Roberto Clemente Jr. ‘shocked’ after Pirates remove tribute to father, team responds

Roberto Clemente Jr. released a statement Sunday after the Pittsburgh Pirates removed the No. 21 logo from the right field wall at PNC Park honoring his father, Roberto Clemente. The Pirates replaced the sign, which had been on the right field wall since 2022, with an advertisement for Surfside, an alcoholic drink.

The right field wall stands 21 feet high in honor of the late Clemente, who spent the entirety of his 18-year Hall of Fame MLB career with the Pirates. Clemente Jr. said he was “shocked” with the Pirates decision to remove the sign.

“This change was made without any communication or consultation with our family,” the statement said in part. “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,” the statement continued. “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.”

Pirates respond to outrage over removal of Roberto Clemente logo

Shortly after Clemente Jr. sounded off, the Pirates announced they would be adding the No. 21 logo back on the right field wall. Pirates president Travis Williams called the removal of the logo an “oversight.”

“We did not intend to disrespect the legacy of Roberto Clemente by adding the advertisement to the pad in right field,” Williams said. “When we added the advertisement to the pad, it was an oversight not to keep the No. 21 logo. This is ultimately on me, not anyone else in the organization. It was an honest mistake. We will be adding the No. 21 logo back to the pad.”

Williams added, “We want to make sure that the Clemente family understands that we intended no disrespect to their father. We look forward to continuing our relationship with the Clemente family and apologize to them and our fans for our honest mistake.”

Clemente, who died in a plane crash in Puerto Rico on New Year’s Eve 1972, played in 15 All-Star games and won the 1966 National League MVP. He finished his career with exactly 3,000 hits, 32nd all-time.