This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 12/12/2021.
First ballot Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973. The 15-time All-Star won two World Series championships and was a World Series MVP and regular season MVP. The four-time National League batting champion was a 12-time Gold Glove Award winner and his No. 21 is retired by the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise. Inside the front right tail is the Rawlings manufacturer’s tag size “42” with washing instructions. The year tag has been removed by the team. Across the chest reads “PIRATES”. The player number “21” appears below and on the back. All numbering and lettering is done in black on gold tackle twill. This jersey was given to our consignor who was a Dominican born Pirates player in 1976 by equipment manager John “Hully” Hallahan. The jersey was gifted to him at an instructional league in Florida for exceptional performance. 1972 was the introduction of this Rawlings tag as well as the transition period from the straight cut tail to the longer more rounded tail. Many Clemente knits feature the straight cut tail however there is a photo of Clemente during the second half of the 1972 season wearing what is clearly a longer jersey. We have in our database a Cleveland Indians jersey with matching Rawlings specs from the '72 season. It is clear that no one wore number 21 with the Pirates following Clemente’s tragic death on New Years Eve in 1972. This may have been a jersey produced late in the season and one of Clemente’s final jerseys or an accidental order for the 1973 season before his death. This jersey is all-original and a beautiful representation of one the game’s greatest players and in our opinion shows appropriate use.