Clemente and Walker Bury the Hatchet

May 6, 1965 - Roberto Clemente of the Pirates and his manager, Harry Walker (right), agreed today that the outfielder’s outburst against inactivity was only a fit of temperament.

“We had breakfast together, and we understand each other,” said Walker following printed reports of Clemente’s unhappiness playing under Walker and demanding a trade.

Clemente, defending National League batting champion, was quoted yesterday by Al Abrams, sports editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, as saying:“I want to be traded from this club, and I don’t want to play for this manager anymore.”Clemente told the Associated Press in a reluctant interview before today’s Pirate-Cub game: “You just blow off steam when you can’t play. I don’t want to be traded. I want to play — but not bad ball.”

Clemente at first refused to talk to any reporter or have his picture taken in the Pirate dressing room.

“The newsmen blow up everything bad about me, and when I am good, they give me like this,” said Clemente, illustrating his point by holding his hands a few inches apart.

“I lose 25 pounds from malaria in Puerto Rico and maybe even should not play any spring training. I am now 178 pounds — seven pounds under my playing weight last season. I feel okay but not up to par.”

“We certainly need him,” said Walker, “and whenever he thinks he really is ready, we’ll welcome him in the lineup.”

There was a report that Clemente had been irked by a radio interview of Walker in St. Louis last weekend in which the Buc pilot supposedly said that players like Stan Musial and Ted Williams played even when they were ailing.

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