Pirates set to celebrate Roberto Clemente Day
As the Pittsburgh Pirates continue to honor the life and legacy of the great Roberto Clemente, today the Club will celebrate Roberto Clemente Day with a day of giving, a community-based initiative taking place throughout Pittsburgh. In addition, for the first time ever, every member of the team will wear No. 21 in honor of “The Great One.”
In the spirit of Clemente’s legacy, leading up to Roberto Clemente Day the organization worked with area small businesses and local non-profits to make an impact in the Pittsburgh communities most impacted by the COVID- 19 pandemic as part of the “Family Forever” initiative presented by PNC Bank.
The events included:
Priory Fine Pastries and Beverly’s Birthdays: The Pirates joined Beverly’s Birthdays staff at Priory Fine Pastries to purchase cookies for their September Itty Bitty Birthday Cheer baby shower, a baby shower program hosted monthly for area single moms.
Jerry’s Pizzeria and the Latino Community Center: The Pirates hosted a meal and mask distribution with Jerry’s Pizzeria at the Latino Community Center.
New Pittsburgh Courier: The Pirates gifted New Pittsburgh Courier subscriptions to local libraries and Pirates staff recorded and shared personal book reads for the library archives.
RS Supply and Light of Life Rescue Mission: The Pirates purchased food service and sanitation supplies from RS Supply and delivered the materials to Light of Life Rescue Mission.
Wagsburgh and Humane Animal Rescue: The Pirates worked with the Humane Animal Rescue staff to host a shopping spree for pet supplies at Wagsburgh.
North Shore Tavern and Frontline Workers: Pirates staff and the Pirate Parrot took the time this morning to visit with Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire stations 30 and 37 as well as Allegheny Health Network’s Lifeflight unit to deliver North Shore Tavern gift cards, as a thank you for their service to our community. In addition, the Pirates also sent gift cards to Giant Eagle as a thank you to grocery store clerks at their Southside location.
“Every season we honor Roberto Clemente’s legacy as an organization by visiting schools, non-profits and other community organizations to make a positive difference in the lives of others on Clemente Day,” said Pirates president Travis Williams. “Although we are unable to take part in the visits this year, we feel it is important to draw from his inspiration to find different ways to continue to make an impact throughout our area. We are proud to be the team of The Great One and lead the way throughout Major League Baseball in celebrating his legacy.”
Today, the Club partnered with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank to host a drive-through food distribution on the North Shore. The food distribution event will take place in North Side Lot 5A and will serve 500 of Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank affiliated families from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. In addition, there will be a check presentation to the Food Bank on behalf of Josh Bell, the Pirates 2020 Roberto Clemente Award nominee.
This year the Pirates, in coordination with Major League Baseball, will honor “The Great One” on the field as all players and coaches will wear Clemente’s jersey number 21. The number 21 will grace the back of each of the Pirates’ home white Nike jerseys for the game.
In the days following the game, the jerseys will be placed for auction on pirates.auctions.mlb.com as fans will have a chance to bid on the game-worn jerseys. All proceeds from the sale of the jerseys will benefit the Clemente Foundation and Pirates Charities.
In addition, the number 21 will be etched in the grass in right field, the position Clemente played for the Pirates for 18 seasons. The Pirates will honor Clemente with staff on the field with a pregame video tribute, and will take the lines and observe a moment of silence for Roberto Clemente’s wife, Vera Clemente, who passed away late last year. Also, in a pregame on-field ceremony, Josh Bell will receive his Roberto Clemente Award from Pirates Chairman Bob Nutting who will represent the Pirates organization as well as the Clemente Family.
The Pirates organization will also celebrate Roberto Clemente Day in their southern home of Bradenton, Florida with the Bradenton Marauders, the Florida-based Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Marauders staff will host a food drive to benefiting F.E.L.T. (Feeding Empty Little Tummies), a weekend backpack feeding program in Manatee County. In addition, they are making a $1,000 contribution to the Food Bank of Manatee for their Meals on Wheels program, from the proceeds of a MiLB COVID-19 relief auction and Pirates Charities.