A friend pointed me toward this video from the 1971 All-Star Game. You’ll understand why toward the end, when you see the replay ...
Roberto Clemente’s unorthodox power stroke
Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE
As a wise man once said, “You can learn a lot by watching.”
So just a few notes before stating the obvious:
- Players looked better in those days, because they wore their uniforms as they were designed to be worn.
- Check out third base! It’s redwhiteandblue!
- Clemente got around the bases in a hurry; Larry “Tater Trot Tracker” Granillo timed it for me, and he says Clemente’s quick journey around the diamond would probably rank in the fastest 1 percent today.
Now, the obvious ... Roberto Clemente was some kind of a hitter. Remember, this is a guy who was nearly 37 years old and never particularly noted for his power ... and here he’s hitting the ball 450-odd feet to center field off his front foot, with one of the more unorthodox swings you’ll ever see.
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