Forty-two years after his death, Roberto Clemente’s passion for baseball and humanity still resonates with audiences.
To commemorate his legacy, the Night Blue Performing Arts Company premiered “Clemente The Legend of 21” at the Byham Theater for a three-night run.
“It was one of my dreams as an actor to play Roberto Clemente because he set an example. He was human and he represented the good part of being Black and Puerto Rican,” explained Puerto Rican-born Modesto Lacen who portrayed Roberto Clemente as an adult in the show. “This is a very heartfelt show and we’re paying homage to Roberto.”
The production, which included singing, dancing and English subtitles in a lot of it, told the journey of the Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder beginning with his death during an aviation accident while traveling to Nicaragua to help earthquake victims in Nicaragua in 1972 at the age of 38. It highlighted his love for his family and his country. It also addressed sensitive topics like racism and civil rights in a smart way.
“Roberto lived in the states during the Civil Rights Movement and he met Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and we do a very touching scene in the play when Dr. King is killed. Roberto writes a letter to his older brother about how he feels about being a Black Latino during that time,” explained Lacen.
According to Night Blue Performing Arts Company Artistic Director David E. Walters, this recently completed work by director/author Luis Caballero is produced with the support of Roberto Clemente’s family and in collaboration between Night Blue performing Arts Company in Chicago and the Artocarpus team from New York.
“Clemente The Legend of 21” has been performed in Chicago, Puerto Rico, New York City and befittingly completed its run in the Steel City.
“To prepare for the role I visited Pittsburgh spoke with some of Roberto’s teammates,” Lacen said. “I was impressed with Pittsburgh it is a peaceful city and I liked visiting Kennywood and PNC Park and the theaters downtown. It’s a very lovely and peaceful city.”
Roberto Clemente spent 18 years with the Pirates, debuting with the team on April 17, 1955. Early in the 1960 season, he led the league with a .353 batting average and scored RBI’s in 25 out of 27 games. He was a National League MVP once, All Star 12 times, batting champion four times and Gold Glove winner a dozen times, an honor he shares with Willie Mays. Shortly before his death, Clemente scored his 3,000th major league hit. He was the first Latino sports star in baseball and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973.
“This play shows how the discipline of sports can be a help for kids. When you know better you do better. When you educate people there’s a shift. We are entertaining people and teaching them that you can’t let obstacles get you down. Keep your eye on your goal,” Lacen said.
Even though Curt Roberts, 1954, is credited as the first Black to play for the Pirates, Clemente was the second coming in 1955. And even though he was the first Black star for the Pirates he struggled his first four years partly because of his race, and he didn’t speak English.
But from 1960 through 1972 Clemente was one of the greatest players to play the game, as well as the greatest defensive right fielder in history. He is still considered by most as the greatest Pirate of all time, and by all as one of the top 5.
(Ulish Carter contributed to this story.)
