Baseball Legend Roberto Clemente Kidnapped At Gunpoint And Forced To Get Naked Before Game
The MLB Hall-of-Famer endured a bizarre attempted robbery before a game that he was able to foil once the criminals realized who he was
Roberto Clemente was one of the finest players to ever play baseball. A legendary humanitarian and skilled all-around outfielder, he was an easy choice for the Hall of Fame. He is best remembered for his graceful play, but he wasn’t immune from the bizarre. This includes a time late in his career when he was kidnapped at gunpoint prior to a game in San Diego against the Padres, when he was out buying a chicken dinner. He was then taken to a remote area and forced to strip until it clicked to his captors who he was, and he was released unharmed.
A native of Puerto Rico, the right-handed Clemente overcame bleak socioeconomic conditions growing up to become a skilled athlete in many sports, including baseball. As a teenager, he garnered the attention of the Brooklyn Dodgers, initially signing with the franchise. However, after one season of moderate success playing for one of their minor league teams, where the teenager faced discrimination, a language barrier and his tender age, he was left available in the Rule 5 Draft.
