Roberto Clemente accepts Pittsburgh’s annual “Dapper Dan Award”

BRONX, NY — As we commemorate these 21 Days of Clemente we can not forget that Clemente was not just a super star baseball player and humanitarian, but that he was also a great dresser. He always dressed like the proud, professional Puerto Rican that he was. He won several Dapper Dan awards for his dress. The following is an excerpt on February 4, 1962 when he won the Dapper Dan Award. The origin of “Dapper Dan” was used in the 1920’s to mean ‘a well dressed man.’

We also share several pictures of Clemente always dressed, as we say in my hood, “To kill.”

On February 4 1962  This Day in Baseball — Roberto Clemente accepts Pittsburgh’s annual “Dapper Dan Award”, acknowledging both Pirate fans and fellow Pirates in the process. Les Biederman writes in The Sporting News: “Clemente, the Pirates’ National League batting champion, gave credit to the encouragement of the Pittsburgh fans for his feats in 1961 that earned him the Dapper Dan Award at the 26th annual banquet before more than 2,000 persons (all male) at the Hilton Hotel. The Puerto Rican, who climaxed his greatest season in the majors with a .351 batting average, accepted the plaque from Dapper Dan President Al Abrams, sports editor of the sponsoring Post Gazette, and responded to a standing ovation with a moving and sincere speech. ‘Without the fans’ encouragement here, I never could win this award,’ Clemente told the hushed crowd. ‘This award belongs to the fans and my teammates as much as it does to me.’”

Clemente always dressed to the “T”

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