'He was a hero': Nats bullpen coach honors icon Clemente

WASHINGTON -- Before he took the field with the coaching staff wearing the honored No. 21 jersey, Nationals bullpen coach Ricky Bones thoughtfully selected what he was going to wear for pregame warmups on Monday afternoon.

Bones picked out a special T-shirt and hat that displayed personal meaning to him. Monday was Roberto Clemente Day, and Bones wanted to recognize his baseball icon.

“He was someone who was able to open the door for all of us -- not only Puerto Ricans, but all the Latinos,” Bones said. “He was a hero, an idol. What he did on the field was really important for us in the game. But more significantly, what he did for us off the field, setting an example and teaching us how to be a better person, better people, and taking advantage of being in uniform and being able to translate not only the game, but the human aspect.”

Growing up in Guayama, Puerto Rico, Bones heard stories of the legendary Clemente from his father, Rey, who had played with Clemente in San Juan. The conversations resonated with Bones as he pursued his professional baseball career.

“You always wanted to be like him,” Bones said. “You wanted to throw hard, you wanted to hit hard, you wanted to run hard, and always wear that uniform with pride, with presence, with character. It stuck with me the whole time.”

Bones lived less than an hour from Carolina, where Clemente was from. As an aspiring baseball player, he was excited when he had a game there.

“We always were looking forward to going to play in Carolina because that was where Clemente’s field is,” Bones recalled. “We tried to emulate him and be close to the big leaguers. We wanted to be like Clemente. We wanted to make it to the big leagues. We wanted to impact kids and impact the game at the same time we make our dream come true.”

Bones accomplished his Major League goals with an 11-year career from 1991-2001. Bones earned an All-Star selection in 1994, and he was 63-82 with a career ERA of 4.85 across 1,278 1/3 innings.

Bones got into coaching following his playing career. He joined the Nationals big league staff in 2022. Additionally, Bones was the pitching coach for Team Puerto Rico in the 2013 and ‘17 World Baseball Classics as well as the Cardenales de Lara and Tiburones de La Guaira in the Venezuelan Winter League.

In these coaching roles, Bones shares Clemente’s legacy with his pitchers. He emphasizes the importance of respect, discipline and giving back.

“He was able to always represent the Puerto Rican culture,” Bones said. “... How to do everything with passion, how to do everything with courage. Try to be a good teammate, be a good player. At the same time, be a good person once you take the uniform off.”

Bones considers every day at the ballpark to be special. Roberto Clemente Day makes the game even more meaningful.

“It reminds me of what he did for us,” Bones said. “He was able to open the door, be in the Hall of Fame himself, and always be somebody that represents us the right way.”