Pirates Under Fire After 'Distasteful' Roberto Clemente Decision

Clemente tragically died in a plane crash on December 31, 1972, while traveling to Nicaragua with relief supplies following an earthquake.

The Pirates tried doing damage control as the post went viral. Brian Warecki, the club’s senior vice president of communications, explained that the Clemente logo “was never meant to be a permanent tribute.’

“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,” Warecki told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Warecki apologized for the team never directly communicating those plans to the Clemente family. However, the Pirates added that logo ahead of the 2022 season, and Clemente’s son has attended Pirates games in recent years.

It makes no sense, then, that the Pirates wouldn’t tell Clemente Jr. of the logo’s long-term plans.

“My Lord ” longtime Pirates manager Clint Hurdle commented.

Added Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback and Pittsburgh Panthers legend Darrelle Revis: “ .”

Clemente’s legacy, both in a Pirates uniform and as a humanitarian, speaks for itself. One would imagine, then, that the Pirates would know better than to replace anything honoring the 15-time All-Star.

Clearly, that’s not the case.

“Man, that’s as disrespectful, distasteful and tone-deaf as it gets,” an X user commented. “Bush League move @Pirates ’

“Roberto Clemente is one of our proudest things associated with Pittsburgh ever; the current @Pirates organization is one of our most embarrassing,” another wrote.