The Pittsburgh Pirates have defended their decision to remove from PNC Park a placard honoring the late Hall of Famer and franchise legend Roberto Clemente to make room for advertising space. The Pirates’ response comes after Clemente’s son, Roberto Clemente Jr., issued a statement criticizing the club for the decision.
Clemente Jr. noticed the change, which replaced the sign with an ad for Surfside alcoholic drinks, when it was pointed out on social media:
On Sunday, Clemente Jr. said he was “shocked” by the change:
“Yesterday, I was shocked to learn that the Clemente 21 sign— a tribute to my father on the right field wall at PNC Park in Pittsburgh—had been removed and replaced by an advertisement. This change was made without any communication or consultation with our family.
“While we appreciate that the Pirates acknowledged their failure to inform us, it reveals a broader issue: a lack of meaningful collaboration between the organization and on matters that are deeply personal and historically significant to us and the fans.
“The outpouring of support from fans in Pittsburgh and across the country has been overwhelming and deeply appreciated. It is clear that our father’s legacy continues to inspire and unite people, not only for his achievements on the field, but for the integrity and compassion he demonstrated off of it.
“We have always been open to building a sincere and lasting partnership with the Pirates, one grounded in respect and shared values. Our hope is that this moment serves as an opportunity for reflection, paving the way for a more thoughtful, transparent, and collaborative relationship moving forward. I intend to reach out to the Pirates directly to explore this further.”
— Roberto Clemente, Jr.
The Pirates told WPXI that the sign was “never meant to be a permanent tribute” and pointed to two other symbols around the ballpark honoring the legendary player:
“The 21-foot-high wall that officially bears Roberto Clemente’s name continues to, and will forever, display his No. 21 in two separate locations. The temporary wall sign in question was put in place prior to the 2022 season and was never meant to be a permanent tribute, simply another cap tip to ‘The Great One.’ We apologize that we didn’t directly communicate that fact to the Clemente family and our fans.
“Roberto Clemente is more than a Hall of Fame player to us. His legacy helps define who we are as an organization. One would be hard-pressed to find a franchise that pays tribute to one of their historically great players more than the Pittsburgh Pirates do of Roberto Clemente, and rightfully so. Each and every day, we proudly honor and celebrate Roberto Clemente, the person, the player, and the humanitarian in and around our ballpark, as well as through our charitable endeavors.”
Clemente, who spent his entire 18-year career with the Pirates, amassed exactly 3,000 hits, won an MVP award, earned 15 All-Star selections, and won 12 Gold Gloves. He also won a pair of World Series rings with Pittsburgh and was named MVP of the 1971 World Series. Clemente died tragically in a plane crash on New Year’s Eve 1972 while on a humanitarian mission to Nicaragua. He was inducted posthumously into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973 via special election.