The son of Pittsburgh Pirates legend Roberto Clemente expressed his frustration Wednesday on social media, calling it “unprecedented” that MLB did not announce a winner of the Roberto Clemente Award at the World Series.

The Roberto Clemente Award is the game’s most prestigious individual award, presented annually to the MLB player who “best represents the game through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.”

Originally known as the Commissioner’s Award, it was renamed in honor of the Hall of Fame right fielder in 1973, when Clemente died in a plane crash on New Year’s Eve 1972 while delivering relief supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.

— Roberto Clemente Jr (@RClementejr21) October 28, 2020

“For the first time in forty-nine years, an MLB season finished without a Roberto Clemente award winner announced, Unprecedented,” Roberto Clemente Jr. wrote on Twitter. “My family and I had wished to attend the World Series this year to present the honorable winner, the most prestigious award — something we have done for years.

“We are disappointed to not have been able to do this, as it was out of our control … but we believe change is always a catalyst — an opportunity for something better. Although this year may be different, the winner will be announced soon. As we plan for the future, we thank everyone for unwavering support and love from near and far. We will share in the process what’s next for the award.”

All 30 MLB teams nominate a player, and the Pirates’ choice this year was first baseman Josh Bell for his charitable contributions and activism in using his public platform to speak out about social and racial injustice. The nominees included third baseman Justin Turner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Charlie Morton.

The criticism by Clemente Jr. comes after the family was thrilled that MLB allowed Pirates players and coaches to wear Clemente’s No. 21 against the Chicago White Sox to celebrate Roberto Clemente Day on Sept. 9 at PNC Park. The Clemente family has been outspoken in its hopes that MLB will retire No. 21 throughout baseball, as it did for Jackie Robinson, but Luis Clemente said in September that he had not spoken directly to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred but suggested that the movement is “heading in the right direction.”

— Michael Terlecki (@TurkmanPgh) October 28, 2020

“We feel the reasons are more than plenty to do that,” said Luis Clemente, Roberto’s son and president of the Clemente Foundation. “But we see it in a way that it comes with with another commitment. There are ways to do it … It’s not just retiring (the number) for the sake of retiring it. It is the right thing to do, but it should be done in such a way that it becomes more prestigious with that action.”

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)