Pirates apologize for removing Roberto Clemente sign at PNC Park after son expresses displeasure
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates issued an apology Sunday for removing a sign on the right-field wall at PNC park honoring franchise icon and Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente for an alcohol ad.
The removal of Clemente’s sign, for an advertisement for the drink Surfside, angered the family
The right-field wall at PNC Park stands 21 feet high in honor of Clemente.
"When we added the advertisement to the pad, it was an oversight not to keep the No. 21 logo," Pirates president Travis Williams said Sunday in a statement. "This is ultimately on me, not anyone else in the organization. It was an honest mistake."
The Pirates said in a statement the sign, which had been on the wall since 2022, was meant to be a temporary adornment. However, Roberto Clemente Jr. expressed his unhappiness Sunday in a statement.
“This change was made without any communication or consultation with our family,” the statement said. “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.”
Clemente spent his entire career with the Pirates from 1955-72. He played in 15 All-Star Games while winning 12 Gold Glove awards, four batting titles and the 1966 National League MVP.
Clemente died in a plane crash off the coast of San Juan in his native Puerto Rico on New Year’s Eve in 1972 while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake-ravaged Nicaragua. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame the following summer.
