Roberto Clemente Jr responds to father’s tribute sign removal at PNC Park

PITTBSURGH — Roberto Clemente Jr. has issued a statement on X in response to the removal of his father’s tribute sign at PNC Park.

Clemente Jr. shared in the statement, “Yesterday, 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. went on to say, “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 change at PNC Park has created some backlash from fans on social media. Clemente Jr. also shared a post when the change was first discovered:

The Pittsburgh Pirates sent a response to Channel 11 about the removal on Saturday:

“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,” Pittsburgh Pirates Senior Vice President of Communications and Broadcasting Brian Warecki said in a statement.

The Pittsburgh Pirates also emphasized that Clemente is beloved and important to the organization.

To see the full response from the Pittsburgh Pirates, click or tap here.

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