Lot # 1348: 1973 Pittsburgh Pirates Roberto Clemente Memorial Patch

Keep the faith with this 1973 Pittsburgh Pirates Roberto Clemente memorial patch. Baseball is a marvelous game that’s provided countless thrills since the 1800s, though as in everyday day life, there have been tragedies as well. Ed Delahanty fell off a bridge to his death at Niagara Falls, Lou Gehrig bowed out to ALS disease, Roy Halladay and Thurman Munson went down in plane clashes, and others have suffered ill fates.

Roberto Clemente’s death on New Year’s Eve 1972 was likely the most heroic death the game has seen. Clemente’s hired plane plunged in the water shortly after take off from the coast of his native Puerto Rico, on a mission to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. A sore blow for his family, Pirates teammates, and fans of the day, Clemente was honored in 1973, when the Pirates wore patches with his number 21, on their left sleeves. One of these loving tributes is set before you, with this 3” diameter patch from the Pirates 1973 season. Visible pulled peripheral threads indicate this was more than likely removed from a game-used or game-ready jersey. This well-preserved black and white patch remains in excellent condition, more than fifty years after it was issued.