Pittsburgh Pirates president Travis Williams released a statement Sunday apologizing to Roberto Clemente’s family and fans for an incident involving the removal of a memorial to Clemente from PNC Park.
The Pirates ran into some controversy over the weekend when it was pointed out on social media that a new advertisement in right field had replaced a No. 21 (Clemente’s number) logo that had adorned the area for several seasons.
The organization called the error “an honest mistake.”
“We did not intend to disrespect the legacy of Roberto Clemente by adding the advertisement to the pad in right field,” Williams wrote. “When we added the advertisement to the pad, it was an oversight not to keep the No. 21 logo.”
“We will be adding the No. 21 logo back to the pad.”
Clemente died in a plane crash in 1972 at age 38 after a stellar 18-year career for the Pirates, mostly played in right field. A 15-time All-Star and 12-time Golden Gove recipient, Clemente, a Puerto Rican native, is one of the most decorated players in Pirates and Major League Baseball history.
His sudden death caused the National Baseball Hall of Fame to change its rules to expedite his induction into Cooperstown.
His family responded Sunday as Roberto Clemente Jr. issued a statement.
“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,” his statement read in part.
The Pirates retired his No. 21 in 1973, a few weeks after his election into the Hall of Fame.
Williams pointed out that there are several elements throughout the park that honor Clemente’s legacy, yet he and the team apologized for the oversight regardless.
“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.”
–Field Level Media
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