Why is Jackie Robinson in the HOF?

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by CMIZ5290

I'm sorry, my feelings are getting the best of me and I was hoping that some other members would come to my rescue. I think Clemente is one of the best players of all time (top 10). When you factor in his defense (12 straight gold gloves), best arm in the game, along with his bat, I think it's hard to argue. He seems to get too much praise for great deeds he did off the field, and that maybe hurts him in the stats world. Great topic, let's move on....

I love Clemente, and have since I was a kid. I'd say top ten is a bit too high, especially if we're considering all players (not separate lists for pitchers and position players); but definitely top 25 all-time.

The thing that normally gets Clemente downgraded on the list is his power numbers. But two things seem to get overlooked. One, until 1970, he played his home games at Forbes Field, which was a freaking aircraft hanger. Second, his attitude on his offensive approach.

"I am more valuable to my team hitting .330 than swinging for home runs."

Clemente had massive power. I've read several places that the line drives he hit were so hard, he actually scared some Major League infielders. I remember a quote from Ernie Banks, who said something to the effect of that when Clemente was at the plate, 100% of his focus was on the hitter, because if he wasn't paying attention, Clemente might take his head off. But when Clemente got some elevation on his hits, he hit some monstrous home runs, liked this one that ESPN tracker shows Clemente hit off of Sandy Koufax off of Sandy Koufax at Forbes Field in 1964. It hit a light tower in left-center field, 457 feet from home plate. It estimates that with the velocity of the ball off the bat, and the given conditions, the ball would have traveled 492 feet.

Then there is the home run he hit at Wrigley Field on May 17, 1959. Many consider it the longest home run ever hit at Wrigley (though the Glenallen Hill home run which landed on the roof of the building behind Wrigly on Waveland Avenue might be longer now). Both Ernie Banks and Rogers Hornsby stated they never saw a ball hit farther at the park.

Banks on Clemente

Clemente geared his style of hitting for Forbes field, whose left field walls are too far away for consistent production from right handed hitters: Roberto concentrated on hitting line drives into the spacious right center field section. Had he been a Cub, I'm sure he would have adopted a power style of swing- ing. Some of you fans may remember the ball he knocked out of Wrigley field a few seasons ago, just to the left field side of the scoreboard. That's the longest one I've seen hit there and we all agreed it must have traveled more than 500 feet on its trip into Waveland avenue.

More on Clemente's tremendous opposite field power:

Roberto Clemente's third 500-footer in three months and his second in five days? Well, not quite. As Clemente himself says, "Sunday was the longer ball." Absent any eyewitness to this launch's landing, it may have travelled 450-, 460-, 470-plus feet or more. In any case, RC's five-day feast remains a Forbes Field first. TSN's Les Biederman, who's covered the Pirates since 1938, elaborates:

"This time the ball disappeared over the monument with Al Jackson of the Cardinals on the mound, and the fans gasped. Two titanic shots in less than one week. He became the first batter within memory to hit two home runs into the sector of right-center between the Barney Dreyfuss monument and the light tower at the exit gate." [19]
By way of corroboration, Cardinals beat writer Neal Russo enlists some sources with even more seniority:

"Forbes Field employees who have been watching baseball there 40 years could not recall any right-handed batter besides Clemente hitting more than one ball over the wall in dead center. In fact, only a few, including Rogers Hornsby [on April 24, 1926, off the flagpole by the 457-foot mark in left center] and Mickey Mantle (in the 1960 World Series) [on October 6th, between the 436-foot mark and the exit gate in right center, measured at 478 feet], have done it even once." [20]
St. Louis centerfielder Curt Flood speaks with Biederman:

"I thought at first I might catch it. Then I thought it might hit the wall and I'd get the bounce. I just didn't think any righthander could hit a ball that far." [21]
Flood's reaction echoes that of his Houston counterpart, Jimmy Wynn, just four days ago.

Clemente's power came from his phenomenal bat speed. He had some of the strongest hands, and wrists, of any Major Leaguer to ever play the game. His wrist snap is part of what gave him such incredible velocity on his throws from right field. And, He could hit the ball no matter where it was pitched. He was a great junk ball hitter. Clemente was known to have hit many upper deck home runs off of his front foot, such as this opposite field, second deck shot at the 1971 All Star Game at Tigers Stadium.



The closest player I have seen to Robby's skill set in my lifetime is Ichiro Suzuki. He didn't hit a lot of home runs, either, in fact, fewer than one-half of Clemente's 240. But, like Clemente, he put on power shows in batting practice, hitting one ball after another into the upper deck. He choose to be a high average hitter. And, he had a tremendous arm.

Speaking of arms...





Of course, Ichiro never hit a walk off, inside-the-park grand slam. Roberto Clemente did.