Major League Baseball players are all wearing camo hats this weekend, and here’s why.
During every MLB game on Friday (May 14th), all the players wore camouflage hats, and it’s sparked a lot of confusion online.
Why is everyone in MLB wearing camo hats tonight? Or, for that matter, at all?” one person wrote on Twitter.
Another said: “Anyone know why every MLB team is rocking ugly camo hats?”
So, why are MLB players wearing camo hats this weekend? Let’s find out.
MLB players are wearing camo hats
During Friday’s Yankees vs Orioles game, and every other game that was played on May 14th, all the players were wearing camo hats.
The green camouflage baseball caps contain a military-inspired patch on the side that says the team name and the phrase “National League Major League Baseball.”
Every cap also has a different white logo on the front depending on the team, with a mixture of letters and symbols.
It’s not just hats either. You may have noticed some of the players wearing camo socks too, but what does it mean?
It’s to celebrate Armed Forces Day 2021
The MLB players are wearing camo caps to celebrate Armed Forces Day 2021 on Saturday, May 15th.
Armed Forces Day is celebrated every year on the third Saturday of May and honours the USA’s military forces.
The US military consists of six branches: Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard and Space Force. There are also two reserve branches, The Army National Guard and the Air National Guard.
Armed Forces Day is a nationwide acknowledgement of everyone who works in, or has previously worked in, any of these branches, and it has been celebrated every year since its creation in 1950.
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MLB players will wear camo all weekend
The camo caps were first worn during Friday’s Major League Baseball games.
However, MLB players will honour Armed Forces Day 2021 for the whole weekend by wearing camo caps in every game from Friday (May 14th) to Sunday (May 16th).
The caps are also available to buy on the New Era website, and Major League Baseball will donate its royalties from every sale to MLB Charities that support programs for service members, veterans and military families.
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Saturday is Armed Forces Day, and teams across Major League Baseball began play Friday with several activations in place as part of a weekend-long recognition of those who serve our country.
Armed Forces Day, established by President Harry S. Truman in 1949, is traditionally celebrated each year on the third Saturday of May. Throughout the weekend, MLB players and coaches will wear camouflage-designed caps, as well as optional camo-themed socks.
MLB and MLB Charities have been long-time supporters of the military community and will continue to support nonprofit organizations that focus on the needs of military veterans, servicemembers and families.
Notable military-related nonprofit organizations who have been previous recipients of Baseball’s contributions include The Mission Continues, Code of Support Foundation, American Corporate Partners, Sesame Workshop, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors and Folds of Honor Foundation.
MLB also has plans to observe Memorial Day. During all games taking place on that day (May 30), players and on-field personnel will wear a jersey with a traditional red poppy featuring “Lest We Forget” language adorning the visage on the left chest.
The right side of New Era caps will feature the stars & stripes silhouetted batter with language depicting “Memorial Day.” These products will not be sold at retail.
As in past years, MLB will participate in the National Moment of Remembrance on Memorial Day, when all games and pregame activities will pause at approximately 3:00 p.m. local time to observe an extended moment of silence.
Why are all baseball teams wearing camouflage this weekend?
Every year over the third weekend in May, Major League Baseball celebrates Armed Forces Day by having each of their 30 clubs wear camo patterned caps, socks, sleeves, and catcher’s gear during games played on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Designs vary slightly from season to season and this year the caps feature a custom green camouflage pattern on the crowns, visors, and buttons. For the 29 teams based in the United States, each logo is presented in olive green and gold with a United States flag pattern integrated into it; the Canadian-based Toronto Blue Jays naturally do not include this feature, opting instead for their usual logo (still recoloured).
SHOP: 2022 MLB Armed Forces Day Camo Caps available now!
The left side features the New Era logo in gold, the back has the MLB logo in a gold/black/gold colourway, and the underside of the visor is plain black. On the right side of each cap is a military-style name badge with six stars representing the six branches of the military and the team’s location name placed to the right (the Los Angeles Angels bar reads “ANGELS”). The Blue Jays cap swaps out the five stars for four maple leaves.
Here’s a look at the 2022 Armed Forces Day cap designs for all 30 teams:
Team jerseys will remain each club’s usual design, this camo theme is reserved for caps, socks, and other accessories.
As has been the case for the last three years, teams will wear camouflage during Armed Forces Day rather than on Memorial Day. Beginning with the 2019 season, the league opted to reserve Memorial Day for the solemn remembrance of those veterans who are no longer with us, doing so with the simple addition of a poppy patch to all team jerseys playing on Memorial Day Monday.
SHOP: 2022 MLB Armed Forces Day Camo Caps available now!
Major League Baseball will donate its licensed royalties from the sale of Armed Forces Day On-Field Authentic Collection apparel to MLB Charities to support programs for service members, veterans and military families.