Pirates To Return Clemente Sign To PNC Park After PR Fiasco

PITTSBURGH, PA — The Pirates have made plenty of mistakes during their atrocious 3-7 start to the season, but it was an error by the team's front office that garnered the most attention over the weekend.

The Bucs announced Sunday they would return the No. 21 logo honoring Roberto Clemente back to the right field wall after fans and the Clemente family voice displeasure that it had been replaced with an advertisement this season. Word of the sign's removal had drawn national attention.

"We did not intend to disrespect the legacy of Roberto Clemente by adding the advertisement to the pad in right field," Pirates president Travis 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 will be adding the No. 21 logo back to the pad.

"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."

Earlier on Sunday, Roberto Clemente Jr. had issued a statement on social media voicing his family's displeasure over the Pirates move.

"This change was made without any communication or consultation with our family," Clemente's 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. 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."

The sign had been on the right-field wall since 2022. It featured Clemente's name and his No. 21, but it was replaced with an advertisement for Surfside, an alcoholic beverage.