PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates will celebrate Roberto Clemente when the entire team dons his No. 21 on Sept. 9 against the Chicago White Sox.
The Hall of Fame outfielder collected 3,000 hits during his 18-year career.
He died in a plane crash on New Year's Eve in 1972 at age 38 while attempting to bring humanitarian aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
The team retired Clemente’s number before the start of the 1973 season.
The Pirates and the Clemente family have been pushing for broader recognition of his impact both on and off the field.
While the celebration is currently limited to this year, the team is optimistic that wearing Clemente's number can become an annual event.
