The Pittsburgh Pirates have reversed course after angering the family of the late Roberto Clemente by removing a sign honoring the franchise icon on the right-field wall at PNC Park.
The sign featured Clemente’s name and his No. 21. Replacing it was an advertisement for Surfside, an alcoholic drink.
However, the Clemente sign will be restored before Monday night’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals, according to Pirates president Travis Williams.
Williams took responsibility for the controversy on Sunday.
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"We did not intend to disrespect the legacy of Roberto Clemente by adding the advertisement to the pad in right field," Williams said in a statement. "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 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."
The right-field wall at PNC Park stands 21 feet high in honor of Clemente.
The Pirates said in a statement that the sign, which had been on the wall since 2022, was meant to be a temporary adornment. However, Roberto Clemente Jr. expressed his unhappiness on 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.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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