<P> Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker ( Spanish pronunciation : ( roˈβeɾto enˈrike kleˈmente ( g ) walˈkeɾ ) ; August 18 , 1934 -- December 31 , 1972 ) was a Puerto Rican professional baseball right fielder who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) for the Pittsburgh Pirates . He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973 , becoming both the first Latin American and Caribbean player to be enshrined . His untimely death established the precedent that , as an alternative to the five - year retirement period , a player who has been deceased for at least six months is eligible for entry into the Hall of Fame . </P>
<P> Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker ( Spanish pronunciation : ( roˈβeɾto enˈrike kleˈmente ( g ) walˈkeɾ ) ; August 18 , 1934 -- December 31 , 1972 ) was a Puerto Rican professional baseball right fielder who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) for the Pittsburgh Pirates . He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973 , becoming both the first Latin American and Caribbean player to be enshrined . His untimely death established the precedent that , as an alternative to the five - year retirement period , a player who has been deceased for at least six months is eligible for entry into the Hall of Fame . </P>
who is the first hispanic player voted into baseball 's hall of fame
who is the first hispanic player voted into baseball 's hall of fame
Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker
Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker