As part of Major League Baseball’s 2016 schedule, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Miami Marlins will play a brief two-game series in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on May 30-31 to celebrate Roberto Clemente Day.
The official announcement was made by MLB‘s public relations staff on Twitter:
Roberto Clemente Day was established by Major League Baseball in 2002 to honor the former Pirates superstar for his efforts on the field and his humanitarian work. The Hall of Famer was killed in a plane crash on Dec. 31, 1972 while trying to deliver supplies to Nicaragua following an earthquake.
Clemente, who was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, spent his entire 18-year MLB career with the Pirates and finished with exactly 3,000 hits. His legacy in the city of Pittsburgh continues, with Pirates manager Clint Hurdle telling Tom Singer of MLB.com last September his presence can still be felt.
“There are many who would argue he is still alive and well here in Pittsburgh,” Hurdle said. “That heartbeat is there, the pulse of the city. When you perform as he did professionally and live as he did personally, the legacy continues. He’s still touching lives.”
Traditionally, Roberto Clemente Day has taken place in September but will get bumped up this year so the Pirates and Marlins can properly celebrate the man in his home country.
The Marlins have a history of playing games in Puerto Rico, previously doing it in 2003 against the Montreal Expos and 2010 against the New York Mets.
While the teams will certainly be putting their best foot forward to win these two games at the end of May, Clemente will be the star of the show. He’s an icon in baseball history and deserves all of the honors he continues to get 43 years after his tragic death.
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