Although baseball is unanimously regarded as this nation's pastime, it has not always allowed for representation of the nation's entire population. It took many leaders in society to break the abstract barricade that symbolized the separation between Caucasian baseball players and non-white baseball players. Among these advocates for equality was a man named Roberto Clemente. Clemente's resume is full of major baseball honors, along with global humanitarian service. Roberto Clemente Walker was born on August 18, 1934. At the beginning of his career, Clemente was relatively unknown and played for minor teams. His career began in his home country of Puerto Rico, where he played for the Santurce Crabbers (Maraniss, 2007, p.23). He was later scouted by the Brooklyn Dodgers and played for the Montreal Royals, who were the Dodger's top minor league team. Clemente played primarily as a benchwarmer because the Dodgers didn't want other teams to discover his hidden talents. However, after his only season in the minor leagues, the Pittsburgh Pirates chose to draft him in 1954, thus beginning his career in the major leagues (Maraniss, 2007, p. 79). Clemente's transition to the United States was not met without bumps along the way. During his first spring training, he often had to find housing and eat meals on the bus due to segregation laws placed in that historical context (Maraniss, 2007, p. 144). His rookie salary of $10,000 was just a fraction of what white players earned in their prime years. Racist feelings toward Clemente manifested themselves in several notes, one of them during the 1960 MVP decision. The Pirates had won the World Series that year and Clemente played an important role until the crime, the enormous efforts that mentors like Roberto Clemente have done to Make society change its opinions would be wasted. Discrimination and racism should not be tolerated, and maintaining a strong awareness of them is vital so that our society and its moral compass do not become clouded and flawed. BibliographyMaraniss, D. (2007). Clemente: The passion and grace of baseball's last hero. New York City, NY: Simon & Schuster. Perez, R. (2007). Remembering my father's face: Latin baseball, Roberto Clemente, and an ethic of hospitality. Center Journal, 19(2), 244-253. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.Briley, R. (2007). Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero / The Team That Changed Baseball: Roberto Clemente and the 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates. Nine: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture, 16(1), 104-107. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.