It’s the last day of 2021, which was a difficult year for a lot of people, so December 31 brings with it a lot of hope for better days in 2022. However, for us Pittsburgh Pirates fans, every December 31 has a little bit of a different meaning as one of the most somber days in franchise history. On this date in 1972, the DC-7 carrying Roberto Clemente to Nicaragua to deliver earthquake aid crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, killing everyone aboard.
Clemente was personally supervising the delivery of aid after the previous three attempts at sending material support was reportedly confiscated by Nicaraguan military and never distributed to the citizens in need.