Yesterday, MLB observed Roberto Clemente Day, a celebration of the late Pittsburgh Pirates icon who became the first Caribbean and Latin-American player inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973. Clemente, also known for his philanthropic endeavors, was honored across the league, some players donning his jersey number '21' and/or commemorative patches to mark the occasion. New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, a nominee for this year's Roberto Clemente Award, took his acknowledgment a step further.
Judge played yesterday's game against the Pirates in black and yellow Air Jordan 4 cleats reminiscent of the model's popular "Thunder" colorway. He also wore matching batting gloves, cranking out three hits and an RBI in the Yankees 7-5 victory. It's a bit of a switch-up for Judge, who typically plays in Air Jordan 1 Low cleats.
Though Judge's Jordan Brand signing was just made official in August, it had long been rumored that Jordan was his next footwear destination after parting ways with Adidas. He confirmed his sneaker-free agency on an episode of Sneaker Shopping last June, during which he wore "Court Purple" Air Jordan 13s and spent more than $4,000 on Jordans and Nikes at Stadium Goods.
