1972 Topps Clemente- what's Roberto doing?

[familytoad]

By the position of the catcher's glove and the expression on Roberto's face, I'm thinking he was guessing fastball and got a curve that floated right down Broadway and he didn't swing

[JollyElm]

People have debated this exact topic before somewhere around these parts.
For me, I always saw it as Roberto being very unhappy with a strike called on him. But someone pointed out their theory was that he's actually loosening up (before any pitch is thrown) by sorta rotating his head and neck.
I wish there was film of this at bat, because I really want to know what the heck is going on!!!

[brewing]

He took a strike three and didn't agree with the call or was fooled by the pitch.
Yes, the great Roberto Clemente struck out.

[Cliff Bowman]

It happened on August 1, 1971, game one of a doubleheader against the Giants in San Francisco in a day game. The Giants catcher is Russ Gibson, #18. In order he grounded out to short, flew out to center, homered off of Marichal, hit a sacrifice fly to right, and struck out swinging in the ninth against Don McMahon.

[bobsbbcards]

Originally Posted by Cliff Bowman

It happened on August 1, 1971, game one of a doubleheader against the Giants in San Francisco in a day game. The Giants catcher is Russ Gibson, #18. In order he grounded out to short, flew out to center, homered off of Marichal, hit a sacrifice fly to right, and struck out swinging in the ninth against Don McMahon.

That's amazing analysis from just one picture. I would have said "I think that's Roberto Clemente. Yep, that's who it is all right."

[Shoebox]

Originally Posted by brewing

He took a strike three and didn't agree with the call or was fooled by the pitch.
Yes, the great Roberto Clemente struck out.

That was always my interpretation of the image and it has always been my least favorite of his cards.

[Paul S]

I'd say embarrassed caught looking on strike three (as called by the ump, whether correct or wrong call, he might have protected the plate).

[Cliff Bowman]

Originally Posted by Paul S

I'd say embarrassed caught looking on strike three (as called by the ump, whether correct or wrong call, he might have protected the plate).

It's indisputable that the photo was taken from a day game between the Pirates and Giants in Candlestick Park, and the key evidence of exactly which game is the Giants catcher, #18 Russ Gibson. The only time Gibson appeared in a Giants home game against the Pirates was August 1, 1971, in the first game of a doubleheader. Clemente struck out once that day but it was swinging. I'm guessing that in one of the five plate appearances he had a 3-0 or 3-1 count and took a pitch thinking it was ball four but the umpire called it a strike, but not strike three. Baseball-Reference.com is an amazing site :-).

[nolemmings]

Or he was fooled by the pitch and gave a half-hearted or checked too far swing.

[JollyElm]

Originally Posted by Cliff Bowman

It's indisputable that the photo was taken from a day game between the Pirates and Giants in Candlestick Park, and the key evidence of exactly which game is the Giants catcher, #18 Russ Gibson. The only time Gibson appeared in a Giants home game against the Pirates was August 1, 1971, in the first game of a doubleheader. Clemente struck out once that day but it was swinging. I'm guessing that in one of the five plate appearances he had a 3-0 or 3-1 count and took a pitch thinking it was ball four but the umpire called it a strike, but not strike three. Baseball-Reference.com is an amazing site :-).

We were all wondering how you came by that information. Well done!!