1972 Topps Clemente- what's Roberto doing?

[brewing]

He took a strike three and didn't agree with the call or was fooled by the pitch.
Yes, the great Roberto Clemente struck out.

[Cliff Bowman]

It happened on August 1, 1971, game one of a doubleheader against the Giants in San Francisco in a day game. The Giants catcher is Russ Gibson, #18. In order he grounded out to short, flew out to center, homered off of Marichal, hit a sacrifice fly to right, and struck out swinging in the ninth against Don McMahon.

[bobsbbcards]

Originally Posted by Cliff Bowman

It happened on August 1, 1971, game one of a doubleheader against the Giants in San Francisco in a day game. The Giants catcher is Russ Gibson, #18. In order he grounded out to short, flew out to center, homered off of Marichal, hit a sacrifice fly to right, and struck out swinging in the ninth against Don McMahon.

That's amazing analysis from just one picture. I would have said "I think that's Roberto Clemente. Yep, that's who it is all right."

[Shoebox]

Originally Posted by brewing

He took a strike three and didn't agree with the call or was fooled by the pitch.
Yes, the great Roberto Clemente struck out.

That was always my interpretation of the image and it has always been my least favorite of his cards.

[Paul S]

I'd say embarrassed caught looking on strike three (as called by the ump, whether correct or wrong call, he might have protected the plate).

[Cliff Bowman]

Originally Posted by Paul S

I'd say embarrassed caught looking on strike three (as called by the ump, whether correct or wrong call, he might have protected the plate).

It's indisputable that the photo was taken from a day game between the Pirates and Giants in Candlestick Park, and the key evidence of exactly which game is the Giants catcher, #18 Russ Gibson. The only time Gibson appeared in a Giants home game against the Pirates was August 1, 1971, in the first game of a doubleheader. Clemente struck out once that day but it was swinging. I'm guessing that in one of the five plate appearances he had a 3-0 or 3-1 count and took a pitch thinking it was ball four but the umpire called it a strike, but not strike three. Baseball-Reference.com is an amazing site :-).

[nolemmings]

Or he was fooled by the pitch and gave a half-hearted or checked too far swing.

[WhenItWasAHobby]

Having watched Clemente countless times on TV and at many home games at Forbes Field and Three Rivers Stadium, I do know that he had a habit of rotating his head around to loosen his bad neck between pitches. Whether that's the case here I can't be certain.

[JollyElm]

Originally Posted by Cliff Bowman

It's indisputable that the photo was taken from a day game between the Pirates and Giants in Candlestick Park, and the key evidence of exactly which game is the Giants catcher, #18 Russ Gibson. The only time Gibson appeared in a Giants home game against the Pirates was August 1, 1971, in the first game of a doubleheader. Clemente struck out once that day but it was swinging. I'm guessing that in one of the five plate appearances he had a 3-0 or 3-1 count and took a pitch thinking it was ball four but the umpire called it a strike, but not strike three. Baseball-Reference.com is an amazing site :-).

We were all wondering how you came by that information. Well done!!

[tonyo]

Originally Posted by Cliff Bowman

It's indisputable that the photo was taken from a day game between the Pirates and Giants in Candlestick Park, and the key evidence of exactly which game is the Giants catcher, #18 Russ Gibson. The only time Gibson appeared in a Giants home game against the Pirates was August 1, 1971, in the first game of a doubleheader. Clemente struck out once that day but it was swinging. I'm guessing that in one of the five plate appearances he had a 3-0 or 3-1 count and took a pitch thinking it was ball four but the umpire called it a strike, but not strike three. Baseball-Reference.com is an amazing site :-).

That's pretty cool to know.


I have always thought it was immediate reaction to a pitch "he wish he had back" , but looking at it today, the position of the infield dirt and what I assume is half of the 3rd base umpire in the background seems to indicate that Roberto may have taken a bit of a step toward first base. So I now cast my vote with "disagreed with umpires call on what he thought was ball four"

[k-dog]

You guys have no imagination. Obviously he was thinking about the night before (with Vera)!!