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On this date in 1972, Roberto Clemente was killed when a plane carrying him and relief aid for people affected by a earthquake in Nicaragua crashed into the ocean off the coast of Puerto Rico immediately after takeoff. Clemente, 38 at the time of his death, was a .317/.359/.475 career hitter in 18 seasons with the Bucs, picking up 3,000 career hits on the nose. He was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame in 1973 after voters elected to waive the traditional five-year waiting period. MLB honors Clemente's charity work each year by presenting the Robert Clemente Award to the player "who combines a dedication to giving back to the community with outstanding skills on the baseball field."
