Roberto (Walker) Clemente .. "Arriba"
Roberto Clemente... Clemente began his professional career at age 17 with Cangrejeros in Puerto Rico Professional League. He moved to Montreal in 1954 and played with the Montreal Royals. He was selected by the Pirates in the 1954 rookie draft and debuted with the Pirates on April 17, 1955. In 1958 rather than play winter ball, he joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve and served six months of active duty and remained with the USMC until 1964. His career with the Pirates lasted 18 years and he collected his last hit on the final day of the 1972 season, off Jon Matlack. It was hit number 3000.
Clemente was involved in charity work in Puerto Rico and other Latin American countries during his off seasons. He often delivered baseball equipment and food to those in need. He died in an aviation accident on December 31, 1972, while en route to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
Clemente was elected posthumously to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973, becoming the first Latin American to be enshrined. He was also one of only two Hall of Fame members for whom the mandatory five-year waiting period had been waived, the other being Lou Gehrig. Clemente is the first Hispanic player to win a World Series as a starter (1960), to receive an MVP Award (1966), and to receive a World Series MVP Award (1971).
The Roberto Clemente Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball player who "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team," as voted by the baseball fans and members of the media.
Ernie Harwell... Born in 1918, Ernie grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. One of his first jobs at age 5, was being the visiting batboy for the Atlanta Crackers, in the Southern Association. At age 16 he began working as a regional correspondent for the Sporting News. He began broadcasting games for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1948 after they traded a minor league catcher for him. He stayed with the Dodgers 1949 and then moved cross town for the New York Giants until 1953. In 1954 he began broadcasting Orioles games through 1959. In 1966 he moved on to Detroit and remained there through 1991 and then again from 1993 until he retired after the 2002 season. Those with the APBA Computer baseball game, Ernie was the voice heard after recording thousands of names and game play situations. Each year for the first broadcast Ernie would give a reading from the Song of Solomon, "For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land." He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981. Some famous game quotes are "He stood there like a house by the side of the road" or "Called out for excessive window shopping" on called strikeouts, "two for the price of one" on doubleplays. Ernie passed away in 2010.
Harry Caray... He was born in St Louis in 1914 as Harry Carabina. Harry played semi-pro ball until age 19 when he auditioned for his first radio job. In his early years he broadcast St Louis Hawks professional basketball games and the University of Missouri football games. He began his baseball broadcasting career doing the games of the St Louis Cardinals in 1945 and for the St Louis Browns in 1945-1946. In 1969 he was fired and rumor has it that he was involved in an affair with the owners daughter. In 1970 he moved to broadcasting Oakland A's games and the following year he accepted the White Sox offer to broadcast their games. In 1982 until his death in 1998, he was the voice of the Chicago Cubs. It was here that the 7th inning stretch singing of Take Me Out to the Ballgame, getting the crowd to join in with "All right! Lemme hear ya! Ah-One! Ah-Two! Ah-Three!". He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989. Some of Harry's tell it like it is quotes are, "That wouldn't be a homerun in a telephone booth" and "It might be, it could be, it is! Homerun!!". Harry passed away in 1998.
Mel Allen... Born in 1914 in Birmingham, Alabama as Mel Allen Israel. He was a graduate of the University of Alabama and graduated with a law degree. During that time he became the public address announcer for Alabama home football games. His first radio play by play job was for the Alabama football team in 1933. In 1937 he took a train ride to New York City for a weeks vacation and never left. He began his career with CBS in 1938, dropping the Israel from his name. One of his first jobs included announcing the crash of the Hindenburg. His first baseball job was for CBS, giving commentary during the 1938 World Series. That led to being hired by Wheaties to announce the Washington Senators games in 1939 however the Senators owner rejected the idea, giving the job to Walter Johnson. In July of 1939 he was hired as the home radio man for both the New York Yankee and Giants games. Interrupted during World War II he resumed his baseball career in 1945 solely with the Yankees although he did work All-Star games and World Series' that did not involve the Yankees. He was replaced by Joe Garagiola in 1965 but eventually was rehired by the Yankees for "Old Timers" events and then in 1976 for pre/post game TV shows until 1985. In 1977 he became well known to television viewers as the voice of This Week in Baseball, from it's beginning until his death in 1996. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1978. Famous quotes are "How about that!" and "Hello there, everybody".