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MLB teams unveil brand new jersey addition honoring Parkland victims

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Opening Day is a time of joy and celebration for baseball fans across the country.

In Miami, however, where the Marlins hosted the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, there was also sorrow and remembrance.

Both teams paid tribute to the victims of the Feb. 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Their uniforms featured a ribbon patch with the initials “MSD” and 17 stars, one for each victim.

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The mass shooting had a big impact on both clubs — and both responded.

For the Marlins, Stoneman Douglas High is 45 miles north of their home ballpark.

Miami’s team chaplain ministered to the victims’ families in the days after the shooting, and last month the Marlins hosted the MSD baseball and softball players at their spring training facility.

They also wore Stoneman Douglas hats and patches in their spring training opener.

For the Cubs, first baseman Anthony Rizzo is a Stoneman Douglas alumnus.

He offered his prayers and support to the community the day of the shooting.


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Two days later, Rizzo flew in from Arizona to speak at a vigil in Parkland for the 14 children and three adults who were slain.

“I’m only who I am because of this community and I just want all of you to know how proud I am of this community,” he said. “I want you to know you’re not alone in your grief.”

Before Thursday’s season opener, Rizzo and his teammates wore Stoneman Douglas T-shirts during warmups.

Come game time, Rizzo, wearing the “MSD” patch, hit the first pitch of the fourth inning over the right-field wall for his first home run of the year.

The Cubs went on to win 8-4.

On Friday, four families of victims or survivors are scheduled to throw out the first pitch for the second game of the season-opening four-game series.

“Tomorrow will be a tough one to see for everyone who has a pulse,” Rizzo said.

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Todd Windsor is a senior story editor at The Western Journal. He has worked as an editor or reporter in news and sports for more than 30 years.
Todd Windsor is a senior story editor at The Western Journal. He was born in Baltimore and grew up in Maryland. He graduated from the University of Miami (he dreams of wearing the turnover chain) and has worked as an editor and reporter in news and sports for more than 30 years. Todd started at The Miami News (defunct) and went on to work at The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C., the St. Petersburg (now Tampa Bay) Times, The Baltimore Sun and Space News before joining Liftable Media in 2016. He and his beautiful wife have two amazing daughters and a very old Beagle.
Birthplace
Baltimore
Education
Bachelor of Science from the University of Miami
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Media, Sports




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