Yankees value Clemente's impact on baseball

Inside their lockers in the Yankee Stadium clubhouse, Jorge Posada and LaTroy Hawkins have "Retire 21" stickers.

[Jim]

Roberto was one of the best all around players to ever put on a uniform! He had all the tools and was a true star.

[DC YANK]

I keep a Clemente card on my desk. Great player, even better person. I don't really think it's necessary-or even valuable--to compare his accomplishments to Robinson's, and I wish people would stop doing it, though I understand the temptation. Still, they played in differenct eras under very different circumstances. They both overcame huge obstacles at great personal cost for the benefit of a larger cause. Comparing them undervalues both the men and, more importantly, the contributions they made.

Absolutely, retire 21. How often does baseball get the chance to do the right thing so clearly and painlessly?

Really nice piece. I love that both Jorge and Hawkins are fans, even though Clemente didn't completely meet either one's demographic. Now that's the sign of a transcendent player. And that's what baseball at its best is about. Retire 21.