From Dennis Rodman to Roberto Clemente: Why the Government Needs Athlete Ambassadors
Location: Roberto Clemente State Park, 301 W. Tremont Ave. Bronx, New York, 40° 51.2416' N, 073° 55.2464' W
Regardless of how you feel about former NBA-star Dennis Rodman’s relationship with North Korean Dictator Kim Jong-un, you have to admit the level of access Rodman was given to this world leader was unparalleled. During a tearful interview with ESPN in 2014, Dennis Rodman vowed not to return to the country of North Korea if the public was opposed.[1] He went on to say that his only wish was, “to do great things in life.”[2] Known for being particularly flamboyant, Dennis “The Worm” Rodman won five NBA world championships with the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls.[3] Rodman has already accomplished great things, but for some athletes, the world records, fame, and fortune is not enough.
Athlete ambassadors seek to give back to their fans and provide a deeper meaning to their legacy. The federal government should engage with celebrity personalities wanting to make a difference beyond our borders. Athlete ambassadors represent American ideals and identity in a way that is fun and entertaining. They are able to bridge vast divides and bring people together in surprising ways.
The late Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente represented everything a true athlete ambassador should be. Born in 1934 on the island of Puerto Rico, Roberto Clemente recognized early in his professional career that his ability to play baseball opened doors and brought opportunities that few Puerto Ricans had at the time. But it was not an easy road. Roberto Clemente had natural talent but worked incredibly hard to learn English and integrate into life on the mainland. Clemente went on to become one of the greatest baseball players the US has ever seen. Clemente earned 12 consecutive gold glove awards and joins the elite “3000 hit club.”
Roberto Clemente was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973, the year after he was tragically killed while traveling to assist with hurricane relief efforts in Nicaragua. Roberto Clemente was able to bridge the divide between the US and Latin America. Apart from his baseball records, what truly sets Roberto Clemente apart from so many professional athletes is that he always used his success to reach out and help those in need: “He didn’t see himself as merely a representative of Latin America to the world through baseball. He saw his career in baseball as a way to help Latin Americans — especially underprivileged Puerto Ricans — make their lives better.”[4] Roberto Clemente and a select few have the power and the ambition to live out their legacy representing the best the United States has to offer beyond politics and formal diplomacy. Athlete ambassadors reach people and bridge divides in new ways. The statues, monuments, schools, bridge, medical centers, and parks named after Roberto Clemente speak directly to his amazing legacy as one of our nation’s finest.
“He gave the term ‘complete’ a new meaning. He made the word ‘superstar’ seem inadequate. He had about him the touch of royalty. “ Bowie Kuhn (Former Major League Baseball Commissioner)[5]
Visit Roberto Clemente State Park at 301 W. Tremont Ave. Bronx, New York
[1] “Dennis Rodman: I Won’t Go Back OK?” ESPN, March 9, 2014, http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10577698/dennis-rodman-no-return-north-korea-desired
[2] Ibid.
[3] “NBA Encyclopedia Edition” website, http://www.nba.com/history/players/rodman_stats.html
[4] “Beyond Baseball: The Life of Roberto Clemente” Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, http://www.robertoclemente.si.edu/english/virtual_legacy.htm
[5] “National Baseball Hall of Fame: Roberto Clemente” http://baseballhall.org/hof/clemente-roberto
Monumental USA is dedicated to highlighting local monuments and the human stories that lay at their foundation. The desire is to reinvigorate civic pride and sense of ownership through interesting monuments to events and personalities great and small across the nation, with a special focus on local and perhaps obscure or forgotten memorials.
