Comments on: The Clemente family gives up the push to retire #21 across baseball … until Selig’s gone http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/the-clemente-family-gives-up-the-push-to-retire-21-across-baseball-until-seligs-gone/ Baseball. Baseball. And then a bit more baseball. Thu, 23 May 2013 18:44:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: jolink653 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/the-clemente-family-gives-up-the-push-to-retire-21-across-baseball-until-seligs-gone/comment-page-1/#comment-373833 Tue, 02 Oct 2012 16:25:08 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=228224#comment-373833 I might be too young to have been around for Clemente’s playing days and I know he was a great player and obviously deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, but what did he do to deserve to have his number retired league-wide? Jackie Robinson was the first one to break the color barrier, something so monumental at the time, and this allowed so many thousands of players to join up and give us an entirely new form of baseball…Jackie deserves to be the only one with that honor regardless of how well any other player performs on the field and even how many good things he does off the field

]]> By: cur68 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/the-clemente-family-gives-up-the-push-to-retire-21-across-baseball-until-seligs-gone/comment-page-1/#comment-372986 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:12:06 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=228224#comment-372986 Really Stex? He’s a Fembot, Like you used to see in The Six Million Dollar Man? Well. Worst Fembot ever!

]]> By: pinstripecameraman http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/the-clemente-family-gives-up-the-push-to-retire-21-across-baseball-until-seligs-gone/comment-page-1/#comment-372975 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:00:45 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=228224#comment-372975 Retiring numbers should be based on the team an individual played for. I’m not a big fan of Jackie Robinson’s number being retired by all teams. I mean we are coming up on the 40th anniversary of his passing (10/24/72) and since then, the Blue Jays, Mariners, Rockies and Marlins were founded, yet they have to retire his number? The fact that Dodgers retired it should suffice just like the Pirates retired 21 for Clemente. MLB didn’t retire Larry Doby’s number did they?

]]> By: pinstripecameraman http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/the-clemente-family-gives-up-the-push-to-retire-21-across-baseball-until-seligs-gone/comment-page-1/#comment-372967 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 14:48:50 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=228224#comment-372967 What is this supposed to mean in relation to the article?

]]> By: dexterismyhero http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/the-clemente-family-gives-up-the-push-to-retire-21-across-baseball-until-seligs-gone/comment-page-1/#comment-372964 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 14:38:37 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=228224#comment-372964 Maybe they could retire Smokey Burgess’s # also.

Really wish we could have watched him for a few more years. One of the best all around players of all time. When someone came up with “The Five Tools Players” Clemente, Mays, Mantle, Aaron were the guys that started it. I’m sure aI missed someone in there also.

]]> By: Panda Claus http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/the-clemente-family-gives-up-the-push-to-retire-21-across-baseball-until-seligs-gone/comment-page-1/#comment-372950 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 14:19:48 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=228224#comment-372950 I think the general idea of league-wide number retirement is unnecessary. I understand the symbolism of #42, but to retire any number across the board makes it standout less for the team he actually played for.

Unfortunately I wonder if in ten years more fans will think 42 was retired for Rivera than Robinson. I’d bet in NY it woul be that way. And from that angle, shouldn’t 42 in pinstripes be retired for Rivera anyway, rather than for a guy that never wore that uniform?

To allow each team to decide if their 21 is retired or not is the way it should be decided. It takes nothing away from Clemente’s legacy to not do this league wide. And no disrespect to the man or his family, but I don’t want his number retired in Baltimore where one of his last acts on earth was defeating my Orioles.

]]> By: farvefromover http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/the-clemente-family-gives-up-the-push-to-retire-21-across-baseball-until-seligs-gone/comment-page-1/#comment-372947 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 14:18:38 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=228224#comment-372947 well that was stupid

]]> By: The Dangerous Mabry http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/the-clemente-family-gives-up-the-push-to-retire-21-across-baseball-until-seligs-gone/comment-page-1/#comment-372933 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 14:02:34 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=228224#comment-372933 The biggest problem with this movement is that it makes you have to point out all the reasons that Clemente doesn’t deserve to have his number retired across baseball. And I hate being in a position where I have to say anything but positive things about the great players throughout history. Once they drop this cause for good, I won’t have to do that anymore, and I’ll be a lot happier.

]]> By: stlouis1baseball http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/the-clemente-family-gives-up-the-push-to-retire-21-across-baseball-until-seligs-gone/comment-page-1/#comment-372932 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 14:01:24 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=228224#comment-372932 Yep. And then we have to retire Ozzie’s #1, Stan’s #6, Gibson’s #45, Enos’ #9, Dizzy’s #17, Tommy Herr’s #28, Andy VanSlyke’s #18, oh…and Joaquin Andujar’s #47.
The fact that all of these former players are ex Cardinals is purely coincidental.

]]> By: mazblast http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/the-clemente-family-gives-up-the-push-to-retire-21-across-baseball-until-seligs-gone/comment-page-1/#comment-372931 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:58:29 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=228224#comment-372931 Clemente was my idol from the time my family moved to the Pittsburgh area in 1963. I’ve never engaged in idol worship like I did with him.

That said–No. Don’t do it. Let Jackie’s #42 be unique. He deserves it. If #21 is retired, you’ll see every team in MLB clamoring for their guy to have his number retired all the way across (with the Yankees getting 8 or 9 instead of one because they’re the Yankees).

So let’s not set ourselves up for a fall. Let’s not indulge in false hopes. As Pirates fans, we just saw even our modest hope for this year shattered. Forget it.

]]> By: nategearhart http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/the-clemente-family-gives-up-the-push-to-retire-21-across-baseball-until-seligs-gone/comment-page-1/#comment-372914 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:35:39 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=228224#comment-372914 It’s just such a slippery slope. I mean, if you retire Clemente’s number you have to retire Gehrig’s, right?

]]> By: Old Gator http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/the-clemente-family-gives-up-the-push-to-retire-21-across-baseball-until-seligs-gone/comment-page-1/#comment-372908 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:23:32 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=228224#comment-372908 When I turned 62, I retired 61. I just kept the asterisk, which took up very little shelf space.

]]> By: Old Gator http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/the-clemente-family-gives-up-the-push-to-retire-21-across-baseball-until-seligs-gone/comment-page-1/#comment-372906 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:20:55 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=228224#comment-372906 Indaburg: GNC’s newly reformulated colon cleanser will help you recover.

]]> By: willclarkgameface http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/the-clemente-family-gives-up-the-push-to-retire-21-across-baseball-until-seligs-gone/comment-page-1/#comment-372902 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:14:57 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=228224#comment-372902 Why don’t we just retire all of the classic numbers in the game and make rookies wear 100+ numbers?

This is silly.

I have a great deal of respect for what Clemente brought to the game and his community service, but was he a pioneer? No.

21 stays available.

]]> By: stex52 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/the-clemente-family-gives-up-the-push-to-retire-21-across-baseball-until-seligs-gone/comment-page-1/#comment-372898 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:12:36 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=228224#comment-372898 Craig is right, though. No one will forget Clemente anytime soon. His legacy is secure.

]]> By: manute http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/the-clemente-family-gives-up-the-push-to-retire-21-across-baseball-until-seligs-gone/comment-page-1/#comment-372889 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:04:33 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=228224#comment-372889 Let’s keep the tribute to Jackie Robinson unique. It was actually a pretty awesome idea by MLB to retire #42. Would be even better if Mariano Rivera weren’t such an asshole.

Kidding! Mostly….

]]> By: indaburg http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/the-clemente-family-gives-up-the-push-to-retire-21-across-baseball-until-seligs-gone/comment-page-1/#comment-372882 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 12:57:00 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=228224#comment-372882 Clemente was a great player and an even greater humanitarian, but that’s no reason to retire his number across baseball. He has very appropriate award named after him. That’s enough. (Ugh, agreeing with Selig makes me feel dirty inside.)

]]> By: kiwicricket http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/the-clemente-family-gives-up-the-push-to-retire-21-across-baseball-until-seligs-gone/comment-page-1/#comment-372881 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 12:53:50 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=228224#comment-372881 They have done well with the rug and the old man smell.

]]> By: Old Gator http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/the-clemente-family-gives-up-the-push-to-retire-21-across-baseball-until-seligs-gone/comment-page-1/#comment-372879 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 12:51:33 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=228224#comment-372879 The Gnats have been much more successful in making Strassburg look like some other pitcher every fifth day. Maybe MLB should consult their makeup guy.

]]> By: stex52 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/the-clemente-family-gives-up-the-push-to-retire-21-across-baseball-until-seligs-gone/comment-page-1/#comment-372875 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 12:29:52 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=228224#comment-372875 Don’t they know? Bud’s been gone for three years. What you see is a cleverly crafted automaton that they wheel out for peculiar announcements and then return back down to the laboratory. They are still only partly successful in making it look lifelike.

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