Title
Dept/ Agency: Offices of Municipal Council/City Clerk
Action: (X) Ratifying (X) Authorizing ( ) Amending
Type of Service: Declaring Intent
Purpose: Resolution in Support of naming a terminal as Terminal 21 Roberto Clemente of the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) in honor of Roberto Clemente.
Date: January 1, 2024
Sponsor(s): Council Member, Luis A. Quintana
Additional Information:
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WHEREAS, Roberto Clemente (“Clemente”) was born on August 18, 1934 in Barrio San Antón, Carolina, Puerto Rico; and
WHEREAS, in 1951, Clemente played for the Puerto Rican Baseball League - Santurce Cangrejeros; and
WHEREAS, in 1952 Clemente was signed to the Brooklyn Dodgers Minor League Team, the Montreal Royals; and
WHEREAS, in 1954 Clemente was selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft for the Pittsburgh Pirates and played as a right fielder (Jersey #21); and
WHEREAS, Clemente encountered discrimination during his career; and
WHEREAS, Clemente became a union leader in the Major League Baseball Players Association to defend players’ rights; and
WHEREAS, Clemente visited sick children in hospitals when on the road with the Pittsburgh Pirates; and
WHEREAS, in 1958, Clemente enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve and was inducted into the Marine Corps Hall of Fame (in 2003); and
WHEREAS, in 1960, Clemente earned his first All-Star and helped the Pittsburgh Pirates win the World Series; and
WHEREAS, in 1961, Clemente won the first of twelve (12) consecutive Gold Glove Awards; and
WHEREAS, in 1966, Clemente was voted the National League MVP; and
WHEREAS, in 1971, Clemente was selected to be the World Series MVP; and
WHEREAS, in 1972, Clemente died in a plane crash off the coast of Isla Verde, Puerto Rico while attempting to deliver aid to those impacted by the earthquake in Managua, Nicaragua; and
WHEREAS, in 2002, Major League Baseball declared the first annual Roberto Clemente Day; and
WHEREAS, in 2021, Major League Baseball designated September 15th as Roberto Clemente Day.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, THAT:
1. The Municipal Council supports the naming of a terminal at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU), in Puerto Rico, as Terminal 21 Roberto Clemente in honor of Roberto Clemente.
2. This Resolution of Support is ratified to the date of adoption of this authorizing Resolution.
STATEMENT
This Resolution supports the naming of a terminal at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) in Puerto Rico as Terminal 21 Roberto Clemente in honor of Roberto Clemente for both his baseball career, as well as his humanitarian and philanthropic activities.