Posted on 12/31/2004 5:15:58 AM PST by MikefromOhio
NEW YORK -- Roberto Clemente's son is sending money, clothing and medical supplies to south Asia's tsunami victims.
The aid was originally headed for Nicaragua to honor the anniversary of his late father's ill-fated humanitarian flight 32 years ago.
"My father always said, 'If you have an opportunity to make things better and you don't then you are wasting your time on earth,"' Roberto Clemente Jr. said in a telephone interview with the Associated Press from Puerto Rico on Thursday.
On Dec. 31, 1972, the Hall of Fame outfielder who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1955-1972 was killed when his plane crashed while carrying supplies from Puerto Rico to victims of earthquake-torn Nicaragua.
For the past several months, Clemente Jr. had been raising money and collecting supplies to re-enact his father's unfinished mission on this New Year's eve to bring closure to his life.
But inspired by his father's humanitarian spirit, Clemente Jr. canceled that ceremonial flight and will divert the two tons of supplies and $18,000 earmarked for charities in Nicaragua to earthquake victims in south Asia.
---snip---
Clemente Jr. said he is spearheading a campaign with the American Red Cross in Puerto Rico to help the victims of south Asia.
Donations can be made in Clemente's name to: the International Disaster Fund, American Red Cross, P.O. Box 9021067, San Juan, PR 00902.
(Excerpt) Read more at sportsline.com ...
This is a nice thing to do, but I hope those charities he diverted it from weren't counting on those supplies....
A very wise man.
I dont think they were...this was more symbolism for him to complete his dad's mission than needed supplies. Which is why, I guess, that he diverted them....
Thank you for your service. Thank you for this post. And stay safe.
God Bless you, your family and the guys standing at your side.
This is ridiculous.
FReepmail for ya
I served three years at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station and when I would drive into San Juan I would pass a public housing project in one of the suburbs. Someone had long ago painted a huge three story mural of Roberto on the end of the building facing the highway. It was the only painting of its type that was never defaced or scrawled over with graffiti. He is still honored in that country and with good reason as a great ballplayer and a terrific person.
As a young girl, I used to sit out in right field in Old Forbes Field in Pittsburgh just to watch Clemente make those unbelievable throws to home. He was quite an athlete with an amazing arm and a humanitarian too.
A lot of good athletes have come out of Puerto Rico in beisbol and boxeo.
I wish I could have gotten to see him play...but I didnt....
I remember the news when Clemente's plane went down. What a loss! However, "of" is wrong. This is an example of ignorance on the writer's part. If a person can't write correctly in English, then that person ought to have a different career or hire a personal editor.
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