Vera Zabala (March 6, 1941 – November 16, 2019) was a Puerto Rican philanthropist who was the head of the Roberto Clemente Foundation. She founded a sports education facility in Puerto Rico and was a Goodwill Ambassador for Major League Baseball. She was the wife of baseball player Roberto Clemente, who died in 1972, and the mother of sportscaster Roberto Clemente Jr. She went to the White House in 2003 to receive her husband's posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Clemente was chair of the Roberto Clemente Foundation, and a Goodwill Ambassador for Major League Baseball.[2][3] She and her three young sons[4] attended Roberto Clemente's posthumous induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973.[5] In his memory, she established the Ciudad Deportiva Roberto Clemente,[6] a sports education facility in Carolina, Puerto Rico, supported by grants, loans, and an annual telethon that she hosted.[7] "My main purpose was to do what he was planning to do," she said in a 1994 interview.[8] She also established a pediatric clinic in Nicaragua in his memory.[9]
She was active in choosing the recipients of the annual Roberto Clemente Award.[1] She was a familiar figure at charity events in Puerto Rico and in Pittsburgh, where her husband played baseball.[10][11] In 1982, she was the first woman to be named captain of a major league All-Star team, when she was captain of the National League team that year.[12]
On July 23, 2003, she went to the White House to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom on behalf of her husband. The award was made by George W. Bush for her husband's charitable works.[13]
Personal lifeedit
Vera Zabala married Roberto Clemente in 1964. They had three sons, Roberto Jr., Luis, and Enrique, a few years before Roberto Clemente died in a plane crash in 1972. She died in 2019, aged 78 years, after a brief hospitalization in San Juan, Puerto Rico.[1][14][15]
Referencesedit
^ abcSeelye, Katharine Q. (2019-11-18). "Vera Clemente, Flame-Keeping Widow of Baseball's Roberto, Dies at 78". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
^de Jesus Ortiz, Jose (2019-11-18). "We Mourn our Baseball Queen, our Matriarch, Vera Clemente". La Vida Baseball. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
^Richman, Milton (February 2, 1973). "'Hadn't Lived His Life', Laments Vera Clemente". The Boston Globe. p. 30. Retrieved December 1, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Shock and Pain Gone for Vera Clemente". The Call-Leader. August 7, 1973. p. 6. Retrieved December 1, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
^Cushman, Tom (February 24, 1976). "The Widow on Clemente Street". Philadelphia Daily News. p. 51. Retrieved December 1, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
^Newhan, Ross (June 8, 2003). "Clemente's Dream Needs Fulfillment". Chicago Tribune. pp. 3–16. Retrieved December 1, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Clemente's Widow Trying to Fulfill His Vision, and Hers". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. December 4, 1994. p. 29. Retrieved December 1, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
^Ruck, Rob (May 4, 1989). "Clemente's Emotional Journey". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 18. Retrieved December 1, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
^Perrotto, John (November 17, 2019). "Steve Blass remembers Vera Clemente for her charity work, continued love for Pittsburgh". TRIBLive. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
^Smith, Claire (February 9, 1982). "Vera Clemente Breaks New Ground". Indiana Gazette. p. 17. Retrieved December 1, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
^"President Honors 2003 Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients". georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
^"Vera Clemente, humanitarian and widow of Pirates legend Roberto Clemente, dies". Los Angeles Times. 2019-11-19. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
^EndPlay (2019-11-02). "Vera Clemente, widow of Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente in 'delicate health'". WSBTV. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
vera, zabala, march, 1941, november, 2019, puerto, rican, philanthropist, head, roberto, clemente, foundation, founded, sports, education, facility, puerto, rico, goodwill, ambassador, major, league, baseball, wife, baseball, player, roberto, clemente, died, 1. Vera Zabala March 6 1941 November 16 2019 was a Puerto Rican philanthropist who was the head of the Roberto Clemente Foundation She founded a sports education facility in Puerto Rico and was a Goodwill Ambassador for Major League Baseball She was the wife of baseball player Roberto Clemente who died in 1972 and the mother of sportscaster Roberto Clemente Jr She went to the White House in 2003 to receive her husband s posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom Vera ZabalaBornVera Cristina Zabala Vivada 1941 03 06 March 6 1941Carolina Puerto RicoDiedNovember 16 2019 2019 11 16 aged 78 San Juan Puerto RicoOccupationphilanthropistYears active1964 2019Known forchair of the Roberto Clemente Foundation founder of the Ciudad Deportiva Roberto Clemente Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 References 5 External linksEarly life editVera Cristina Zabala was born in Carolina Puerto Rico in 1941 She graduated from the University of Puerto Rico and worked as a bank teller as a young woman 1 Career editClemente was chair of the Roberto Clemente Foundation and a Goodwill Ambassador for Major League Baseball 2 3 She and her three young sons 4 attended Roberto Clemente s posthumous induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973 5 In his memory she established the Ciudad Deportiva Roberto Clemente 6 a sports education facility in Carolina Puerto Rico supported by grants loans and an annual telethon that she hosted 7 My main purpose was to do what he was planning to do she said in a 1994 interview 8 She also established a pediatric clinic in Nicaragua in his memory 9 She was active in choosing the recipients of the annual Roberto Clemente Award 1 She was a familiar figure at charity events in Puerto Rico and in Pittsburgh where her husband played baseball 10 11 In 1982 she was the first woman to be named captain of a major league All Star team when she was captain of the National League team that year 12 On July 23 2003 she went to the White House to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom on behalf of her husband The award was made by George W Bush for her husband s charitable works 13 Personal life editVera Zabala married Roberto Clemente in 1964 They had three sons Roberto Jr Luis and Enrique a few years before Roberto Clemente died in a plane crash in 1972 She died in 2019 aged 78 years after a brief hospitalization in San Juan Puerto Rico 1 14 15 References edit a b c Seelye Katharine Q 2019 11 18 Vera Clemente Flame Keeping Widow of Baseball s Roberto Dies at 78 The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2019 12 01 Vera Clemente Roberto Clemente Foundation Retrieved 2019 12 01 de Jesus Ortiz Jose 2019 11 18 We Mourn our Baseball Queen our Matriarch Vera Clemente La Vida Baseball Retrieved 2019 12 01 Richman Milton February 2 1973 Hadn t Lived His Life Laments Vera Clemente The Boston Globe p 30 Retrieved December 1 2019 via Newspapers com Shock and Pain Gone for Vera Clemente The Call Leader August 7 1973 p 6 Retrieved December 1 2019 via Newspapers com Cushman Tom February 24 1976 The Widow on Clemente Street Philadelphia Daily News p 51 Retrieved December 1 2019 via Newspapers com Newhan Ross June 8 2003 Clemente s Dream Needs Fulfillment Chicago Tribune pp 3 16 Retrieved December 1 2019 via Newspapers com Clemente s Widow Trying to Fulfill His Vision and Hers St Louis Post Dispatch December 4 1994 p 29 Retrieved December 1 2019 via Newspapers com Ruck Rob May 4 1989 Clemente s Emotional Journey Pittsburgh Post Gazette p 18 Retrieved December 1 2019 via Newspapers com Berry Adam Sanchez Jesse November 18 2019 Vera Clemente widow of Roberto passes away MLB com Retrieved 2019 12 01 Perrotto John November 17 2019 Steve Blass remembers Vera Clemente for her charity work continued love for Pittsburgh TRIBLive Retrieved 2019 12 01 Smith Claire February 9 1982 Vera Clemente Breaks New Ground Indiana Gazette p 17 Retrieved December 1 2019 via Newspapers com President Honors 2003 Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients georgewbush whitehouse archives gov Retrieved 2019 12 01 Vera Clemente humanitarian and widow of Pirates legend Roberto Clemente dies Los Angeles Times 2019 11 19 Retrieved 2019 12 01 EndPlay 2019 11 02 Vera Clemente widow of Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente in delicate health WSBTV Retrieved 2019 12 01 External links editVera Zabala at IMDb Portals nbsp Biography nbsp Baseball nbsp Puerto Rico Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vera Zabala amp oldid 1193412589, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
