| Curt Roberts | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Second baseman | |
| Born: August 16, 1929 Pineland, Texas, U.S. | |
| Died: November 14, 1969 (aged 40) Oakland, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| Professional debut | |
| NgL: 1947, for the Kansas City Monarchs | |
| MLB: April 13, 1954, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| June 8, 1956, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .223 |
| Home runs | 1 |
| Runs batted in | 40 |
| Teams | |
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Curtis Benjamin Roberts (August 16, 1929 – November 14, 1969) was an American baseball second baseman who played three seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates in Major League Baseball from 1954 to 1956. He was signed by the Boston Braves as an amateur free agent before the 1951 season, and obtained by Pittsburgh a year later. After two seasons in the Pirates farm system, Major League Baseball recognizes Roberts as the first black player for the Pirates. After becoming the starting second baseman for the Pirates in his rookie year, Roberts' playing time decreased and he was out of the Majors within three seasons. He then played for multiple teams in the minor leagues before retiring from professional baseball in 1963.
A native of Pineland, Texas, but raised in Oakland, California, Roberts was considered short by Major League standards, standing 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m). Roberts was a skilled defensive player, but he could not hit with enough proficiency to remain in the major leagues. Roberts died when an automobile struck him while he was changing a tire on his car. His former Pirates teammates only learned of his death 20 years later when being interviewed for a newspaper article. Although Roberts' career was short, it paved the way for other black players to debut for the Pirates, the most notable of whom was future Baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente.