Daily News | Roberto Clemente’s death 50 years ago forever changed his son, a former Phillies minor leaguer
Roberto Clemente Jr. was dressing for his first spring training workout in February 1986 when a Phillies official alerted him to a group of reporters waiting outside the clubhouse in Clearwater, Fla. He signed with the team a month earlier for $40,000. Now the press wanted to know how the 18-year-old compared to his famous father.
And months after his father died, the son said he was sexually abused by a family member. The pain of losing his father became even greater. An outfielder like his father, Clemente was filling in that day behind the plate as his team’s catcher was sick. Peraza approached Clemente after the game, told him he liked what he saw, and filed a report to the Phils. Three years later, Clemente was home from school when Peraza spotted him again. The scout asked him to work out the next day and then called Phillies brass to tell them Clemente was ready to sign.The top decision makers flew to Puerto Rico in January 1986 and signed Clemente.
“I was a rival,” Clemente said. “I was looked at as a rival because I’m a Clemente. I’m a Pittsburgh Pirate. What am I doing here, you know? But I loved the uniform. I loved the way they worked. I was a fan.”Clemente traveled around the country after his father’s death, accepting honors and awards on his family’s behalf and often flying by himself early in the morning.
Clemente’s baseball career lasted just three seasons as his mental anguish was compounded by knee injuries. He never reached the majors, failing to compare on the diamond to his Hall of Fame father.
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