The Great One’s final swings

The incomparable Roberto Clemente – seen here in a 1968 game through the lens of photographer extraordinaire Neil Leifer – runs a baseball clinic for 300 kids and teens 53 years ago today (1972) in the Puerto Rican town of Aguadilla.

Coaxed by the crowd, the 38-year-old Clemente finishes that day in 1972 with a little batting practice of his own – and drills the fifth and final pitch to him 350 feet and over the left-field fence.

Four days later, the greatest player in Pittsburgh Pirates history tragically perishes in a plane crash off the coast of his native Puerto Rico en route to delivering emergency supplies to earthquake-stricken victims in Nicaragua.

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