The Coliseum is named after baseball hall of famer Roberto Clemente , who died in a plane crash off Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Carolina in 1972 , while flying with relief articles to be given to victims of the Nicaragua earthquake . Construction of the facility began in the early 1970s , it was finished in January 1973 , and inaugurated in February of that year by the Fania All-Stars
Nicaragua earthquake
1972 Nicaragua earthquake
Roberto Clemente Coliseum