Shattering Stereotypes, Changing Lives
Shattering Stereotypes, Changing Lives
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."
- Mahatma Gandhi
Shattering Stereotypes, Changing Lives
Chasing Influence: Transformational Coaching to Build Champions for Life
Hispanic Heritage Month takes place September 15 to October 15 every year as a time to recognize and celebrate the many contributions, diverse cultures, and extensive histories of the American Latino community, allowing us to celebrate many contributions to our national story. Throughout our history, life has been anything but smooth for many minority athletes, including Hall of Fame baseball player Roberto Clemente.
Clemente possessed a rare combination of speed, power, a line-drive stroke, and a rocket arm, making him an extraordinary ballplayer. His intensity and effort were on display in every game he played.
Clemente, a Puerto Rican, became one of major league baseball’s first Latino superstars and was a symbol of pride and inspiration for many Spanish-speaking people.
Clemente had to fight to overcome many stereotypes. And because he didn’t speak English very well, many believed that he was uneducated. Intensely proud of his culture, over time he helped teach his teammates, fans, and the media to look at Latin players as individuals, and he became a spokesperson and role model for other Latin ballplayers for his commitment to breaking down barriers and battling against stereotypes. As one of the first great Latin players in Major League Baseball, he faced discrimination and prejudice head-on in a time when inequality and injustice were commonplace.
Driven by his deep and sincere sense of empathy and a desire to lift the less fortunate, Clemente dedicated himself to charitable work, especially in his native Puerto Rico and Latin America. Despite his fame, Clemente never sought recognition for his selfless acts, quietly reaching out to provide aid and support to those in need.
In 1972, only a few months after he collected his 3,000th hit, he led a humanitarian mission to aid earthquake victims in Nicaragua where thousands of people were in desperate need of assistance. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Clemente personally chartered a plane to transport the much-needed food, medicine, and clothing to survivors. However, his aircraft experienced mechanical issues shortly after takeoff and crashed into the waters off of Puerto Rico, cutting his life short at the age of 38. His body was never found.
"You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you."
- John Bunyan
If you enjoyed this story, a series of three Chasing Influence workbooks is available. Stories are accompanied by discussion questions and answers. Each workbook contains 33 lessons to use with any team.
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©Troy Urdahl, 2023