Why are MLB players wearing No. 21 on their jerseys today, Sept. 15?

Roberto Clemente was not the first Latino player to play in MLB, but he was the first to win a World Series and the first to be awarded a World Series MVP. He was also the first Latino player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

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In the late 1950s and 1960s, Roberto Clemente was the star right fielder for the Pirates. He achieved hit #3000 in the final Game of the 1972 season, becoming the first Caribbean-born player to reach that landmark. Tragically, he was killed in a plane crash while attempting to personally deliver supplies and aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua during the winter. His body has never been recovered.

The Pirates immediately retired his #21, and the Hall of Fame ignored its normal rules about waiting five years after a player was out of the league to induct Clemente immediately.

Why are MLB players wearing No. 21?

All players and on-field personnel across baseball will wear “21″ patches on their uniform chests on Sunday in honor of Clemente, who donned No. 21 throughout his esteemed career.

All 2024 nominees for the Roberto Clemente Award, which recognizes MLB players for philanthropic efforts in their communities, will also have the option of wearing No. 21. They will join players from Puerto Rico and others who wore the number during previous commemorations of Roberto Clemente Day.

Active players who have previously received the Roberto Clemente Award will wear a “21″ patch on the back of their caps, representing this revered accolade.