The US Supreme Court declined on Monday to consider a legal bid by Roberto Clemente’s sons contesting Puerto Rico ’s placement of the baseball legend’s image on commemorative vehicle registration tags and license plates, which they claimed breached constitutional safeguards against government taking of trademark rights.

The justices turned away the appeal brought by the three brothers after lower judicial bodies previously rejected their claims against the Caribbean US territory.

A native of Puerto Rico, Clemente played 18 seasons as a right fielder for Major League Baseball 's Pittsburgh Pirates between 1955 and 1972. His decorated career featured 15 All-Star appearances and two World Series championships, earning him induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame and a dedicated statue outside the stadium.…