame eligibility and inducted him by special election in 1973.

Well, there you have all the position players from catchers to outfielders.

Next up, we take a look at the left-handed pitchers representing their leagues for the 1960's: Jim Kaat and Sandy Koufax.

Stay tuned..

IN MEMORIAM- PART XI: ROBERTO CLEMENTE

The last card in my "In Memoriam" series is perhaps the most well-known card depicting a player that tragically died before the card was issued during the 1970's: the Topps 1973 card (#50) of Pittsburgh Pirates legend Roberto Clemente.

For this post, I also changed the image on the card, using a black and white photo of Clemente taken after his 3000th hit as he acknowledged the crowd.

Seemed a bit more appropriate for the card.

Take a look:

Thanking the crowd after his 3000th hit.

As we all know, after the 1972 season, a season which saw him attain his 3000th career hit on the last at-bat of the regular season, Clemente was was killed on December 31, when the plane he was a passenger on crashed on it's way to deliver relief packages to victims of a massive earthquake in Managua, Nicaragua.

A tragic end to one of the game's greatest players of the post-war era.

It's even more tragic when you read that the only reason Clemente was on the plane in the first place was to ensure the supplies would reach their intended target, since the previous three planes full of supplies were diverted by corrupt politicians.

Clemente's career is the stuff of legend: His fiery play on the field, his good deeds, and his absolute adoration by teammates and fans alike.

On the field Clemente's numbers were incredible: four batting titles, five seasons batting over .340, four 200 hit seasons, 12 all-star nods, 12 Gold Gloves and a Most Valuable Player Award in 1966.

And a prime example of Clemente's importance to the game was his immediate induction into Cooperstown by special committee in 1973, waiving the standard five-year wait before a player joins the Hall ballot, as well as the establishment of the "Roberto Clemente Award", given every year to the player that exemplified "outstanding baseball playing skills who is personally involved in community work."

With this post, I think this thread has been covered, and thankfully so.

The decade of the 1970's was extremely tough as far as players dying young, and I'm hoping I don't come across a player that I've overlooked earlier.

UGH...THOSE 1972 TOPPS "AWARDS" CARDS...(#621 THROUGH #626): TODAY, CARD #626 "BABE RUTH AWARD"

Today we check in on the last card of this thread where I redesigned the 1972 "Awards" sub-set, showing the actual player(s) rather than the award itself.

The final card in the sub-set was for the "Babe Ruth Award" (card #626), which was actually won by legend Roberto Clemente of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Now tell me you wouldn't have rather had another Clemente card in the awesome 1972 set rather than some image of a lame plaque set on a blue background?!

Take a look at what was issued by Topps, and what I imagined for the card:

As issued by Topps...

My design for the card.

It's a shame, it really would have been nice to have this Clemente card to collect.

The sub-set was actually a pretty good idea in my eyes, but I do wonder what made Topps think it made more sense to go with the plaques and trophies over the recipients.

Anyone out there ever hear a reason as to why? If so I'd love to hear it!

I chose an image of Clemente that seemed perfect for what the card was depicting.

Hope you all agree.

"GIMME A DO-OVER"- PART XXVII: 1972 #310 ROBERTO CLEMENTE "IN ACTION"

I've always known that I'd get to THIS card at some point.

What was Topps thinking by using an image of Roberto Clemente obviously pissed at a strike call on his 1972 "in action" card (#310)?!

I've always tried to stay clear of those "in action" cards since so many of them are RIDICULOUS, but this one needs my attention.

Take a look at what Topps threw out there:

Really?! This is the "action" photo Topps went with?

Seriously? Of ALL images to use, THAT'S what they went with?

I'm sure Topps had at least ONE image of Clemente running the bases, or fielding his position, or even swinging the bat, no?

Clemente's "regular" card was also an epic "fail" as far as images are concerned, and I redesigned it a while back on this blog. 

I would actually go as far as saying that the best Clemente card in the 1972 set was card #226 World Series Game Four with him leading off a base. Nice photo on THAT one, even with the ass that's making an appearance on the left side of the frame. Take a look:

Nice photo here (except for the ass on the left).

Nevertheless, allow me to redesign that "in action" card here:

Classic Clemente right here!

At least there's some "real" action going on, right?

I'm not going to start messing around with those "in action" cards from 1972, but I WILL admit there may be a Hall of Famer or two that I'll 'fix" in the future.

stay tuned…