Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
House urges Major League Baseball to retire Roberto Clemente’s No. 21 with concurrent resolution
Loading...
Summary
The House adopted a concurrent resolution asking MLB Commissioner to begin procedures to retire Roberto Clemente’s No. 21 across Major League Baseball; resolution prompted extended floor statements about Clemente’s sports and humanitarian legacy.
The Puerto Rico House adopted Resolución Concurrente 26 on Sept. 11, 2025, urging the Commissioner of Major League Baseball to begin the administrative process to retire uniform No. 21 in honor of Roberto Clemente Walker.
Representative Connie Varela, sponsor of the resolution, described Clemente as both a "gran deportista" and a humanitarian who defended Latino players and helped victims of international disasters. Varela asked the House to send a formal request to MLB headquarters in New York.
Several members, including Representatives Michael Lebrón, Estévez Vélez and others, spoke in support, citing Clemente’s baseball achievements (including his 3,000th hit) and his humanitarian work — notably his fatal 1972 relief mission after the Nicaragua earthquake. The resolution text notes Clemente’s athletic accomplishments and asks MLB to consider the honor given previously only to Jackie Robinson (No. 42), who had his number retired across the league.
The House approved the resolution as amended; the clerk recorded the adopted resolution with unanimous affirmative votes listed in the record.
What happens next: The resolution is a formal request from the legislative body directed to MLB leadership; it does not itself change MLB policy. The resolution will be transmitted to MLB’s commissioner’s office as an expression of the legislature’s stance.
Speakers on the record included Representative Connie Varela and multiple other members who spoke in favor of the resolution.
