Pirates owner Bob Nutting emails fan upset about scrapped Bucco Bricks
Pirates' owner Bob Nutting is apologizing for the Bucco Bricks ending up in a recycling center. He sent out a personalized email to at least one person KDKA-TV has spoken with and had multiple bricks outside PNC Park.
This image of Bucco Bricks piled up inside an Allegheny County recycling center to be destroyed struck a chord with Pirates fans and the Pirates owner as well.
"I think he took it as a shock, just like everyone else did," Brian Carothers said.
Carothers had two bricks outside the ballpark, one for his dad and one for his grandfather. He tossed around the idea of buying the bricks and getting them back to the people who had bought them. That didn't end up happening as the bricks were crushed. On Saturday, he got an email from Bob Nutting.
"It was an apology email, saying he was embarrassed how the situation was handled with the Bucco Bricks," Carothers said about the email.
In the email, Nutting said he saw Carothers' interview with KDKA-TV and wanted to reach out to him. He added he would have supported selling the bricks to him if possible. Nutting said the images of the bricks "carelessly tossed aside" were a mistake, disrespectful and offered his apologies.
"I don't think he's a heartless person. I don't know who would look at it and say, 'This should be done. We should destroy markers that have families' history on it,'" Carothers said.
Nutting's email felt sincere to Carothers. He said it showed a human side to the owner, owning up to the organization's mistake.
"When that incompetence comes through, as the leader of an organization, he has to stand up and accept it, and he did. I don't know what else we can ask of him," Carothers told KDKA.
He joked that the two are pen pals as they sent a couple more messages between themselves.
"I accept his apology. I'd like to see what the Pirates have in store. I think sooner than later they should tell everyone,' Carothers said.
According to Nutting's email, he's directed the team to "move quickly on the steps needed to fix this." The team has repeatedly said they will have a new display with the messages and names from the bricks that were in the sidewalk.
