Roberto Clemente Signature "Bob"

[cgjackson222]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

This 'Bob' talk is from a while back, post #1239 in the “365 Days of Roberto Clemente” thread, but it fits in here.
https://www.net54baseball.com/showth...249493&page=16

It references this video (which is very cool!):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFEH5nxSoKc
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There was something, perhaps unnoticed by most, rather interesting in the video I posted, and I forgot to mention it. The interviewer repeatedly (respectfully) addresses Clemente as Roberto. And when he mentions how the press skipped over his 3,000th hit, he says something to the effect of, "Roberto Clemente only got a line or two in the magazine," etc. But at times when they're chatting, he unhesitatingly calls him "Bobby." They were clearly friends, or friendly towards each other. The demeanor between the two, the body language, etc., shows warmth, if not affection. These days (in hindsight), people love to bring up how 'racist' it was that he was called 'Bob' on many of his baseball cards (those same people just ignore the fact that a gazillion other players of all colors named Robert or William were called 'Bob' or 'Bill' on their cards, as that's clearly the accepted American shorthand for those names.) But if the people around him were using 'Bobby' when they conversed, then you have to wonder if that specifically ever really was as big an issue as some would have you believe.

(Please, for the love of God, no one start a friggin' argument about this. I'm just noting something that has puzzled me the last couple of years since I first heard that particular claim. While growing up, not once did I ever hear that 'Bob' Clemente was a racist thing.)

On a side note, I did a quick ebay search for "1964 Topps Bob" and came up with this long list of other (baseball) players who had the name 'Bob' or 'Bobby' on their cards that year. Surely, some of these 33 players went by Robert (or some other name) in their everyday lives, right??

Bob Allen
Bob Allison
Bob Aspromonte
Bob Bailey
Bobby Bolin
Bob Bruce
Bob Buhl
Bob Chance
Bob Duliba
Bob Friend
Bob Gibson
Bob Heffner
Bob Hendley
Bob Johnson
Bob Kennedy
Bobby Knoop
Bob Lee
Bob Lillis
Bob Meyer
Bob Miller
Bob Perry
Bob Priddy
Bob Purkey
Bob Rodgers
Bob Sadowski
Bob Saverine
Bob Shaw
Bob Skinner
Bob Taylor
Bob Tiefenauer
Bob Tillman
Bob Uecker
Bob Veale

You know I love you Jolly, but I am not sure these Bobs apply. Aren't they all Americans? I think it is different to call an American Robert Bob than it is to call an Hispanic Roberto Bob.

That being said. Maybe it was just a Topps employee’s oversight, rather than overt racism or evilness.