ST. LOUIS – Cincinnati Reds reliever Fernando Cruz, called up to the Majors on Sept. 1, walked into the visiting clubhouse at Busch Stadium on Thursday and found a surprise at his locker.
Cruz’s uniform had the No. 21 and no name on the back in honor of Roberto Clemente Day. All Puerto Ricans can wear No. 21 on Roberto Clemente Day, along with each team’s Clemente Award nominee and prior Clemente Award winners.
For someone who grew up in Puerto Rico where the No. 21 carries immense meaning and heard about what Clemente meant to the country since he was born, that uniform meant a lot to Cruz.