Many of our League’s games are played at Clemente Field in the Back Bay Fens. This memorable venue is part of The Emerald Necklace – the connected group of parks and waterways designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in the late 1800s. Olmsted, of course, was the celebrated landscape architect known for creating hundreds of outdoor spaces for the enjoyment and recreation of everyone.
Clemente Field honors a professional baseball player who, like Olmsted, had an idealistic, egalitarian nature. Roberto Clemente was an all-star outfielder for fifteen years with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates have retired his uniform number, and a plaque honors his skills and legacy at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. Unfortunately, his life and career were cut short when he died in a plane crash in 1972.
For years, Clemente envisioned building a sports complex for underprivileged youth in his hometown of Carolina, Puerto Rico. The facility was incomplete at his death, but his widow, Vera, rallied donors and sponsors to continue the effort. While the complex has seen mixed success over the years, Clemente’s intent was clear: to create quality athletic fields open to everyone – not just the privileged and affluent.
Even Roberto Clemente’s death reflected his selfless nature. Following a massive earthquake in Nicaragua, he organized relief efforts for the victims. On December 31, 1972, he boarded a plane in Puerto Rico bound for Nicaragua with urgently needed supplies. Minutes after takeoff, the plane suffered mechanical failure and crashed. Clemente died at age 38.
Clemente Field was named in honor of this renowned athlete and humanitarian. In 2009, Emmanuel College and the Yawkey Foundation partnered with the City of Boston to remodel and restore the field. Today, it serves as a practice and playing space for Emmanuel College athletes and students, and as an important sports and recreation venue for the entire Boston community.