Pittsburgh Pirates owner and chairman of the board Bob Nutting apologized Saturday for the organization’s handling of the “Bucco Brick” removal process and vowed to “move quickly” to find a solution.

Nutting sent an email of apology after reading a column on TribLive that was written last week about the significance of the Bucco Brick, one of which was purchased by my late father prior to the 2001 opening of PNC Park.

Hundreds of personalized commemorative bricks were removed in the offseason near the Honus Wagner statue and replaced by slabs of white concrete. The bricks were sent to a landfill for recycling, which upset fans that had an emotional attachment to the stones.

The Pirates responded via a team spokesman that a permanent display was being considered for the messages contained on the bricks.

On Saturday, Nutting took responsibility.

“I take my stewardship of this franchise seriously,” he wrote in his email. “I am embarrassed. I have directed the team to accelerate their review, and to move quickly on the steps needed to fix this.

“I have fallen short in my most important role — representing you, representing the community and all our fans. I intend to hold everyone in the organization, including myself, to a higher standard. You and your father deserve better.”

Nutting noted that his father had recently passed away. G. Ogden Nutting was part of the partnership group when Kevin McClatchy purchased the Pirates in 1996. He died in August 2023.

“I know just how important those lasting memories are,” Bob Nutting wrote. “I too was shocked, angered and disappointed when I saw the images of the bricks haplessly discarded in the scrap yard. That was a mistake. It was disrespectful. It was wrong. I am sorry.”

The Bucco Brick was a fan-funded event that provided two purchase options when the Pirates relocated from Three Rivers Stadium to PNC Park before the 2001 season. Proceeds went to the Roberto Clemente Foundation.