MLB teams planning fantastic tribute to Florida shooting victims on spring training opening day
Major League Baseball has very strict rules when it comes to uniforms, but sometimes simple humanity transcends the rulebook.
That’s what’s happening with the start of spring training Friday, as MLB teams will honor the victims of last week’s mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
All 30 teams will wear the school’s baseball caps as they take the field in Florida and Arizona.
BREAKING: MLB teams planning to wear Stoneman Douglas caps Friday in Florida and Arizona. https://t.co/2v5mTXHazK pic.twitter.com/BRhHrVTms9
— Miami Herald Sports (@HeraldSports) February 20, 2018
The Miami Herald reported that the league’s official cap company, New Era, is making the caps for the players to wear in both the Grapefruit League and the Cactus League.
MLB.com’s David Adler reported Tuesday night that all 30 teams would wear the caps.
“It’s a tragedy. It was a tragedy that hit the state of Florida, where we have two teams, but obviously has very specific baseball connections,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said. “Really a very strong sentiment among the clubs that this was the appropriate thing to do immediately.”
The Miami Marlins were the first team to reach out to MLB after last week’s shootings. Marlins Park is just 40 miles south of Stoneman Douglas High School, and the Marlins’ spring training site — Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter — is 50 miles north of the school.
When the Marlins begin spring training on Friday, they also will wear special shirts and caps during batting practice containing the inscription “#17douglasstrong” in honor of the 17 victims.
One of the newest Marlins has already taken steps to help those affected by the shooting. Lewis Brinson, who was acquired from the Brewers in the trade that sent Christian Yelich to Milwaukee, visited two shooting victims in the hospital over the weekend.
Lewis Brinson tells media that on Sunday he visited two students in the hospital being treated in the aftermath of the #ParklandSchoolShooting @Marlins pic.twitter.com/D3XD8aFtuy
— Joe Frisaro (@JoeFrisaro) February 19, 2018
Brinson is from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and grew up just minutes away from the school. He didn’t know any of the victims, but he didn’t have to in order to lift their spirits.
“I wanted to go visit them. It doesn’t matter if they were brother, if they were kin, if they were kids I never met before,” Brinson told reporters. “I wanted to show them I’m here for them. We’re all thinking about them, and I know the city of Parkland and the state of Florida is behind those kids. They’re warriors. The stuff that they’ve been through,17-, 16-, 15-year-olds shouldn’t have to go through.
“I told them they’re strong, they’re warriors and I look up to them. I’m sure they look up to people like me, but I look up to those guys. Nothing can get in their way in life after what they’ve been through.”
Marlins first baseman Justin Bour also told the Herald that he would visit the school’s baseball team during one of its practices this week.
“I thought I would jump at the opportunity to be there and spend some time with those guys,” Bour said. “After it happened, I let them know if there was anything I could do, I’d be more than willing to help them.”
The baseball coach of Stoneman Douglas, Todd Fitz-Gerald, was overwhelmed with all of the support that the Marlins and others have shown in the wake of the shooting.
“I’ve had easily over 500 people text me,” Fitz-Gerald said. “There’s a [high school] team in Virginia wearing our hats today and then what the Marlins are doing for us. … It’s really something.”
Another Miami pro sports team is also doing what it can to help the victims. The Miami Dolphins have made the maximum donation of $100,000 to a GoFundMe account that will support the victims and their families. As of late Tuesday, the account has raised over $1.8 million and is on pace to reach its goal of $2.2 million.
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