Pittsburgh Pirates generated friction with fans under the team’s home opener as they were quick to point out that a tribute to Roberto Clemente was removed from the right field wall.
Clement’s No. 21 was marked near the bad pole at PNC Park to honor the late outfielder who died tragically in a plane crash while providing help to Nicaragua in 1972. MLB declared September 15 Roberto Clemente Day.
CLICK HERE for more sports cover at Foxnews.com
Pirates Outfielder Roberto Clemente poses for a portrait of Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. (Malcolm Emmons-has Today Sports)
But as the 2025 season was underway, tribute to the right field was replaced with a sign for the alcoholic drink surfing side.
Roberto Clemente Jr. was among those who were dissatisfied with the move.
“Yesterday, I was shocked to hear that Clemente 21 -sign – a tribute to my father on the right wall in PNC Park in Pittsburgh – had been removed and replaced by an ad,” his statement read Sunday. “The change was made without communication or consultation with our family.
“While we value that Pirates recognized their lack of information from us, it reveals a broader question: a lack of meaningful cooperation between the organization and about issues that are deeply personal and historically important to us and the fans.”
MLB -Commissioner Rob Manfred Breaks Silence On Torpedo -Bats
The statue of former Pirates Right Fielder Roberto Clemente outside PNC Park in Pittsburgh, September 15, 2024. (Charles Leclaire-Preferred Pictures)
He added that “outflow of support” from fans was “deeply appreciated.”
“We have always been open to building a sincere and lasting partnership with the pirates, a ground in respect and shared values. Our hope is that the moment serves as an opportunity for reflection, paving the way for a more thought -provoking, transparent and collaborative relationship that goes on. I intend to reach the pirates to directly explore this.”
Others responded to the decision to remove the tribute on social media.
The pirates turned the course on Sunday.
“We did not intend to respect the legacy of Roberto Clemente by adding the advertisement to the pillow in the right field,” team president Travis Williams said in a statement.
“When we added the advertisement to the pillow, it was a supervision of not keeping the No. 21 logo. This is ultimately to me, not anyone else in the organization. It was an honest mistake.”
Roberto Clemente Jr., son of Hall of Fame Right Fielder Roberto Clemente, in Dugout before the Baltimore Orioles game at PNC Park, June 21, 2011. (Charles Leclaire-wherpresswire)
The team said it would return logo # 21.
“We’ve been using this area for advertising for many years. When we didn’t have a sponsor who came out of Covid, we added an extra element in 2022 to honor the legacy of Roberto,” Williams added. “It was a copy of the three rivers that signed to honor him.
“This is beyond the many elements of the whole ballpark that honor his heritage, including the fact that the wall is called Roberto Clemente Wall, is 21 meters tall and has two No. 21s on it.
“We want to make sure that the Clemente family understands that we did not intend to respect their father. We look forward to continuing our relationship with the Clemente family and excusing them and our fans for our honest mistakes.”
