Roberto Clemente: A Baseball Star Got on an Old Plane… to Help Strangers
Roberto Clemente made his first bat from a guava branch and became one of baseball's greatest stars. On New Year's Eve, 1972, he flew with supplies for earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Learn five B1 words with the true story of Roberto Clemente.
Coming 14 November 2026, 3:00 pm New York time
Transcript
Tap a time to jump to that moment. Highlighted words have a meaning: tap them. Words in bold show today's grammar.
On New Year's Eve, 1972, one of baseball's greatest stars did not stay home to celebrate.
He climbed into an old plane full of food and medicine for strangers.
This is the story of Roberto Clemente.
Welcome to brightlivesenglish.com, where we teach real English using real-life stories.
. In baseball, a is when you strike the ball and reach a base safely.
It was his 3,000th .
. A person likes to give time, money or help to others.
He was famous for being .
. An is a sudden, violent shaking of the ground.
An destroyed much of Managua.
. A is a person who is hurt or killed by something bad.
Thousands of needed help.
. are the food, medicine and other things that people need.
Planes carried to Nicaragua.
Now, one pattern: reported speech.
We use it to tell what someone said.
He said, "I will go myself."
He said that he would go himself.
Ready? Let's begin.
Roberto Clemente was born in 1934 in Carolina, Puerto Rico, the youngest child in a big family.
His father worked in the sugar-cane fields.
The family had little money.
Roberto made a bat from a guava branch and a glove from a coffee sack.
He delivered milk to buy a bicycle, and he squeezed rubber balls to make his hands strong.
In 1955, he joined the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Life in the United States was hard.
Some reporters made fun of his English.
He said that Latin American players did not get the respect they deserved.
But he kept working hard.
He had a famous throwing arm, and he helped his team win two World Series.
In 1971, he was the best player of the World Series.
On 30 September 1972, the crowd stood up.
Roberto the ball hard into the outfield.
It was his 3,000th .
It was also his last in a regular-season game.
Off the field, he was famous for being .
Every winter, he taught baseball to poor children in Puerto Rico.
In Nicaragua, he met a boy who had lost his legs, and he helped him get new ones.
Just before Christmas, 1972, an destroyed much of Managua.
Thousands of needed help.
Planes carried to Nicaragua.
But Roberto heard that soldiers were stopping the .
What would he do?
He said that he would go himself.
Then the would reach the people.
His wife was worried.
He told her that babies were dying, and that they needed the .
On New Year's Eve, an old plane took off from San Juan, full of .
Soon after take-off, it fell into the sea.
Roberto never came home.
In 1973, he became the first Latin American player in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The usual five-year wait was skipped for him.
Today, a prize for players carries his name.
Let's review. It was his 3,000th .
He was famous for being .
An destroyed much of Managua.
Thousands of needed help.
Planes carried to Nicaragua.
And remember: he said that he would go himself.
Roberto Clemente's story teaches us: a true star shines brightest when he helps others.
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Step 3
Words from the story
Say the word, guess its meaning, then flip the card. Keep the ones you know, and practise the rest again.
Great work, you know every word in this story. Now try the quiz below.
hit noun
(in baseball) when you strike the ball and reach a base safely
“It was his 3,000th hit.”
generous adjective
happy to give time, money or help to others
“He was famous for being generous.”
earthquake noun
a sudden, violent shaking of the ground
“An earthquake destroyed much of Managua.”
victim noun
a person who is hurt or killed by something bad
“Thousands of victims needed help.”
supplies noun (plural)
food, medicine and other things people need
“Planes carried supplies to Nicaragua.”
charity noun
help or money given to people in need, or a group that gives it
“He did a lot of charity work.”
relief noun
food, money and help sent to people after a disaster
“He organised relief for Nicaragua.”
humble adjective
not proud; not thinking you are better than others
“He came from a humble family.”
Grammar in the story
said (that) + past (reported speech)
We use it for: to tell what someone said
- He said that he would go himself.
- He said that Latin American players did not get the respect they deserved.
- He told her that babies were dying.
From the story
- He said that he would go himself.
- He told her that babies were dying.
Find it in the story 5 times
Your turn
In 1972: "I will go myself." → He said that he go himself.
In 1972: "Babies are dying." → He told her that babies dying.
In 1972: "They need supplies." → He said that they supplies.
Step 4
Story Challenge
9 quick rounds: choose, fill the gap, build the sentence and match the words. Answer in a row to build a streak and earn bonus points.
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Take it further
Before you watch: Who is your favourite sports star? Do they help other people?
After you watch: Write three sentences in reported speech about something people told you this week. For example: My friend said that she was tired. My teacher said that the test would be easy. My mother told me that dinner was ready.
Think about it: Roberto said that he would go himself. Was it brave or was it too dangerous? Would you do the same?
