Major League Baseball Celebrates Fathers Day

Major League Baseball teams will be celebrating Fathers Day by having their players don special uniforms and use commemorative balls during games taking place on June 18th.  Players will be sporting baby blue colored caps, jerseys and socks in honor of dads.  The baseballs in these games will also feature a unique blue stitching color pattern.

If you like these uniforms picking one up for yourself also benefits a worthy cause -->  prostate cancer research.  MLB royalties from the sales of replica apparel from these special outfits will be donated to the  Prostate Cancer Foundation and Stand Up to Cancer. Plus Rawlings is also donating $1 for each replica baseball sold to the Prostate Cancer Foundation for each of the Fathers Day themed baseballs they sell to fans.

 I like that in addition to the snapback style caps with their large flat brims that are popular today, New Era has also produced the Fathers Day hats in what has become called the "dad cap."  Dad caps tend to be made of canvas or cotton and have a slightly curved brim.  I guess I'm starting to show my age when the hat I prefer to wear is called a dad cap. 

Standard MLB cap

Dad Cap

I'm a Detroit Tigers fan so I've highlighted the Old English D versions of the Fathers Day outfits but each Major League team will have their own variation incorporating their own logo and uniform styling.  Also for the first time this year, players will be able to wear themed socks to go along with their special edition jerseys and caps.  CLICK HERE for more information about these baseballs, caps, jerseys and socks honoring dads.

Major League Baseball Customized Fathers Day Uniforms Support Prostate Cancer Awareness & Research

I had to take a second glance and ask the other people in the room with me if there was something wrong with the TV while watching the Detroit Tigers game on Fathers Day as the team's uniforms seemed different.  In fact, they were.  For the first time ever, Major League Baseball (MLB) was having their teams wear customized uniforms and caps for Fathers Day with a "baby blue" theme to them.  While I'm a traditionalist when it comes to the uniforms that sport the Old English D and appreciate keeping a classic look to the outfits, in my opinion these Fathers Day uniforms were very sharp!

For the last several years, MLB has had its teams don pink uniforms on Mothers Day to show support for breast cancer survivors and promote awareness on the topic.  The reproductions of these official pink Mothers Day uniforms and caps that were made available for purchase to fans have had their MLB licensing royalties donated to the non-profits Susan G. Komen and Stand Up to Cancer.  This year the initiative was expanded to include Fathers Day.

The focus of the Fathers Day MLB promotion was to raise awareness, and some money, for prostate cancer prevention.  According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime with 1 in 39 men dying from the disease.  Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths for men residing within the United States behind only lung cancer.  Fortunately, if discovered early and treated many men can survive prostate cancer.  CLICK HERE to learn more about prostate cancer from the American Cancer Society.

As with the Mothers Day specialty uniforms, these unique Fathers Day ones will have their MLB licensing royalties donated to charity as well go to the Prostate Cancer Foundation and Stand Up to Cancer.  If you like these replica jerseys and caps don't wait to long to grab one as they are meant to be collectible items produced in limited supplies.  I'm not a fan of the flat brimmed snapback caps that seem to be all the rage lately so I'm glad New Era also produced a more traditional Fathers Day version of the ball cap for dads like me who appreciate the vintage look.

Check out all of the Fathers Day looks that were worn around Major League Baseball by all the teams for their June 19th games:




Major League Baseball teams will also be wearing special patriotic themed uniforms on the Fourth of July.  MLB's licensing royalties from these replica Fourth of July caps and jerseys will be donated to the the veterans' support charity Welcome Back Veterans.

So what to think of these special themed uniforms for sporting teams? Love them, hate them or just don't care?