The national pastime is joining the celebrations for America’s 250th birthday with patriotic uniforms.
Major League Baseball officials on Tuesday confirmed red, white and blue accents will adorn all jerseys and caps worn for games on the Fourth of July.
The patriotic caps and socks — along with stars-and-stripes-adorned jerseys — will “visually represent and pay tribute to our nation’s founding,” the league said.
MLB has also partnered with a handful of drive-in movie theaters across the country to screen the 1993 film “The Sandlot” before broadcasting live baseball games onto the screens.
“Baseball has been part of the fabric of American life since the sport’s creation, bringing people together through shared traditions, unforgettable moments and the simple joy of spending time at the ballpark with family and friends,” Uzma Rawn Dowler, MLB’s chief marketing officer, said in a statement.
Also Tuesday, the league launched a “For the People” marketing campaign featuring the song “American Girl” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. More stars-and-stripes-themed advertisements will grace airways throughout the summer, the league said.
“Baseball brings Americans together, so as the National Pastime, we are proud to celebrate this special anniversary and to provide even more opportunities for people nationwide to engage with our sport this year,” Rawn Dowler said. “By creating these special opportunities honoring the country’s founding, we hope more fans than ever will enjoy memorable moments with baseball.”
Philadelphia will serve as the center for MLB’s “America 250” festivities, hosting the All-Star Game on July 14.
It will be the first All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park, though the city also hosted the game at the now-demolished Veterans Stadium in 1976 for the U.S. bicentennial.
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