MLB Teams Wore Blue Uniforms For Father’s Day And Cancer Awareness

If you were watching any of the Major League Baseball games this weekend then you probably noticed something was a little different. The fact that very single team was wearing blue uniforms instead of their traditional ones, for instance. In case you’ve been wondering, the reason behind the blue uniforms actually has two parts to it. One is of course to celebrate Father’s Day and the other is to raise awareness for prostate cancer.

Since MLB partnered up with the Prostate Cancer Foundation in 1996 the teams have always worn blue cancer ribbons and wristbands during Father’s Day weekend – but this year they have taken things a couple steps beyond simply wearing the classic cancer awareness ribbons.

For this past weekend all the Major League teams had new uniforms – those who already wear blue uniforms also had new ones in the matching shade of blue – along with those blue ribbons and wristbands. Similarly they wore pink uniforms, with pink ribbons and wristbands, on Mother’s Day to raise awareness for breast cancer. This is all a part of their efforts along with Stand Up 2 Cancer to help raise both awareness and money for research to one day find a cure for cancer.

Along with the uniforms they also had blue compression sleeves, batting gloves, footwear including two different shades of blue socks, wrist/elbow/leg guards and catchers equipment – and for the very first time the game ball will be a Rawlings baseball with blue stitching. All payments and royalties for these uniforms will go directly to both of the organizations that helped with the special event weekend. (See the socks, hats and custom baseball in the video below at 2:28 along with all the other event uniforms for the season!)

The support for cancer research and awareness didn’t stop with all the blue covering the field – they also held the now annual “Home Run Challenge” to raise money for the Prostate Cancer Foundation. It works by allowing fans to contribute a one-time monetary donation every time their team scores a home run between June 1 and Father’s Day.

Since 1997 this fundraiser has managed to raise $45 million for the Prostate Cancer Foundation, and by June 15 they had already managed to raise another $3 million this year.

These unique uniforms are brilliant – not only are they a nod to dad’s all over the country, but it is also a great way to raise money and awareness for cancer. Prostate cancer takes a life every 20 minutes according to Prostate Cancer Foundation’s most recent PSA – and like all cancer, we’re still trying to find a cure.

What did you think of the MLB Father’s Day/Cancer Awareness uniforms? Did you participate in the “Home Run Challenge”? Or would you have if you had known sooner? Tell us in the comments below!

[Featured Image by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images]