Major League Baseball today unveiled the lineup of holiday and special event uniforms that will be worn during the 2018 Championship Season. These holidays and events include: Jackie Robinson Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Memorial Day weekend and Independence Day weekend. MLB collaborated with its Authentic Collection partners -- New Era Cap, Stance and Majestic -- to create a cohesive uniform design for each event.
MLB will again donate its licensed uniform royalties that are connected to charitable initiatives. Proceeds will be donated to the Jackie Robinson Foundation (Jackie Robinson Day), Susan G. Komen (Mother's Day), Prostate Cancer Foundation (Father's Day), Stand Up To Cancer (Mother's Day and Father's Day), and MLB Charities (Memorial Day and Independence Day) -- used to support programs for service men and women, veterans and military families.
JACKIE ROBINSON DAY: SUNDAY, APRIL 15
This year is the 71^st anniversary of Jackie Robinson's Major League Baseball debut, when he broke baseball's color barrier. As has been tradition each April 15th since 2009, MLB will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day with all players and on-field personnel wearing Number '42' during that day's games. For 2018, there will be additional on-field uniform elements including a commemorative patch on all team caps and jersey sleeves, socks emblazoned with '42,' and a brand new lightweight hooded fleece for batting practice and dugout wear, also featuring the '42' logo. Licensed royalties from all these items will be donated to the Jackie Robinson Foundation.
MOTHER'S DAY: SUNDAY, MAY 13
During games on Mother's Day Sunday, players will wear newly designed caps highlighted by a pink crown and team color brim. A matching pair of pink socks is optional for every player, while regular Club jerseys will be adorned by a pink ribbon on the left chest. Since 2006, players have swung pink bats, worn pink ribbon decals and sported pink wristbands on Mother's Day to raise awareness and, through charity auctions, funds to fight breast cancer.
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND: SATURDAY, MAY 26 - MONDAY, MAY 28
MLB's annual league-wide observance of Memorial Day will honor those who lost their lives while serving their country. MLB again plans to participate in the National Moment of Remembrance through which ballparks on Memorial Day will conduct moments of silence and special pregame ceremonies.
In addition, during all games taking place over Memorial Day weekend, players will wear a new camouflage-designed cap - the 10^th year in a row that New Era created a cap specifically for this holiday. A matching jersey will be worn by players and managers for the sixth straight year. The right side of the caps feature five stars to represent the five branches of the U.S military, while the stars are also stitched on the jerseys' right sleeves and sewn across the socks. The Toronto Blue Jays will wear four maple leafs on the right side of their caps to signify the four branches of the Canadian military.
FATHER'S DAY: SUNDAY, JUNE 17
Father's Day uniforms will follow the same pattern as the Mother's Day uniforms. A light blue ribbon will be placed on the left chest of regular team jerseys, while New Era designed a new light blue cap with team color brim. Players also have the option of wearing multi-pattern blue-dyed socks. Players have worn blue ribbons and sported blue wristbands throughout the years on Father's Day since MLB first partnered with the Prostate Cancer Foundation in 1996.
INDEPENDENCE DAY WEEKEND: MONDAY, JULY 2 - WEDNESDAY, JULY 4
For the 11^th consecutive summer, U.S.-based MLB Clubs will sport stars and stripes-decorated caps with red, white and blue team logos to celebrate Independence Day. For the fourth straight year, Clubs will also wear a matching jersey, and after a popular debut in 2017, player socks will match the rest of the uniform with a stars & stripes pattern. The Toronto Blue Jays will sport their red alternate jerseys with red Maple Leaf caps on Canada Day - July 1.
For product availability, visit MLB.com. For more information on the charities that MLB is supporting through its 2018 special event uniform program, see the links below.
Jackie Robinson Foundation: http://www.JackieRobinson.org
Susan G. Komen: http://www.komen.org/
Prostate Cancer Foundation: http://www.pcf.org
Stand Up To Cancer: http://www.standuptocancer.org