Thursday, October 28, 1999
Clemente was great, but not All-Century
BY TIM SULLIVAN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
NEW YORK — Leave it to baseball to make a mess out of something marvelous.
We refer to the All-Century team, a promotional bonanza that has become a Pandora's Box. Hard on the heels of The Pete Rose Problem — how to recognize someone you're trying to ignore — and Jim Gray's indelicate interview of the exiled Hit King, Commissioner Bud Selig must now contend with a growing controversy over the lack of Hispanic representation on the team.
Luis Clemente, son of the brilliant Pittsburgh outfielder, said Tuesday his family is considering removing his father's name from baseball's humanitarian award in protest of his exclusion from the All-Century team. Clemente finished 10th in the fan balloting for nine spots, and was subsequently passed over by an oversight committee in favor of Stan Musial.
“He was bumped off the team even though he had 11,000 more votes than Stan Musial received,” Luis Clemente said. “But this committee, a mystery committee, put Stan Musial on the team and took my father off.”
While it is easy to appreciate their pain, the Clementes don't really have much of a case. Longevity notwithstanding, Musial was easily the more productive player. Still, the perception of racism is always a potential powder keg.
Robinson more deserving
From this subjective vantage point, Roberto Clemente was neither the 10th most deserving outfielder, nor No.11. Frank Robinson, who hit 586 home runs and won Most Valuable Player awards in both leagues, is the consensus choice as the most glaring omission from the All-Century team.
“I think Frank Robinson is one of the most underrated players in the history of the game,” said Philadelphia third baseman Mike Schmidt, who wore No.20 in tribute to the former Reds outfielder. “I would guarantee if you asked any of the guys (selected to the team) who should be on it, Frank Robinson would be on that list.”
Others could complain that the All-Century team neglected the Negro Leagues, and such distinguished candidates as slugging catcher Josh Gibson and sage pitcher Satchel Paige. Some would say Jackie Robinson's selection at second base was based more on his social significance than his statistics; that Joe Morgan, Charlie Gehringer and Napoleon Lajoie were better players who lost out because they had less cultural impact.
Numbers not as good
Part of the pleasure in selecting All-Star teams is debating the relative merits of the candidates. Nolan Ryan was a more spectacular pitcher than Tom Seaver or Steve Carlton, for example, but he was not nearly as successful in terms of wins and losses. Ryan's place on the team is a testament to name recognition rather than achievement. All-Century catcher Yogi Berra benefits from outliving such rivals as Mickey Cochrane and Bill Dickey.
Clemente's enduring popularity is due at least in part to his tragic death. His run production did not approach that of outfield contemporaries such as Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle or Robinson. He had an astounding arm, an ineffable grace and four batting titles. But Stan Musial won seven, hit 475 homers to Clemente's 240 and drove in 646 more runs.
To suggest Clemente was omitted because of cultural bias is to ignore the objective numerical evidence. The lack of a Hispanic player on the All-Century team may be unfortunate, but hardly unwarranted.
While it's impossible to project a 21st Century team, it is reasonable to assume its Hispanic presence will be substantial. While American boys have deserted the sandlots for video arcades, the Caribbean talent pool is ever-expanding.
The American League's MVP could be any one of five Hispanics: Boston pitcher Pedro Martinez; Cleveland second baseman Roberto Alomar; Cleveland outfielder Manny Ramirez; Texas catcher Ivan Rodriguez; or Texas designated hitter Rafael Palmeiro.
Roberto Clemente blazed the trail for Hispanic ballplayers. Now, it's a superhighway.
Tim Sullivan welcomes your email at tsullivan@enquirer.com.
SULLIVAN ARCHIVE
