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The Pirates’ pursuit of the mighty sponsorship dollar included scrubbing a tribute to a MLB icon.
Hey, they aren’t nicknamed the Buccos — or is it Buck-o’s? — for nothing.
The Pirates replaced a section of the right-field wall that used to include Roberto Clemente’s name and number with an ad for Surfside alcoholic beverages.
It caught the attention of angry Pirates fans during Friday’s home opener against the Yankees, and left Roberto Clemente Jr. saying ‘Wow’ on X … and a lot more in a written statement.
“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,” Clemente Jr. said. “This change was made without any communication or consultation with our family.”
The Pirates have statues of Clemente and other franchise greats around PNC Park, and the right-field wall is 21-feet high at its peak in honor of Clemente’s jersey number. His photos and logo are in other places in and around the ballpark and city, too.
The Pirates released a statement that apologized to the Clemente family and explained that the removed signage was meant to be temporary when it was added three years ago.
“Roberto Clemente is more than a Hall-of-Fame player to us,” the statement read. “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.
“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.”
Clemente had 3,000 career hits when he was killed in a plane crash during a humanitarian mission to Nicaragua after the 1972 season. MLB hands out an annual Roberto Clemente Award in honor of the player who best represents the namesake’s commitment to community involvement.
“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,” Clemente Jr. said.
“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.”
Clemente Jr. said that he hopes the moment “serves as an opportunity for reflection” and the family remains “open to building a sincere and lasting partnership with the Pirates.”
