I remember watching Ichiro warm up before a game playing catch. The other guy just kept going farther and farther and farther back. And every single throw from him was a strike. On a line. It was ridiculous.
@@addemup mlb must have agreed...since a top 10 throw of all time was routine for ichiro, they ended up routinely giving ichiro the gold glove award while he was playing!
One thing to keep in mind regarding the Clemente clips, most are from the 71’ WS when he was 37 years old. During his prime, there is very little footage of him throwing out baserunners. Games weren’t televised like they are now. Not to mention, runners stopped running on him sometime around 1960 or so. Anyone who saw him play will never forget it. He was something else man.
i happen to have been lucky enough to be sitting first row mezzanine directly to the right of 3rd base, the ball got to the 3rd baseman what seemed like instantly in real life, truly a "laser beam"
Many moons ago the Dodgers were playing the Pirates in LA. Man on second, one out. Dodger hits a high fly to deep right center field. Clemente, running as fast as he could caught it just in front of the 390' sign. The Dodger tagged and ran as fast as he could. Clemente threw him out by 10'. The crowd, 50,000+ was dead silent for a few seconds. Vin Scully is excitedly calling the catch and throw as one of the greatest he's ever seen. A few seconds later the Dodger crowd started applauding and seconds later Clemente was getting a standing ovation. That was at least 55 years ago and I can see it perfectly in my mind. Simply amazing!
I am reading and I'm getting goose-bone, I made a video on my mind thank you for sharing it! 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗 a hello from the Dominican Republic here baseball is king, thank you Puerto Rico for giving us a #21 🤗🤗
Back in the 1960's and into the 1970's, the Pirates drew tremendous attendance while playing on the road. The fans came to see Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell.
4:59 this was only Ichiro's 8th game in the MLB. Terrence Long was probably aware of Ichiro and decided to test him. Also he's safe on anything but a perfect throw.
This is a great video made by a Japanese fan of Ichiro stopping guys with his arm. Obviously Ichiro had an absolute cannon, but his footwork, anticipation, preparation and angles were perfect as well. He and Clemente were just on another level. th-cam.com/video/y9KxdY0J5y0/w-d-xo.html
My dad still talks about the time Clemente chased a ball into the corner of right field and fired a shot straight to home plate even though he couldn't _see_ home plate from that spot in the corner. The ball flew over the heads of fans in the bleachers that jutted out, straight to the catcher standing on the plate. Greatest throw he'd ever seen.
I was seated in the right field corner and all we saw was Clemente streak toward the line and the ball majestically arching towards home. The runner rounded third and was a third of the way home before slamming on the brakes. Manny Sanguillen caught the ball shin high on the fly and seemingly took joy in rapping it lightly in the glove a couple times as if daring the batter to try for second. Clemente was heralded by Pirate announcer Bob Prince as "The Great One" and anyone who saw him play agreed.
Not only did Ichiro have an elite arm like many shown here, he had the fastest glove to release which means a lot. His setup and then catch and throw in one motion was second to none.
He has a small body compared to other American players,so he have to move quickly and smoothly. I'm proud of him as a Japanese. And now, I'm looking forward to watch Otani's play.
@@bwhitty333 He absolutely should be on this list. First one on this clip has a separate clip of its own called Ichiro's iconic throw. He didn't throw rainbows. They were lasers. th-cam.com/video/1rA0OVXpdLU/w-d-xo.html
There's a lot of younger fans out there (regarding players before 1960, or even 1980) who say "this player wouldn't be able to play in the modern era" or "he wasn't fast/athletic enough"... i doubt anyone can seriously say that about Roberto Friggin' Clemente! That guy would be a hall of famer in any era!
Plus the players of that era, were they playing today would have the same advantages of training snd sports medicine that modern players have. If Mickey Mantle had access to todays orthopedic surgery, he would not have played his entire career in severe pain from a torn up knee tjat was unfixable in his time.
@@dalenincehelser5747 And The MIck would have been even more amazing. Read a book about him by Judith Ivey , "The Last Boy". Best bio I have read on Mickey.
@@ernest1576 Yeah Ernest and you will never have to worry about Ripken or Gehrigs records again LOL. Those men were made of steel and had jobs in the off season.
I was born and raised in PR and grew up playing baseball...that was in the '80s and we still idolized Roberto though I never had the honor to see him play. His accomplishments as a player are simply amazing, absolutely and incredible arm, 3,000 hits, some power, 12 Gold Gloves, and high baseball IQ...but I am even prouder of his accomplishment as a human being, always thinking of others and helping them out. May he RIP.
Pirates fan my father's age who saw him play, live, told me that Clemente's throws would seem to change gear -- that is, accelerate -- mid flight. Which is impossible but it's a great metaphor for the mysteries and wonder behind that otherworldly arm. You keep expecting that thing to come down and take a hop. Nope. You were out of your mind if you tried to take an extra base on Clemente.
Absolutely love Clemente- 5 tool player, 3,000 hits, Won 2 WS, 1 WS MVP, 12 Golden Gloves, 1st Latino into HOF, 1966 NL MVP. Cheated out of many other awards. GOAT to many. saved the best for last..
Only way to end it with a tribute to The Great One. Clemente was in ratified air! A player and human being worthy of all the accolades he received. And more. Thank you.
I grew up in Pittsburgh during the 50s and 60s. I used to go to Forbes Field and sit in the right field stands just so I could watch Clemente. In my opinion he was the greatest right fielder of all time. From the trademark basket catches to his arm, he was always amazing to watch. He threw out so many people at third and home that people stopped running on him. I also saw him throw out runners at first on what should have been a single. Watching Clemente was probably the only perk of living in Pittsburgh
As a devoted Pirates fan, Guillen’s throw backed by Roberto’s magic was the right way to end this montage. I loved every play though, and Ichiro was an amazing player to watch.
Roberto Clemente, now and forever my favorite player. Saw him play many times in person and was at the game when he got hit number 3000. Unforgettable!
If BO had played either baseball or football full time I wonder what he would have done. I just remember that run against Seattle and Boz. Bo said look Boz you are not even going to stop me. Boom he was gone. I think if Bo played football full time he would have broke 2000 yards in a season. As the game went along he got stronger and other guys tired
Thanks for the Clemente throws. I began watching him in 1955 as rookie and have never in all my decades of watching baseball seen anyone as great as him. I have idolized him for years and it has been worth it.
I was born in 68, so I was not old enough to really see Mr. Clemente. My dad often told us about how he could throw the ball. He told us that he threw so hard, he did not need a big arch on his throw in his prime, it would come in almost level. I wish I could have seen him in person, as we live to this day in Pittsburgh, but he died on his humanitarian mission when I was just 4 1/2 years old.
I live close to Pittsburgh and had the honor to watch Clemente for 11 years. We would always sit in right field hoping to see one of his almost super human throws. It was a sad, sad night when he died!
I believe there was one season in which Clemente had 17 assists, throwing runners out at second, third or home. After that year, practically no one ever ran on him again, so his assists dropped, but he obviously prevented a huge number of runs. Not to mention, that he made incredibly athletic catches in right field, or right center. He also got to the ball in the gap, holding the batter to a single, time after time. I recall a game in Chavez Ravine, when Roberto fielded the ball in the deepest part of right field and threw a strike to HP, on THE FLY, to hold the runner to a triple. Best arm in the outfield in history!
Another great mention was Red Sox RF 1972-90 Dwight "Dewey" Evans. He had cannon for throwing people out at the plate that most baserunners and 3rd Base Coaches gave him the respect and held up.
When I was a kid, I saw Clemente field a ball in the deepest corner of right field at old Crosley Field in Cincinnati and throw out Frank Robinson--on the fly--as Robinson was trying to go from first to third. The man had a howitzer for an arm.
You dont realise How many people have similar stories In differant Ballparks. What a Cannon . The Great one or as Bob prince said The greatest Right Fielder in the Game.
@@suebailey9842 Many of his throws will never be seen because they were before TV games were available everywhere. Only those of us who had the opportunity of watching him in person will know the commonality of his throws and amazing arm.
They nailed it with the top choice. I remember THAT game and THAT throw specifically. As a kid watching Clememte play at Forbes Field, we would sit in the right field stands to get a better view of him in the field. Many times a ball would be hit in the right field corner and Clemente would hustle to get it. From our perspective, he would disappear temporarily as he pursued the ball in the corner. Suddenly the ball would rocket out of corner and on a line to the infield. Clemente prevented many runners from advancing a base because of his arm. Why a pleasure it was to watch him.
Bo jackson toss is the best throw. Harold Reynolds, who had 70 plus steals at least once, was running on the play. One of the fastest players in the game at rhe time. Hosed
Love this old footage. Ate up with baseball since the age of seven. I remember looking captivated at photos of Clemente playing. I never saw video back then but could imagine how he must have played in real life just by seeing photos of him swinging the bat above his head to connect on a wild pitch, sliding in the outfield, adjusting his glasses to locate the ball, then locating it and catching it in his glove (that was from a series of stills), and his batting stance. Everything looked unorthodox but effective. Seeing him on film is a real treat. Hard to imagine there being another who ever plays with the same skill. For scale, Forbes field measured 360 down left field line.
I knew this guy, huge Pirates fan, he was from New Orleans (a Pirates farm club) he said that Clemente's throws would shift gear mid-flight. Obviously that's b.s. and physically impossible, but Clemente's throws were so powerful it looked like they actually dropped the hammer and accelerated mid flight. That's how bad-assed his arm was. Dude had 3,000 hits and won two world championships, but his right arm was the greatest secret weapon in the National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs.
I saw the same thing from Clemente at Forbes Field. It seemed like his throws accerlated in flight! I remember watching the live broadcast of his throw to homeplate in Game 6 of the 1971 World Series. The gasp from the 40,000 fans in Baltimore was clearly audible thru the TV when he made that throw.
I gotta say the Ichiro throw is my favorite because the throw isn't more than 10 feet high and the reaction by the third baseman is classic, like he can't believe what just happened!
He made a great play on the ball and had a lightning quick release, that's what made the play special.... He was closer to the infield than he was to the wall, which made for a much shorter distance to throw than literally every other play shown here...
So right that they ended with Roberto. I grew up in the 'Burgh and watched every chance I got. Forbes Field was not a little park and right field was a monster. Such a great man.
I'm 54 and the throw I will always remember was from Dave Parker in the 1979 All Star game. The fact that he could throw a ball that low and traveling that distance was just unbelievable at the time! That was the "We Are Family" year for the Pirates, and the Steelers ended up playing and beating the Rams in SB X1V. What a year for Pitt!
Don't even come close to Boston sport's chump, we have the most championship's combined out of all of the 4 major sports in the country, that's why we're called Title Town USA
@@cowboysfan782008 did you play for either the Pittsburgh Pirates or the Pittsburg Steelers? LoL! That's one dumbass reply, I'm a fan, a supporter like millions of other Boston sports team fans , it gives me bragging rights and I'm just telling you your Pitt teams ain't got nothing close to my beantown team's you turkey 🦃
I remember a clip of this throw was part of the ending to "This Week in Baseball". That ball would have went straight through the dugout wall if Carter hadn't stopped it. And in this clip we have Pete Rose making the call 1:48 and Reggie Jackson not interested in taking 3rd base 2:14. THAT was an All-Star game.
As baseball fan 4 over 63 years. They nobody like. Clemente that why number 42 is never worn by any team. So such 21. Roberto had it all run throw hit for average feel. Whe out Shadow doubt
I was in Forbes Field as a young teen in 1960 something and watched Clemente (my boyhood hero and idol) throw a bullet on a line from the deepest part of the right field corner to the third baseman (Don Hoak) who tagged the runner out. Best arm ever!
And to think Florida Republicans want to "protect" kids from reading about his life story. Because that story includes the racism he faced, and talking about racism hurts the tender feelings of the GOP base.
@@markw4206 One can only pray that this ludicrous comment was posted with the intent to parody the leftist lunatics and sick propaganda... or are you truly this ignorant and brainwashed? "Florida" discovered that "Queer Theory" and host of other grotesque nonsense had been included in an AP Course that itself had no real place. "Black History" is already a part of U.S. History and 'kids' are exposed to plenty of it in the normal course of their 'reading' . You could use an education in the truth. Now, do _your_ homework, you imbecile. The so-called "course" pushes its political agenda with the purpose to indoctrinate [students] or guide them in some kind of political philosophy including racist garbage such as "Critical Race Theory" and the celebration and promotion of homosexuality etc.
Grew up in the Bay Area but tried to watch Clemente play any time he was on TV or if the Pirates came to Candlestick. The thing about him was that he not only had that arm, but he was a great hitter. Lifetime batting average of over 300 with 3000 (on the dot) hits, with number 3000 coming on his last major league at bat.
I saw Clemente play plenty of times. He was a great player and I don't throw that word around like so many other people do. He was that - great! I don't remember him being a great baserunner or power hitter. That said, he was hitting .300 when not not many people were and ultimately he got his 3,000 which is still a rarity today. Defensively, including his arm, only Mays was better. Of course that's just my opinion. Everybody has one. In any case just being mentioned with Willie Mays as an outfielder puts a player in very, very, elite company indeed. 😁
This video has brought tears to my eyes. As a child, I was one one the hundreds of kids who packed the right field seats in Forbes Field and watched Roberto throw out several who tried to score from third on a long fly. As the ball was hit out to Roberto, we would all stand and wait for that moment when he would catch that ball and pull the trigger. When there was no throw to make, he would toss the ball into the stands and smile. We loved him.
He was one of my first sports' heroes. Luckily, I got to see him play in July of 1972. I was 8, and my dad took me to see them play the Braves. I almost caught a foul ball from Stargell, and (I've been a Braves' fan since they came to the ATL) not to mention seeing Aaron, Garr and all the others. Pirates rolled that day against Denny McClain who was trying to make a comeback with the Braves. I guess it was about 6 months later when Roberto's plane went down. I was pretty crushed. There's not a whole lot to be happy with as we get old, but I sure am glad I'm old enough to have seen those guys play!
I've seen each of the Clemente throes roughly 1,000 times and every time I think they're CGI, but my father (born in 1941) when asked the best outfield arm he ever saw never wasted a second, "Clemente; his arm was better than his bat... and his bat was better than almost anybody's."
I'm 72 years old and saw Clemente play in the 1960's and I agree with your father. Clemente had the best arm of any outfielder in the history of the game and it isn't even close.
Great seeing those Ankiel throws! He was a heck of a pitcher until confidence issues took him from the mound to the outfield. What an arm. And nothing need be said about Ichiro. One of this generation's best baseball players ever!
@Ill-han Omar What's crazy to me is that combined between Nippon League and MLB he has over 4300 hits. He would have absolutely shattered Rose's record if he could have come over earlier and not played 9 seasons in Japan where he still got over 1200 hits but in 120ish game seasons.
@@castafiorept7309 I think getting the yips had to have affected his confidence. When a person goes from one of the best up-and-coming pitchers in the game, then suddenly has a nervous breakdown on the mound and nothing can seem to fix it, lack of confidence can then occur.
Roberto was an unbelievable athlete. Flat footed 300 foot hopper that hits the catcher in the chest. Absolute dime, you gotta wonder what could have been or even if he could have been a pro NFL QB with some training - he had the athleticism for it.
Don't know how you could leave out Willie Mays's throw in game 1 of 1954 World Series that followed his incredible catch of Vic Wertz's long, long drive into deepest centerfield at the Polo Grounds.
At 4:28 you have Ichiro's "Laser Beam" referenced throw by the announcer. That was highly touted by the press in Japan and since then when someone throws a runner out with a good low hard throw, the English "Laser Beam" is often referenced in Japan. That announcer created a new term in all of Japan.
Come on look at the distance. He wasn’t even at the warning track. It looks like he’s halfway in. My ten year old nephew could’ve thrown him out. Give it a rest.
+1 to ending with Clemente. I'm too young to have ever seen him play, but as a kid my dad got a biography of him for me for my birthday, and I watched every clip of the man who could throw perfect strikes from the outfield. Roberto Clemente is and always will be a name synonymous with outfield defense, The Arm You Dare Not Test.
Still can’t believe a man like Ichiro don’t have a World Series win u see his name…. Sad that Seattle was a small market team in a vicious American League back in the days Ichiro was a star! Yankee’s and Red Sox dominated those decades between 1995 and 2015 really. Ichiro was such an All Star. No doubt if he played his WHOLE career here and not spend the first half in Japan, he would own the most hits in history and on base %…. Among other’s!!
He may not have a World Series ring. But he does have something only one other team has in the history of baseball. The rare most wins in a season record!
Dude, Ichiro was on the team that won 116 games that year, an all-time record. They definitely had their chance to go to the World Series. “Small market” or not (Seattle is a mid-market team now), that team was STACKED. He SHOULD have a ring, they just blew it.
i was at three rivers in 71 or 72, against the dodgers. guy on second, deep fly to the warning track in right. guy tags up, heads for third. Clemente throws a perfect strike to the bag, nails him, stadium goes nuts. awesome.
Ankiel had the best pure arm, but the Ichiro play is the most impressive to me. How quickly he got to that ball, how quick and smooth he transitioned to the throwing motion...and then a strike for the out.
@stuxnet750 NO doubt that Ankiel's throws are the best overall, but imagine if he made the play on the Ichiro ball. Would he have gotten to it as quickly? Transitioned to the throwing position as quickly and released it as quickly? I don't think so. I'm not sure he would have gotten the runner, even with a strike.
@stuxnet750 I agree. The two throws Ankiel made were unbelievable. Ichiro probably could not have made them. Ichiro has a great throwing arm, but he is 5'10", and Ankiel, 6'1", was a top pitcher before he became an outfilder, who could throw 95+mph fastballs. But Ankiel might not have made the play that Ichiro made, because it required charging the ball very quickly, straightening up and releasing it quickly, which Ichiro did amazingly well. On a fly ball, like the Ankiel throws, the runner can't run until the fielder makes the catch. But on a ground ball, like the Ichiro play, the runner is running almost as soon as the ball is hit, so Ichiro had very little time to get the ball and release it.
@stuxnet750 I thought we did agree. Ankiel had the better arm, Ichiro got to the ball and released it quicker. Bo was an amazing athlete, a star in baseball and US football, and the fastest man in the major leagues. But his career as a baseball player was not among the greats. his batting average and on base percentage were a little above average, at best, and he had some good years hitting home runs, but never hit 40 in a year, and then his career was over due to injuries, which may have been caused by steroid use. I think the best athletes were Wilt Chamberlain, Jim Thorpe, and Jackie Robinson...Dave Winfield is up there, too.
The greatest outfield arm in the history of baseball belonged to Roberto Clemente and it isn't even close. As a kid in 1964, I saw Roberto Clemente, with one foot on the warning track at the old Shea Stadium, throw a baseball on a clothesline to home plate, holding up the winning run at third in the person of Ron Hunt. None of the throws in this clip comes close to that throw. And Clemente used to do this all the time.
@@misterscottintheway He was still playing at a top level when he died, but you're right he WAS 38 and in those days that was nearing the end for most players.
That Vlad Guerrero throw was amazing but you knew the runner was in trouble when he rounded third looking like an ocean liner trying to slow down and turn
Most of these shots were in the distant past, when baseball was great to watch, speed and smarts dominated. And on right field, no one but Roberto. Tremendous!
Bo's throw is #1. Single greatest team-sports feat I've ever seen. Yes, Roberto did great things and Dave Parker's throw in the All-Star Game is always talked about, too.
He has to be among the best athletes ever. He was a man among boys in Football until he was injured. He had home run power and a gun in the outfield in baseball. One of the fastest athletes in both sports as well.
I was at that game to see Bo Jackson make that throw. Made it look so effortless. Incredible. The announcer that said "the Royals got a break" was clueless. At least the other announcers got it right.
@@dmanning4114 Before he had his pitching troubles, he could pitch well. If he didn't get those issues, he potentially would have been a Cy Young winner at some point in his career.
If it wasn't an All-Star game, the runner would have run over Carter at the plate and been safe. No one wanted a repeat of Pete Rose breaking Ray Fosse's shoulder.
In the early 90s, I saw Luis Polonia (Angels) throw a perfect strike to the plate, on the fly, from the left field wall at Tiger Stadium... runner out! Friggin unbelievable!!
I used to work for the Cubs in the clubhouse. Sometimes I would play catch with the players. You don't understand how hard these guys can throw from distance and what they have to do to keep that arm loose and healthy. Amazing athletes.
My mom is from Pittsburgh and was 11 years old when he passed. She said she climbed a tree in her backyard and cried when the news broke. I’ve never seen footage of him until now. Thank you! ❤
My baseball coach from peewee used to show us (I was an RF) Clemente clips. The way he rotates his hips to convert into power, allows him to use more of the strength from his arms to control where the ball is going. We were always taught, rotate into the throw.
If Clemente played today, with the training techniques and nutrition and physio knowledge we have now, they'd have to move the bases closer together just to make it fair. No one ran on his arm then and they wouldn't now.
The absolute greatest throw was Clemente at Wrigley Field. He threw an absolute frozen rope from the right field wall to the third baseman. Ball was never more than 6 feet off the ground. He had a cannon.
Watching Barfield brings me back to my childhood. I remember sitting along the first base line and just watching him in awe when he'd throw the ball with Moseby between innings. It amazed me how effortlessly he'd throw it and the ball just soared.
Ichiro: artificial grass Clemente: pure undefiled top of line GRASS. 18 years of it. Ichiro Measure the seasons on artificial stuff the bounces out there. Clemente was like a Bounty Hunter out there. But Ichiro was a class in his time.
Ground ball, base hit into right field, heading for third is Terrence Long, the throw by Ichiro A BEAUTIFUL PEG HE GOT HIM! Holy smokes a laser beam strike from Ichiro, to the third baseman David Bell and Terrence Long is gunned down at third base. What a throw! Two outs. ^ American poetry
Great throw on a Rope.....but not from the Warning Track......I admire the ones where the fielders mess up the catch, but throw to the correct base to hold or out the runners. Ichiro was so solid, but superhuman throws from 390 feet.....that's what amazes Everyone!
Puig gets absolutely no love for messing up a catch and then making up for it by launching the ball the third. I was extremely impressed by the bo Jackson, throw and the Jesse Barfield throw. It definitely reminds me of myself back in time. (on a sidenote, I sure wish those Colorado Rockies players would stop staring at the ball, and just round the bases.)
@@yell0wberry thats a bit of a stretch considering the by the time the throw was out of his hand Terrance long was nearly half way to third base. That is a 200 foot 90 mph fastball for a strike, only a handful of fielders who have ever played can make that throw at all, let alone on a player like Terrance long who was not slow by any means.
I'm glad to hear a commentator mention Kaline in the last clip highlighting Clemente. Al Kaline had one of these throws from the warning track in right field in either 68 or 69. A zero hop strike to Freehan to tag the runner out at home. Local TV coverage so we'll never get to relive it on one of these greatest throw montage's
Ichiro was more than a good hitter ....Remember watching an M's/Rangers game on TV and Ichiro threw a strike to third from deep RF. My jaw dropped. It also made me say "A-Hole (Rod) who?"
I saw him in person at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, when I was a kid. I remember one play in which there was a guy on third from the other team. The batter hit it out to Roberto, and the runner on third looked like he was going to tag up and run in. As soon as Clemente got the ball, the runner just gave up and walked back to third. The crowd roared. I'll never forget that. The interesting thing about Roberto is that he was no giant; just a normal sized man with a rifle arm.
By the time you get through the Clemente clips you feel like the whole rest of the video is just to get you ready for his greatness, like your brain starts to accept that human beings can, somehow, throw a baseball into the stratosphere and then Clemente comes on and shows off an arm that makes everyone else look like a Little Leaguer. My god, what a player and what a person.
That was perfectly stated! I'm glad people get to watch and appreciate Clemente's arm. A slight side note is that all of the Clemente footage you see in this video was compiled by me about a year ago but I'm glad to see other people spreading it to a larger audience. Even though it's only one minute long, I searched all over the net to gather as many of his throws as I could because before then, it hadn't ever been done before.
The thing that amazes me about Roberto Clemente is how graceful he was, whether it was fielding, throwing, or running the bases. He had that unique athleticism that makes what he did look like it took half the effort another man would need. I can't even imagine what he'd be paid if he was in his prime and playing today.
Exactly. If you looked at what he was trying to do it was crazy. How he would contort his body to be in position to make plays. But it never looked awkward or uncomfortable. It looked cartoonist. He could do some amazing things.
I'm so glad the Bo Jackson throw is on this list. That was still the most superhuman throw I've ever seen. Harold Reynolds was one of the fastest baserunners out there and you'd figure that he would have scored easily running on the pitch......nope! Also glad to see some footage of Clemente, that dude had a bonafide rifle for a right arm!
I remember Clemente throwing out a tagged runner at third from the warning track as a kid. He was my hero back then. Best arm in baseball except maybe Jackson. Great hitter too. Good job ending video with him.
This is my absolute favorite part of baseball. Love seeing those throws from right field on the fly. They left out some beauties but this was great to watch.
Mark Whiten throwing out Ron Gant at the plate was the greatest throw I have ever seen. The ball was never higher than head high and was a perfect strike to the plate. I can still see it clear as day in my head.
I saw him hit an upper deck homer at 3 Rivers Stadium - absolutely majestic. So far and so high - just hard to believe as you're watching it. One of the two farthest hit balls I've ever seen - the other being a blast by a juiced-up Sammy Sosa that's still the farthest ball ever hit in PNC Park.
I remember watching Ichiro warm up before a game playing catch. The other guy just kept going farther and farther and farther back. And every single throw from him was a strike. On a line. It was ridiculous.
@@addemup OK cool guy.
@@addemupnot everyone is a baseball freak, it's still fascinating
@@addemup I believe it was routine. He took pride in his fielding and I had read that he worked on it a lot.
@@addemup mlb must have agreed...since a top 10 throw of all time was routine for ichiro, they ended up routinely giving ichiro the gold glove award while he was playing!
Something outta Star Wars! Haha
One thing to keep in mind regarding the Clemente clips, most are from the 71’ WS when he was 37 years old. During his prime, there is very little footage of him throwing out baserunners. Games weren’t televised like they are now. Not to mention, runners stopped running on him sometime around 1960 or so. Anyone who saw him play will never forget it. He was something else man.
Best part of play wasn't even the throw..it was how he patiently he played the karom..don't forget this was his first time playing un Baltimore.
Clemente was the goat 🐐 ⚾️🚀🇵🇷#21
EVER? highly unlikely!!
@@elmascavidal1797 You never saw Willie Mays and a host of others!
@@karlheinzvonkroemann2217 Mantel. Mays. Aaron. And a host of others…..
Man, that throw from Ichiro was truly a "laser beam." Literally five feet off the ground all the way. Impressive.
And couldnt have been better placed. Superb.
i happen to have been lucky enough to be sitting first row mezzanine directly to the right of 3rd base, the ball got to the 3rd baseman what seemed like instantly in real life, truly a "laser beam"
@@jaybrown4526that was the end of running on him for a long time.
5' all the way?? No way Jose!
...5:05 the ball is easily twice as high as the players. That would put the ball in the air at that point, about 12'.
@@do_notknow_much its called n exaggeration bro, not that serious
Ichiro looks like he’s throwing a pitch from really far away. It has very little rise. Amazing
Astro-Turf.
Ichiro started in Japan as a pitcher
Many moons ago the Dodgers were playing the Pirates in LA. Man on second, one out. Dodger hits a high fly to deep right center field. Clemente, running as fast as he could caught it just in front of the 390' sign. The Dodger tagged and ran as fast as he could. Clemente threw him out by 10'. The crowd, 50,000+ was dead silent for a few seconds. Vin Scully is excitedly calling the catch and throw as one of the greatest he's ever seen. A few seconds later the Dodger crowd started applauding and seconds later Clemente was getting a standing ovation. That was at least 55 years ago and I can see it perfectly in my mind. Simply amazing!
I am reading and I'm getting goose-bone, I made a video on my mind thank you for sharing it! 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗 a hello from the Dominican Republic here baseball is king, thank you Puerto Rico for giving us a #21 🤗🤗
I love this reply,@@raybueno1901 - Thanks for the good vibes! It certainly was a great story. I somewhat envisioned it too, like you said.
Clemente was a Dodger farm club system product. "Pirates" indeed!
Merci for the story. Greatness surpasses team loyalty.
Back in the 1960's and into the 1970's, the Pirates drew tremendous attendance while playing on the road. The fans came to see Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell.
4:59 this was only Ichiro's 8th game in the MLB. Terrence Long was probably aware of Ichiro and decided to test him. Also he's safe on anything but a perfect throw.
Nobody really ever tested Ichiro after that. One throw prevented runners from advancing for about a decade.
I happen to watch that game live and I was incredulous the commentator was criticizing Long. It looked like the right choice 90+% of the time.
This is a great video made by a Japanese fan of Ichiro stopping guys with his arm. Obviously Ichiro had an absolute cannon, but his footwork, anticipation, preparation and angles were perfect as well. He and Clemente were just on another level.
th-cam.com/video/y9KxdY0J5y0/w-d-xo.html
@@digitalmojave I saw it live as well
I didn’t know that. It’s wild to give long shit for that decision. Very few if any players make that throw
My dad still talks about the time Clemente chased a ball into the corner of right field and fired a shot straight to home plate even though he couldn't _see_ home plate from that spot in the corner. The ball flew over the heads of fans in the bleachers that jutted out, straight to the catcher standing on the plate. Greatest throw he'd ever seen.
I was seated in the right field corner and all we saw was Clemente streak toward the line and the ball majestically arching towards home. The runner rounded third and was a third of the way home before slamming on the brakes. Manny Sanguillen caught the ball shin high on the fly and seemingly took joy in rapping it lightly in the glove a couple times as if daring the batter to try for second. Clemente was heralded by Pirate announcer Bob Prince as "The Great One" and anyone who saw him play agreed.
And he threw ACROSS his body no less. Insane!
Not only did Ichiro have an elite arm like many shown here, he had the fastest glove to release which means a lot. His setup and then catch and throw in one motion was second to none.
Yeah, sure, and I once saw Mary Martin, the original trans, actually fly through the air across a stage.
He has a small body compared to other American players,so he have to move quickly and smoothly. I'm proud of him as a Japanese.
And now, I'm looking forward to watch Otani's play.
His should not be on this list.
@@bwhitty333 He absolutely should be on this list. First one on this clip has a separate clip of its own called Ichiro's iconic throw. He didn't throw rainbows. They were lasers. th-cam.com/video/1rA0OVXpdLU/w-d-xo.html
His quickness is what made him great, his arm was nowhere near as strong as Clemente's or Vlad's...
Ichiro used to be a pitcher, so he has a really strong arm with accuracy
There's a lot of younger fans out there (regarding players before 1960, or even 1980) who say "this player wouldn't be able to play in the modern era" or "he wasn't fast/athletic enough"... i doubt anyone can seriously say that about Roberto Friggin' Clemente! That guy would be a hall of famer in any era!
Plus the players of that era, were they playing today would have the same advantages of training snd sports medicine that modern players have. If Mickey Mantle had access to todays orthopedic surgery, he would not have played his entire career in severe pain from a torn up knee tjat was unfixable in his time.
@@dalenincehelser5747 great answer. Same with Sandy Koufax (among others). Dude retired at his peak of 30 years old due to elbow pain
No disrespect to modern players but players of years gone by were tough as nails they'd run circle s around today's players
@@dalenincehelser5747 And The MIck would have been even more amazing. Read a book about him by Judith Ivey , "The Last Boy". Best bio I have read on Mickey.
@@ernest1576 Yeah Ernest and you will never have to worry about Ripken or Gehrigs records again LOL. Those men were made of steel and had jobs in the off season.
I was born and raised in PR and grew up playing baseball...that was in the '80s and we still idolized Roberto though I never had the honor to see him play. His accomplishments as a player are simply amazing, absolutely and incredible arm, 3,000 hits, some power, 12 Gold Gloves, and high baseball IQ...but I am even prouder of his accomplishment as a human being, always thinking of others and helping them out. May he RIP.
Well said, Good Man
good words my friend
Pirates fan my father's age who saw him play, live, told me that Clemente's throws would seem to change gear -- that is, accelerate -- mid flight. Which is impossible but it's a great metaphor for the mysteries and wonder behind that otherworldly arm. You keep expecting that thing to come down and take a hop. Nope. You were out of your mind if you tried to take an extra base on Clemente.
Amen, brother.
Absolutely love Clemente- 5 tool player, 3,000 hits, Won 2 WS, 1 WS MVP, 12 Golden Gloves, 1st Latino into HOF, 1966 NL MVP. Cheated out of many other awards. GOAT to many. saved the best for last..
Half the throws they showed the runners held. Speaks volumes...
Only way to end it with a tribute to The Great One. Clemente was in ratified air! A player and human being worthy of all the accolades he received. And more. Thank you.
"Ratified air"? Who ratified the air, Congress? The Supreme Court? Maybe you mean rarified.
Big Buc fan Growing up. Clemente was My favorite player. We all tried to copy Him..😎
Agreed. Clemente had a great arm , an MVP, and a even greatter human being.
@@sheilamacdougal4874 nice work detective, now you can get back to feeding your 6 cats:
@@quailman8238 No detective work needed, just elementary diction. If that leaves you out, that's ok, youtube sports fan; I'm here to help you.
That guillen throw is amazing. Always been one of my favorites to watch. The speed on it, distance, no hop, accuracy
Yeah, a great one.
More than 2x the distance of Ichiro's "amazing" throw.
I can do that too-if I can pick it up where it comes to rest and throw it again.
It was amazing--but remember, it was in Colorado. Which DOES make a difference.
@@pigalow2002 Yeah, but no one else has done it
I grew up in Pittsburgh during the 50s and 60s. I used to go to Forbes Field and sit in the right field stands just so I could watch Clemente. In my opinion he was the greatest right fielder of all time. From the trademark basket catches to his arm, he was always amazing to watch. He threw out so many people at third and home that people stopped running on him. I also saw him throw out runners at first on what should have been a single.
Watching Clemente was probably the only perk of living in Pittsburgh
I saw him retire runners by throwing behind them after they turned the corner on a single.
Pittsburgh is a fantastic city tho
Heh heh. Ya. Picksburgh was kinda cruddy in those days.
As a devoted Pirates fan, Guillen’s throw backed by Roberto’s magic was the right way to end this montage. I loved every play though, and Ichiro was an amazing player to watch.
As not a Pirates fan, the Guillen throw was the greatest outfield throw I’ve ever seen.
Roberto Clemente, now and forever my favorite player. Saw him play many times in person and was at the game when he got hit number 3000. Unforgettable!
His last regular season hit :(
Watching Roberto play we tend to forget just how great a player he was I was just a kid watching him play on t v
lucky duck
What does Roberto have in common with Kobe 😂
@@donarthiazi2443 what a sad life. i hope you find happiness.
Bo Jackson didn't even look like he was trying to put alot of power behind that throw, just goes to show how strong that guy was...
If he really uncorked the throw it would have knocked the catcher down
If that happened today Harold Reynolds would have been thrown out for slamming his helmet to the ground, throwing up his arms, and looking at the ump.
Crazy how long the commentator went on about the ump being out of position when it was pretty clear he made the right call
If BO had played either baseball or football full time I wonder what he would have done. I just remember that run against Seattle and Boz. Bo said look Boz you are not even going to stop me. Boom he was gone. I think if Bo played football full time he would have broke 2000 yards in a season. As the game went along he got stronger and other guys tired
@@Foldz880 Seriously. The Royals "caught a break" because the correct call was made? Sounds like he finds that to be a rare occurrence.
Thanks for the Clemente throws. I began watching him in 1955 as rookie and have never in all my decades of watching baseball seen anyone as great as him. I have idolized him for years and it has been worth it.
if you are going to idolize someone Roberto is as good a man as any to choose
Never saw ichiro?
I was born in 68, so I was not old enough to really see Mr. Clemente. My dad often told us about how he could throw the ball. He told us that he threw so hard, he did not need a big arch on his throw in his prime, it would come in almost level. I wish I could have seen him in person, as we live to this day in Pittsburgh, but he died on his humanitarian mission when I was just 4 1/2 years old.
I live close to Pittsburgh and had the honor to watch Clemente for 11 years. We would always sit in right field hoping to see one of his almost super human throws. It was a sad, sad night when he died!
Amen brother feel sad now thinking about that
I believe there was one season in which Clemente had 17 assists, throwing runners out at second, third or home. After that year, practically no one ever ran on him again, so his assists dropped, but he obviously prevented a huge number of runs. Not to mention, that he made incredibly athletic catches in right field, or right center. He also got to the ball in the gap, holding the batter to a single, time after time. I recall a game in Chavez Ravine, when Roberto fielded the ball in the deepest part of right field and threw a strike to HP, on THE FLY, to hold the runner to a triple. Best arm in the outfield in history!
thank you so much for the history!
8:25 kinda like that
And 3,000 hit club.
Wow that was a cool story
They would move Henry Aaron to LF in the All-Star games of the 1960s because Clemente’s arm in RF was unparalleled.
Another great mention was Red Sox RF 1972-90 Dwight "Dewey" Evans. He had cannon for throwing people out at the plate that most baserunners and 3rd Base Coaches gave him the respect and held up.
Oh man Clemente winds all the way up, plants, then fires. Beautiful throwing motion. Kids need to watch that on repeat
When I was a kid, I saw Clemente field a ball in the deepest corner of right field at old Crosley Field in Cincinnati and throw out Frank Robinson--on the fly--as Robinson was trying to go from first to third. The man had a howitzer for an arm.
You dont realise How many people have similar stories In differant Ballparks. What a Cannon . The Great one or as Bob prince said The greatest Right Fielder in the Game.
@@suebailey9842 Many of his throws will never be seen because they were before TV games were available everywhere. Only those of us who had the opportunity of watching him in person will know the commonality of his throws and amazing arm.
Saw Roberto from the warning track throw a strike to the plate to nail Pete Rose tagging from 3rd to end the game.. The greatest.
They nailed it with the top choice. I remember THAT game and THAT throw specifically. As a kid watching Clememte play at Forbes Field, we would sit in the right field stands to get a better view of him in the field. Many times a ball would be hit in the right field corner and Clemente would hustle to get it. From our perspective, he would disappear temporarily as he pursued the ball in the corner. Suddenly the ball would rocket out of corner and on a line to the infield. Clemente prevented many runners from advancing a base because of his arm. Why a pleasure it was to watch him.
Bo jackson toss is the best throw. Harold Reynolds, who had 70 plus steals at least once, was running on the play. One of the fastest players in the game at rhe time. Hosed
Taking nothing away from RC. the best single throw is the Bo Jackson toss. Almost impossible
Bo jackson was not even able to crow hop on that play
@@adamstevens1204 did he did so at Forbes field on daily basis I don't think so case closed
@@adamstevens1204 stop drinking mushroom tea
Love this old footage. Ate up with baseball since the age of seven. I remember looking captivated at photos of Clemente playing. I never saw video back then but could imagine how he must have played in real life just by seeing photos of him swinging the bat above his head to connect on a wild pitch, sliding in the outfield, adjusting his glasses to locate the ball, then locating it and catching it in his glove (that was from a series of stills), and his batting stance. Everything looked unorthodox but effective.
Seeing him on film is a real treat. Hard to imagine there being another who ever plays with the same skill.
For scale, Forbes field measured 360 down left field line.
I knew this guy, huge Pirates fan, he was from New Orleans (a Pirates farm club) he said that Clemente's throws would shift gear mid-flight. Obviously that's b.s. and physically impossible, but Clemente's throws were so powerful it looked like they actually dropped the hammer and accelerated mid flight. That's how bad-assed his arm was. Dude had 3,000 hits and won two world championships, but his right arm was the greatest secret weapon in the National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs.
I saw the same thing from Clemente at Forbes Field. It seemed like his throws accerlated in flight! I remember watching the live broadcast of his throw to homeplate in Game 6 of the 1971 World Series. The gasp from the 40,000 fans in Baltimore was clearly audible thru the TV when he made that throw.
I gotta say the Ichiro throw is my favorite because the throw isn't more than 10 feet high and the reaction by the third baseman is classic, like he can't believe what just happened!
He made a great play on the ball and had a lightning quick release, that's what made the play special.... He was closer to the infield than he was to the wall, which made for a much shorter distance to throw than literally every other play shown here...
So right that they ended with Roberto. I grew up in the 'Burgh and watched every chance I got. Forbes Field was not a little park and right field was a monster. Such a great man.
Roberto Clemente....... poetry in motion. To see him play in person, THE GREATEST!
I'm 54 and the throw I will always remember was from Dave Parker in the 1979 All Star game. The fact that he could throw a ball that low and traveling that distance was just unbelievable at the time! That was the "We Are Family" year for the Pirates, and the Steelers ended up playing and beating the Rams in SB X1V. What a year for Pitt!
GREAT COMMENT!
Don't even come close to Boston sport's chump, we have the most championship's combined out of all of the 4 major sports in the country, that's why we're called Title Town USA
@@Gregory-sm9pf Well hat's off to you! How many of those great "Title Town" teams did you play for?
@@cowboysfan782008 did you play for either the Pittsburgh Pirates or the Pittsburg Steelers? LoL! That's one dumbass reply, I'm a fan, a supporter like millions of other Boston sports team fans , it gives me bragging rights and I'm just telling you your Pitt teams ain't got nothing close to my beantown team's you turkey 🦃
I remember a clip of this throw was part of the ending to "This Week in Baseball". That ball would have went straight through the dugout wall if Carter hadn't stopped it. And in this clip we have Pete Rose making the call 1:48 and Reggie Jackson not interested in taking 3rd base 2:14. THAT was an All-Star game.
Roberto Clemente! Beautiful way to end video with this legend doing what only he knew how to do best. Well done!!!
As baseball fan 4 over 63 years. They nobody like. Clemente that why number 42 is never worn by any team. So such 21. Roberto had it all run throw hit for average feel. Whe out Shadow doubt
I was in Forbes Field as a young teen in 1960 something and watched Clemente (my boyhood hero and idol) throw a bullet on a line from the deepest part of the right field corner to the third baseman (Don Hoak) who tagged the runner out. Best arm ever!
If the Pirates had Clemente in Left field in the '92 NLCS instead of noodle arm Bonds, Sid Bream is out by 20 feet! ..Pirates go to the W.S.!
And to think Florida Republicans want to "protect" kids from reading about his life story. Because that story includes the racism he faced, and talking about racism hurts the tender feelings of the GOP base.
@@markw4206 One can only pray that this ludicrous comment was posted with the intent to parody the leftist lunatics and sick propaganda... or are you truly this ignorant and brainwashed? "Florida" discovered that "Queer Theory" and host of other grotesque nonsense had been included in an AP Course that itself had no real place. "Black History" is already a part of U.S. History and 'kids' are exposed to plenty of it in the normal course of their 'reading' . You could use an education in the truth. Now, do _your_ homework, you imbecile. The so-called "course" pushes its political agenda with the purpose to indoctrinate [students] or guide them in some kind of political philosophy including racist garbage such as "Critical Race Theory" and the celebration and promotion of homosexuality etc.
Grew up in the Bay Area but tried to watch Clemente play any time he was on TV or if the Pirates came to Candlestick. The thing about him was that he not only had that arm, but he was a great hitter. Lifetime batting average of over 300 with 3000 (on the dot) hits, with number 3000 coming on his last major league at bat.
I saw Clemente play plenty of times. He was a great player and I don't throw that word around like so many other people do. He was that - great!
I don't remember him being a great baserunner or power hitter. That said, he was hitting .300 when not not many people were and ultimately he got his 3,000 which is still a rarity today. Defensively, including his arm, only Mays was better. Of course that's just my opinion. Everybody has one.
In any case just being mentioned with Willie Mays as an outfielder puts a player in very, very, elite company indeed.
😁
This video has brought tears to my eyes. As a child, I was one one the hundreds of kids who packed the right field seats in Forbes Field and watched Roberto throw out several who tried to score from third on a long fly. As the ball was hit out to Roberto, we would all stand and wait for that moment when he would catch that ball and pull the trigger. When there was no throw to make, he would toss the ball into the stands and smile. We loved him.
He was one of my first sports' heroes. Luckily, I got to see him play in July of 1972. I was 8, and my dad took me to see them play the Braves. I almost caught a foul ball from Stargell, and (I've been a Braves' fan since they came to the ATL) not to mention seeing Aaron, Garr and all the others. Pirates rolled that day against Denny McClain who was trying to make a comeback with the Braves.
I guess it was about 6 months later when Roberto's plane went down. I was pretty crushed.
There's not a whole lot to be happy with as we get old, but I sure am glad I'm old enough to have seen those guys play!
I've seen each of the Clemente throes roughly 1,000 times and every time I think they're CGI, but my father (born in 1941) when asked the best outfield arm he ever saw never wasted a second, "Clemente; his arm was better than his bat... and his bat was better than almost anybody's."
I'm 72 years old and saw Clemente play in the 1960's and I agree with your father. Clemente had the best arm of any outfielder in the history of the game and it isn't even close.
I saw Clemente pull the ball out of the ivy in Forbes field as a kid and threw a strike to home ( on the fly) amazing
Great seeing those Ankiel throws! He was a heck of a pitcher until confidence issues took him from the mound to the outfield. What an arm. And nothing need be said about Ichiro. One of this generation's best baseball players ever!
@Ill-han Omar What's crazy to me is that combined between Nippon League and MLB he has over 4300 hits. He would have absolutely shattered Rose's record if he could have come over earlier and not played 9 seasons in Japan where he still got over 1200 hits but in 120ish game seasons.
I doubt it was confidence that took him out. Yips is more than just a confidence issue.
@Ill-han Omar it’s just as likely that plant medicine would make him walk away from baseball entirely
@@castafiorept7309 I think getting the yips had to have affected his confidence. When a person goes from one of the best up-and-coming pitchers in the game, then suddenly has a nervous breakdown on the mound and nothing can seem to fix it, lack of confidence can then occur.
2000 NLDS, game 1, third inning, no loss in confidence, but a catastrophic loss of control 😧
Clemente was in a class by himself. His throws from the right field corner are legendary.
Roberto was an unbelievable athlete. Flat footed 300 foot hopper that hits the catcher in the chest. Absolute dime, you gotta wonder what could have been or even if he could have been a pro NFL QB with some training - he had the athleticism for it.
Kinda short for a modern quarterback but I'm sure he could have still been effective. Doug Flute comes to mind.
Don't know how you could leave out Willie Mays's throw in game 1 of 1954 World Series that followed his incredible catch of Vic Wertz's long, long drive into deepest centerfield at the Polo Grounds.
At 4:28 you have Ichiro's "Laser Beam" referenced throw by the announcer. That was highly touted by the press in Japan and since then when someone throws a runner out with a good low hard throw, the English "Laser Beam" is often referenced in Japan. That announcer created a new term in all of Japan.
That's so cool, thanks for sharing
Come on look at the distance. He wasn’t even at the warning track.
It looks like he’s halfway in. My ten year old nephew could’ve thrown him out. Give it a rest.
@@rafaelroundtable
Are you a simp ?
日本では、野球ファンでなくても「レーザービーム」が野球での鋭い送球のことでもあると認識しています。
野球中継やニュース番組でも使われるし、ゲームの特殊能力の名前にもなっています。
@rafaelvargas4942 It's a throw that barely rises and still goes 150 feet, perfectly on target.
Crack is wack, my friend. Stop smokin' it.
+1 to ending with Clemente. I'm too young to have ever seen him play, but as a kid my dad got a biography of him for me for my birthday, and I watched every clip of the man who could throw perfect strikes from the outfield. Roberto Clemente is and always will be a name synonymous with outfield defense, The Arm You Dare Not Test.
Still can’t believe a man like Ichiro don’t have a World Series win u see his name…. Sad that Seattle was a small market team in a vicious American League back in the days Ichiro was a star! Yankee’s and Red Sox dominated those decades between 1995 and 2015 really. Ichiro was such an All Star. No doubt if he played his WHOLE career here and not spend the first half in Japan, he would own the most hits in history and on base %…. Among other’s!!
Not an OBavg guy . . . He didnt walk that much; "just" hit to contact. . . extremely well. One of greatest players of his era though.
He may not have a World Series ring. But he does have something only one other team has in the history of baseball. The rare most wins in a season record!
Dude, Ichiro was on the team that won 116 games that year, an all-time record. They definitely had their chance to go to the World Series. “Small market” or not (Seattle is a mid-market team now), that team was STACKED. He SHOULD have a ring, they just blew it.
Ichiro best player ever!
i was at three rivers in 71 or 72, against the dodgers. guy on second, deep fly to the warning track in right. guy tags up, heads for third. Clemente throws a perfect strike to the bag, nails him, stadium goes nuts. awesome.
Ankiel had the best pure arm, but the Ichiro play is the most impressive to me. How quickly he got to that ball, how quick and smooth he transitioned to the throwing motion...and then a strike for the out.
@stuxnet750 NO doubt that Ankiel's throws are the best overall, but imagine if he made the play on the Ichiro ball. Would he have gotten to it as quickly? Transitioned to the throwing position as quickly and released it as quickly? I don't think so. I'm not sure he would have gotten the runner, even with a strike.
@stuxnet750 I agree. The two throws Ankiel made were unbelievable. Ichiro probably could not have made them. Ichiro has a great throwing arm, but he is 5'10", and Ankiel, 6'1", was a top pitcher before he became an outfilder, who could throw 95+mph fastballs. But Ankiel might not have made the play that Ichiro made, because it required charging the ball very quickly, straightening up and releasing it quickly, which Ichiro did amazingly well. On a fly ball, like the Ankiel throws, the runner can't run until the fielder makes the catch. But on a ground ball, like the Ichiro play, the runner is running almost as soon as the ball is hit, so Ichiro had very little time to get the ball and release it.
@stuxnet750 I thought we did agree. Ankiel had the better arm, Ichiro got to the ball and released it quicker. Bo was an amazing athlete, a star in baseball and US football, and the fastest man in the major leagues. But his career as a baseball player was not among the greats. his batting average and on base percentage were a little above average, at best, and he had some good years hitting home runs, but never hit 40 in a year, and then his career was over due to injuries, which may have been caused by steroid use. I think the best athletes were Wilt Chamberlain, Jim Thorpe, and Jackie Robinson...Dave Winfield is up there, too.
It looks like he was half way up in to third base. It’s the angle. Maybe I’m wrong?
Who’s the guy who threw that ball over some fence? Don’t you people realize he had the greatest throw in MLB HISTORY!
The greatest outfield arm in the history of baseball belonged to Roberto Clemente and it isn't even close. As a kid in 1964, I saw Roberto Clemente, with one foot on the warning track at the old Shea Stadium, throw a baseball on a clothesline to home plate, holding up the winning run at third in the person of Ron Hunt. None of the throws in this clip comes close to that throw. And Clemente used to do this all the time.
Roberto was an incredible outfielder. Gone way before his time. Who knows what he could have accomplished. RIP
Obviously it was a tragedy that he died but he played 18 seasons. I don't think he had too many accomplishments left in the tank at age 38.
@@misterscottintheway I meant in his life. Foundations, helping kids, coaching, etc. I'm sure he would have made contributions to society.
@@MBGolfer Fair enough
@misterscottintheway Remember he was a great humanitarian that died helping others. Thanks for helping me clarify what I meant. 😊
@@misterscottintheway He was still playing at a top level when he died, but you're right he WAS 38 and in those days that was nearing the end for most players.
That Vlad Guerrero throw was amazing but you knew the runner was in trouble when he rounded third looking like an ocean liner trying to slow down and turn
lol yeah
Exactly. He was moving like Lou Pinella gallumping around third and trying to truck Carlton Fisk.... Mr tortoise himself
I watched the Pirate game on TV that day. Clemente's throw was unbelievable. Awesome! Sad we lost such a good player and good man.
Most of these shots were in the distant past, when baseball was great to watch, speed and smarts dominated. And on right field, no one but Roberto. Tremendous!
Bo's throw is #1. Single greatest team-sports feat I've ever seen. Yes, Roberto did great things and Dave Parker's throw in the All-Star Game is always talked about, too.
He has to be among the best athletes ever. He was a man among boys in Football until he was injured. He had home run power and a gun in the outfield in baseball. One of the fastest athletes in both sports as well.
Love these ! The Parker-Carter play… wow ! Two idols for me. Was like 12 years old back a the time and still remember that exact play.
In an all star game! You don’t see this intensity today.
I was at that game to see Bo Jackson make that throw. Made it look so effortless. Incredible.
The announcer that said "the Royals got a break" was clueless. At least the other announcers got it right.
How can Dave Parker's other awesome throw from the same all star game not be included??? The man made 2 of the best throws all time IN THE SAME GAME.
Both of Ankiel's throws are my favorite. Greatest throws I've ever seen.
The second throw was really close, I don’t know…..
somehow the dude was more accurate from cf then he was as a pitcher
Absolute cannon
two in the same game....amazing
@@dmanning4114 Before he had his pitching troubles, he could pitch well. If he didn't get those issues, he potentially would have been a Cy Young winner at some point in his career.
I remember watching the All Star game and seeing that Dave Parker throw. That was amazing and I always remembered it.
What a shame that Dave Parker still isn’t in the Hall of Fame
If it wasn't an All-Star game, the runner would have run over Carter at the plate and been safe. No one wanted a repeat of Pete Rose breaking Ray Fosse's shoulder.
@Robert Den Dooven no way anyone would run Gary off the dish. Look up some of his plays, he was a mountain.
They showed that throw every week in the opening montage of Mel Allen’s ‘This Week In Baseball’ in the 80s
Same...very vivid memory. Back when I still watched bb.
In the early 90s, I saw Luis Polonia (Angels) throw a perfect strike to the plate, on the fly, from the left field wall at Tiger Stadium... runner out! Friggin unbelievable!!
I grew up near Pittsburgh and saw Roberto gun down many. Best arm ever!
I used to work for the Cubs in the clubhouse. Sometimes I would play catch with the players. You don't understand how hard these guys can throw from distance and what they have to do to keep that arm loose and healthy. Amazing athletes.
My mom is from Pittsburgh and was 11 years old when he passed. She said she climbed a tree in her backyard and cried when the news broke. I’ve never seen footage of him until now. Thank you! ❤
Great outfield throws, and then Roberto Clemente.
good point, it's like he could throw a person out anywhere on the field.
Notice how many of Clemente's throws there was no runner? They respected his arm so much they almost never challenged him.
The "Great One" Roberto Clemente! SW him play numerous times ai 3 Rivers Stadium!
My baseball coach from peewee used to show us (I was an RF) Clemente clips. The way he rotates his hips to convert into power, allows him to use more of the strength from his arms to control where the ball is going. We were always taught, rotate into the throw.
"Story did not expect that ending"?!? Give that announcer an emmy!
If Clemente played today, with the training techniques and nutrition and physio knowledge we have now, they'd have to move the bases closer together just to make it fair. No one ran on his arm then and they wouldn't now.
The absolute greatest throw was Clemente at Wrigley Field. He threw an absolute frozen rope from the right field wall to the third baseman. Ball was never more than 6 feet off the ground. He had a cannon.
Clemente was the BEST, I can still recall some stories my grandfather told me of him. Plus I'm shocked Jr wasn't mentioned!!!!!!
I remember watching the Cardinals game where Ankiel got those 2 throws. Crazy they happened in the same game.
Watching Barfield brings me back to my childhood. I remember sitting along the first base line and just watching him in awe when he'd throw the ball with Moseby between innings. It amazed me how effortlessly he'd throw it and the ball just soared.
Ichiro and Clemente!
Soft muscles and unbelievable accuracy!!! 😮😮😮
Ichiro: artificial grass
Clemente: pure undefiled top of line GRASS. 18 years of it. Ichiro
Measure the seasons on artificial stuff the bounces out there. Clemente was like a Bounty Hunter out there. But Ichiro was a class in his time.
@@rafaelroundtable
Soft muscles ?
Ground ball, base hit into right field, heading for third is Terrence Long, the throw by Ichiro A BEAUTIFUL PEG HE GOT HIM! Holy smokes a laser beam strike from Ichiro, to the third baseman David Bell and Terrence Long is gunned down at third base. What a throw! Two outs.
^ American poetry
Great throw on a Rope.....but not from the Warning Track......I admire the ones where the fielders mess up the catch, but throw to the correct base to hold or out the runners.
Ichiro was so solid, but superhuman throws from 390 feet.....that's what amazes Everyone!
It would have been far more impressive if Ichiro wasn’t close enough to shake hands with the second baseman on that play
Puig gets absolutely no love for messing up a catch and then making up for it by launching the ball the third. I was extremely impressed by the bo Jackson, throw and the Jesse Barfield throw. It definitely reminds me of myself back in time. (on a sidenote, I sure wish those Colorado Rockies players would stop staring at the ball, and just round the bases.)
TLong is one of my favorite players of those early 2000s oakland teams.
@@yell0wberry thats a bit of a stretch considering the by the time the throw was out of his hand Terrance long was nearly half way to third base. That is a 200 foot 90 mph fastball for a strike, only a handful of fielders who have ever played can make that throw at all, let alone on a player like Terrance long who was not slow by any means.
Jesse Barfield doesn’t get enough credit for the absolute canon he had masquerading as an arm.
I'm too young to have seen Clemente play, but Barfield had the best arm I've ever seen.
Absolutely right. He routinely threw out runners when all MLB knew how good his arm was. Doubled off an unheard of 8 runners in one season.
The closing RF throws by Clemente were superb and perfectly placed. Thank you.
I'm glad to hear a commentator mention Kaline in the last clip highlighting Clemente. Al Kaline had one of these throws from the warning track in right field in either 68 or 69. A zero hop strike to Freehan to tag the runner out at home. Local TV coverage so we'll never get to relive it on one of these greatest throw montage's
I will never forget Bob Prince saying during a Pirate game "That fools not trying to go to third base, is he?" End of story.
Which game ?
Ichiro was more than a good hitter ....Remember watching an M's/Rangers game on TV and Ichiro threw a strike to third from deep RF. My jaw dropped. It also made me say "A-Hole (Rod) who?"
He wasn’t even near the warning track or (trek) lost out there he was near the third base coach. Look at the angle.
@@rafaelroundtable not sure if commenter edited comment before your reply or not but hes not talking about the same throw lol
Roberto. Anyone who ever saw him in person, Pirates fan or not, would confirm.
I saw him in person at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, when I was a kid. I remember one play in which there was a guy on third from the other team. The batter hit it out to Roberto, and the runner on third looked like he was going to tag up and run in. As soon as Clemente got the ball, the runner just gave up and walked back to third. The crowd roared. I'll never forget that. The interesting thing about Roberto is that he was no giant; just a normal sized man with a rifle arm.
NIce job ! I saw Clemente, Kaline , and the amazing Rocky Colavito . Great memories of them. Jesse Barfield , Dwight Evans weren't too shabby either.
Glad there is some footage of Clemente...... Amazing to see someone who I've heard so much about! And the runners knew not to even try him!
Five of these belong to Roberto Clemente (baserunners quit running after the fifth one).
Parker to Carter in an All Star game is the best throw I ever saw. I watched it LIVE (on TV lol) both my dad and were amazed
By the time you get through the Clemente clips you feel like the whole rest of the video is just to get you ready for his greatness, like your brain starts to accept that human beings can, somehow, throw a baseball into the stratosphere and then Clemente comes on and shows off an arm that makes everyone else look like a Little Leaguer. My god, what a player and what a person.
That was perfectly stated! I'm glad people get to watch and appreciate Clemente's arm. A slight side note is that all of the Clemente footage you see in this video was compiled by me about a year ago but I'm glad to see other people spreading it to a larger audience. Even though it's only one minute long, I searched all over the net to gather as many of his throws as I could because before then, it hadn't ever been done before.
@@spcooper94 Thank so much for gathering all of that, it's great to see!
@@jordanfry5138 Thanks a bunch. That's awesome
Baserunner: Coach I'm gonna run on Clemente.
Coach: Would you like a cigarette with your blindfold?
I was lucky enough to watch a lot of Cardinals games as a kid and was able to see Rick Ankiel make some amazing throws in.
Just like a beautiful lefty swing, there is something breathtaking about watching an outfielder air it out from the track.
I remember when Roberto Clemente died; a very sad day. He was a great man
The thing that amazes me about Roberto Clemente is how graceful he was, whether it was fielding, throwing, or running the bases. He had that unique athleticism that makes what he did look like it took half the effort another man would need. I can't even imagine what he'd be paid if he was in his prime and playing today.
Exactly. If you looked at what he was trying to do it was crazy. How he would contort his body to be in position to make plays.
But it never looked awkward or uncomfortable. It looked cartoonist. He could do some amazing things.
Thanks for that footage of Clemente. I guess there isn't a lot of it out there.
I'm so glad the Bo Jackson throw is on this list. That was still the most superhuman throw I've ever seen. Harold Reynolds was one of the fastest baserunners out there and you'd figure that he would have scored easily running on the pitch......nope!
Also glad to see some footage of Clemente, that dude had a bonafide rifle for a right arm!
Some of those throws from Clemente from deep right field and he doesn't even take a step.
I remember Clemente throwing out a tagged runner at third from the warning track as a kid. He was my hero back then. Best arm in baseball except maybe Jackson. Great hitter too. Good job ending video with him.
Clemente was and still is the standard when it comes to total dominance of the right field.
Roberto C. the best right fielder I have ever seen.....
This is my absolute favorite part of baseball. Love seeing those throws from right field on the fly. They left out some beauties but this was great to watch.
Loved seeing the tribute to Clemente at the end!
I turned on this video on hoping to see some Clemente glory, and I was not disappointed
Growing up in the 60s Clemente, Kaline and Evens made these plays pretty often lmao. Sad they don’t much film back then.
First names?
@@omalone1169 Al Kaline, Dwight Evens, Roberto Clemente. All great defensive players and Hitters as well
These plays & throws are so pretty... The MLB at its finest. Good is good! These were sweet!!!
Mark Whiten throwing out Ron Gant at the plate was the greatest throw I have ever seen. The ball was never higher than head high and was a perfect strike to the plate. I can still see it clear as day in my head.
I saw him hit an upper deck homer at 3 Rivers Stadium - absolutely majestic. So far and so high - just hard to believe as you're watching it. One of the two farthest hit balls I've ever seen - the other being a blast by a juiced-up Sammy Sosa that's still the farthest ball ever hit in PNC Park.
Clemente’s arm was freakish…looked effortless ….strongest fielders arm in MLB history