The New York Mets play the Pittsburgh Pirates at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. Roberto Clemente gets his 3,000th and final major league base hit, a fourth inning double off of Mets pitcher Jon Matlock. Final Score: Pirates 5, Mets 0.
Seven & half innings are only broadcast, but no scoring innings are missed, and only one hit by Willie Sargell in the bottom of the 8th inning is not aired / recorded. The game is broadcast on WKAJ 102.3 FM radio from Saratoga Springs New York.
All commercials recorded including spots with George Burns, Lee Trevino, and Bing Crosby chairman of the Arthritis Foundation, which were filmed by DP Phil Gries (creator & owner of Archival Television Audio, Inc.)
NOTE: Original broadcast transmitted with a slight hum (commercials and station identifications have no hum). After the top of the eight inning an announcer interrupts the broadcast and states that "we are experiencing technical difficulties." Music is played at which point this audio air check concludes.
NOTE:
This audio air check is the only broadcast record, known to date, of this historic game.
IN RETROSPECT:
On September 30, 1972, Roberto Clemente stepped to the plate in the fourth inning of a game against the Mets. Little was at stake for the Pirates, as they'd already clinched the NL East title. But history was at hand for the 38-year-old right fielder, who sat at 2,999 hits.
He had struck out in the first inning, but he wouldn't be denied in his second at-bat -- he doubled, becoming the 11th MLB player, and first Latino, to reach the 3,000-hit milestone. 1960 World Series hero Bill Mazeroski (also playing in his final season) pinch hit for Clemente the next time his spot came up in the order. Although he briefly played in the field three days later, as well as throughout that year's NLCS against the Reds, Clemente would never make another regular season plate appearance.
He died in a plane crash off the coast of Puerto Rico on New Year's Eve 1972, attempting to bring emergency supplies to Nicaragua, which had recently been ravaged by a major earthquake. His influence as a pioneering Latino, a humanitarian and an outstanding baseball player was recognized in his time as much as it is today -- he the second player in history (after Lou Gehrig) to have the five-year Hall of Fame induction waiting period waived.
