PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates recently kicked off their home season, and sharp-eyed fans spotted a notable alteration at PNC Park.
Previously, the right field wall featured a tribute to Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente, located at its far end—a diamond design showcasing his name and iconic number, 21.
The wall itself stands 21 feet tall as a nod to Clemente, whose No. 21 jersey remains retired by the Pirates.
Now, that tribute has been swapped out for a Surfside advertisement, with a giant can dominating the same section of the right field wall.
Roberto Clemente was a standout for the Pittsburgh Pirates across 18 stellar seasons from 1955 to 1972. He posted a career slash line of .317/.359/.475, with an OPS of .834, piling up 3,000 hits, 440 doubles, 166 triples, 240 home runs, 1,305 RBIs, and 621 walks over 2,433 games.
In 1966, he snagged the National League MVP award, batting .317/.360/.536 with an OPS of .896, racking up 202 hits, 31 doubles, 11 triples, 29 home runs, and 46 walks.
Clemente earned 15 All-Star selections, claimed 12 straight NL Gold Glove Awards from 1961 to 1972, and secured the NL Batting Title four times—in 1961, 1964, 1965, and 1967.
He helped the Pirates to two World Series titles: in 1960, topping the New York Yankees in seven games, capped by teammate Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off homer at Forbes Field, and in 1971, edging the Baltimore Orioles in seven. In that ‘71 series, Clemente shone as MVP, hitting .414 with 12 hits in 29 at-bats, including a clutch solo homer in the 2-1 Game 7 victory in Baltimore.
Beyond the diamond, the Puerto Rican star was renowned for his humanitarian efforts across the Caribbean and Latin America. Tragically, this dedication led to his death on Dec. 31, 1972, when a plane he chartered to deliver aid to earthquake-stricken Nicaragua crashed.
Clemente received a special induction into the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame, becoming the first Caribbean player and the second from Latin America to be enshrined. His legacy lives on through the Roberto Clemente Award, given annually to the MLB player who best embodies baseball, sportsmanship, community service, and team contribution.
The Pirates’ recent home opener ended in a 9-4 loss to the Yankees, drawing boos from fans aimed at owner Bob Nutting and manager Derek Shelton.
Though the Clemente tribute on the right field wall at PNC Park has been replaced, his statue still stands proudly outside the stadium. His son, Roberto Clemente Jr., took to Twitter to express his dismay over the removal of the wall tribute.
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