This story was excerpted from Brian McTaggart’s Astros Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
The story of Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente is one that’s near and dear to Astros manager Joe Espada, who’s one of three Puerto Rican managers in Major League Baseball. Espada wants to make sure his coaches and players understand the legacy on and off the field of Clemente and his impact on the game.
That’s why Espada organized a team dinner for the players on Monday night in Pittsburgh at the Roberto Clemente Museum, which showcases the world’s largest exhibited collection of baseball artifacts, works of art, literature, photographs, memorabilia and related materials which focus on Clemente, his teammates, his personal life and his humanitarian causes.
Espada also organized a bus trip Monday morning that allowed members of the team’s traveling party, including coaches and broadcasters, to tour the museum.
“The players wanted to have a dinner together and they chose the Clemente Museum, which was awesome,” Espada said. “They had a really nice time. … I know how much guys enjoy going to the Clemente Museum. Any time you come to Pittsburgh, you should visit the Clemente Museum. Any time I go in there, it’s full of joy and memories. It’s a special place for me.”
The trip to the museum was the first for some of the players -- such as Colton Gordon (No. 14 prospect), Spencer Arrighetti and Jacob Melton (No. 2 prospect) -- and the second one for shortstop Jeremy Peña, who was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Rhode Island. The Astros visit Pittsburgh every other year, and Peña has made sure to visit both times they have been in the Steel City since he broke in the Majors in 2022.
“We all went in 2023, and it was always special to go in there and learn about his story and what he meant to the sport, and what he meant to his community,” Peña said. “I was born in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico was one of our neighbors. For him to have such a huge impact on everyone around him, you always try to follow in his footsteps by doing good in the community.”
Clemente was a 15-time All-Star for the Pirates, a 12-time Gold Glove Award winner, a four-time batting champion, the 1966 NL MVP winner, a two-time World Series champion and the 1971 World Series MVP. Off the field, he was so much more. Clemente passed away in a plane accident in 1972 at age 38, while delivering aid to Nicaragua after an earthquake.
The Clemente Museum is housed in a historic firehouse in the revitalized Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh, which made for a unique setting for a team dinner.
“The fact they wanted to do it there, I thought it was really cool,” Espada said. “They got to hang out. I heard that they had some wine, heard some stories. [Museum executive director and curator Duane Rieder] has done a really good job presenting the artifacts that are there, the paintings, the whole thing. The whole vibe is good. I can’t imagine a better place to have a team dinner than the Clemente Museum.”
MLB annually presents the Roberto Clemente Award to recognize the player who best represents the game of baseball through sportsmanship, community involvement and positive contributions, both on and off the field. Club nominees for the are announced on Roberto Clemente Day, when players of any heritage or birthplace can wear Clemente’s No. 21. Espada, hitting coach Alex Cintrón and catcher Victor Caratini are the only uniformed members of the Astros from Puerto Rico.