By Bryan Redemske
The Phillies — those forward-thinking, tree-hugging Phillies — on Wednesday announced a “going green” initiative, starting with the purchase of 20 million kilowatt hours of Green-e Energy Certified Renewable Certificates (RECs). The EPA says it’s the equivalent of planting 100,000 trees … but without actually planting the trees.
The club is going to be recycling now, and also getting rid of condiment packages and going with dispensers and such instead. And to that, I say, “hurrah.” Good for them. But how to celebrate this new era in Phillies history? Hmmm … how about a green hat? Perfect!
Of course, the New Era factory had to be fired up to make them, and they had to be shipped and everything. Eh, we’ll save the environment tomorrow.
Speaking of tomorrow (which is now today, since I wrote this last night), it’s May Day. In celebration of that, all Major League Baseball teams will install a Maypole in a prominent location. Obviously, the Yankees will put it in Monument Park, but teams are free to place it wherever they like. Also, look for hat patches, too.
Here’s a look at the rest of baseball’s celebrations for May:
May 2: It’s Negro Leagues Day — the league’s first game was played on this day in 1920. All teams will wear Kansas City Monarchs uniforms, except the Royals, who will be wearing their powder blue alts.
May 3: Bitch about Walter O’Malley day. The former Dodgers owner agreed to move the team to Los Angeles on this day in 1957. The Dodgers will wear “LA” caps to celebrate the successful move.
May 4: Ken Oberkfell was born on this day in 1956. The Braves will honor him by refusing to acknowledge Atlanta’s pre-1991 history.
May 5: The Astros will honor the 47th anniversary of Al Shepard’s first trip into space by wearing replica Mercury suits. They will also retire the number 47.
May 6: It’s Willie Mays’ 77th birthday! All players — on the Mets — will wear their caps and sunglasses like this.
May 7: All teams will have a moment of silence before the game — and wear a special sleeve patch — to mourn the victims of the Great Natchez Tornado, which killed 317 people … in 1840.
May 8: The Pirates will celebrate Bill Cowher’s 51st birthday by wearing black and yellow.
May 9: Sticking with the birthday bent, it’s Twinkie day in San Diego: Tony Gwynn turns 48! The Padres will wear their camouflage jerseys to mark the occasion.
May 10: Teams will wear pink for Mother’s Day, only to find out they got the date wrong. They’ll change the promotion to celebrate the first day of the Giro d’Italia, a three week cycling stage race. The teams’ jerseys are now based on the leader’s pink jersey.
May 11: Teams will continue to wear pink, since it’s actually Mother’s Day now. The Yankees will decline to participate on both days, because they’re a-holes.
May 12: To honor Yogi Berra’s 88th birthday, broadcasters all over baseball will say things that make no sense. Again, the Yankees will decline to participate.
May 13: Today is Barry Zito’s 30th birthday, so it’s stirrups and a high ERA for everybody!
May 14: All starting pitchers will go 9 innings — but lose — to observe Roy Halladay’s 31st birthday.
May 15: The Yankees will retire Nos. 56, 1, and 1941 to honor the start of Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak. The only numbers available for future players are 73, 94, and 97.
May 16: The No. 1 will be re-retired on what would have been Billy Martin’s 80th birthday. The Yankees will wear black ankle bands, since their sleeves are full of other patches.
May 17: The Padres will wear their camouflage jerseys in honor of the 1943 Dambuster Raids on German dams.
May 18: The Yankees, Orioles, Athletics, and Angels will all wear patches shaped like tinted prescription glasses for Reggie Jackson’s birthday.
May 19: The Blue Jays will celebrate Victoria Day by taking the day off, but having another ceremony later, like the Nationals on Jackie Robinson day.
May 20: It’s Hal Newhouser rubber jacket day in Detroit. To celebrate environmental consciousness, each jacket will be made from recycled tires taken off all current GM models.
May 21: Protective cup day in all parks, in an attempt to prevent future occurrences of … uh … this.
May 22: Mark Prior will undergo Tommy John surgery in honor of the 66th birthday of the surgery’s namesake. It was going to happen sooner or later — call it preventative maintenance.
May 23: The Padres will wear their camouflage jerseys in honor of Italy joining the Allies in World War I in 1915.
May 24: No activities planned. The Yankees decline to participate anyway.
May 25: It’s Star Wars Day across the majors in honor of the 31st anniversary of the film’s release.
May 26: Memorial Day — the Padres surprisingly don’t wear their camouflage jerseys, but the White Sox remember they have them and break them out for the first time.
May 27: It’s the 69th anniversary of the debut of Batman, prompting the Yankees to wear capes and little bat antennae.
May 28: Chleveland Honors Jhonny Peralta’s 26th birthday.
May 29: Today’s Red Sox game will be delivered in winks and nods in remembrance of Moe Berg, a former Sox catcher and U.S. spy.
May 30: The Cubs wear green hats in honor of grass, ivy, and the one-month anniversary of the Phillies’ green initiative.
May 31: Kenny Lofton, age 41 today, has his number retired by the Astros, Indians, Braves, White Sox, Giants, Pirates, Cubs, Yankees, Phillies, Dodgers, and Rangers.
Here’s Vince with the ticker …
Uni Watch News Ticker: As Paul has noted before, even fans get in on the whole misspelled jersey thing (thanks to Dan Cichalski). … Many people have emailed to say that Bob Uecker claimed during the Brewers/Cubs broadcast that Chicago’s Reed Johnson is the last among the Cubs to wear “old style” stirrups. Many also claimed that this claim doesn’t appear to be true. These photos seem to indicate Uecker is right, though. … There’s apparently some groundswell to have the NCAA allow USC and UCLA to both wear their home uniforms for their annual game (thanks to Eric Borer). … The Durham Bulls wore pink jerseys to support breast cancer awareness (thanks Josh Edney). …A New York Rangers sweater given to Bruce Springsteen is part of a larger auction you can find here (thanks to Michael Jaworski). … Reader Andrew has created a site devoted to the uniform history of the Diamondbacks. … If you haven’t checked it out ready, this blog devoted to ugly baseball cards is certainly a great time waster (thanks John Muir). … Patrick Ryan says that Houston had to wear their grey road uni’s for the first time this season because Arizona chose to wear their red alts. … Think Luis Sanchez really wants everyone to know whose jacket that is? (Thanks John Muir).
158 Comments so far
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#1 by John T on 05.01.08 7:22 am | Quote
Mark Prior will undergo Tommy John surgery in honor of the 66th birthday of the surgery’s namesake. It was going to happen sooner or later — call it preventative maintenance.
excellent work Mr. Redemske, keep it coming! Always like your style for a change of pace.
#2 by John T on 05.01.08 7:32 am | Quote
last nights champions league match saw Frank lampard wear an armband under his shirt for his recently departed Mother. He then showed the black armband when he scored, as he took it off to kiss and salute it. The armband was actually a captains armband turned inside out, nice gesture to see a player find a way to respect his mother without it plastered all over his shirt.
#3 by Jim on 05.01.08 7:33 am | Quote
May 24: No activities planned. The Yankees decline to participate anyway.
Favorite line……hilarious!
#4 by John T on 05.01.08 7:34 am | Quote
Did the ticker not make it? I live in Ireland and it is 12:30 here, I love the site, but would not read it at 7:00 in the morning!!
#5 by John T on 05.01.08 7:44 am | Quote
pic of Lampard taking off armband, the mgr, Avram Grant, also wore armband.
#6 by Jon on 05.01.08 8:03 am | Quote
It is a little much that a team with a ten year history like the Diamondbacks has a uniform history. Stick with a uniform for a couple years, come on.
#7 by Brian on 05.01.08 8:08 am | Quote
Can you put enough hate for the Yankees into one post? Yankees should also decline to give interviews to uniwatch because of its biased crap, how does that strike you?
#8 by ryan c #40 on 05.01.08 8:10 am | Quote
“Chelios honors former DU player Magnuson with 3″
http://www.denverpos...
#9 by LI Phil on 05.01.08 8:13 am | Quote
two things:
1: best (or maybe second best, after the man u beauty) thread ever, bry!
despite the fact that i continue to suck, you deserve props
2:
the rose goes in the front big guy
(had to)
#10 by Robert on 05.01.08 8:17 am | Quote
High quality output today. Keep up the good work.
#11 by Marc M. on 05.01.08 8:28 am | Quote
May 6: It’s Willie Mays’ 77th birthday! All players — on the Mets — will wear their caps and sunglasses like this. The clearest sunglass lenses, EVER!
#12 by LI Phil on 05.01.08 8:33 am | Quote
“red sox back to back walk off wins for the first time since two years ago against the phillies”
–steve levy, sportscenter, 4/30/08
#13 by Stuby on 05.01.08 8:52 am | Quote
Someone has got to mock-up a “Chleveland” jersey.
#14 by Roger Faso on 05.01.08 8:58 am | Quote
“The EPA says it’s the equivalent of planting 100,000 trees … but without actually planting the trees.”
The EPA doesn’t know what they’re talking about. These are the same guys that shut down the power grid and released thousands of free roaming vapors. Bunch of jerks.
#15 by Mark K on 05.01.08 9:06 am | Quote
They’re making too much out of this UCLA-USC uniform color thing. Now we have a petition? I don’t think the NCAA has even said anything against the plan, have they?
Just show up wearing those colors and the game will be played. What’s the big deal?
#16 by Adam on 05.01.08 9:12 am | Quote
I would totally invest in a Jhonny Peralta Chleveland jersey
#17 by DJ on 05.01.08 9:15 am | Quote
Just show up wearing those colors and the game will be played. What’s the big deal?
I recall reading that the offending team would receive a penalty at the start of the game. I also recall reading that Pete Carroll and Rick Neuheisel have agreed that the home team will decline the penalty each season.
#18 by Duckstyle on 05.01.08 9:17 am | Quote
How can you be a Yankees fan and not learned to live with the fact that every other fan base hates you? You should be taking that as a compliment, we hate you because you have all the money, exposure and championships. Noone’s going to fell pity for you.
Great post Bryan! I spit out a little coffee when I read the Jhonny Peralta line.
#19 by KT on 05.01.08 9:27 am | Quote
Real Salt Lake’s green shirts from last night’s game against San Jose.
#20 by Stuby on 05.01.08 9:29 am | Quote
So, to echo Mark K - what’s the big deal?
Like Peyton Manning being told he couldn’t weear the black high tops in honor of Unitas. Why the hell didn’t he wear them anyway and pay a little fine?
#21 by Anthony Verna on 05.01.08 9:29 am | Quote
I think that the team loses a timeout, also.
I can’t seem to find it online, though.
#22 by DarkAudit on 05.01.08 9:29 am | Quote
The Red Sox can also burn in hell. And take the Nutting family with you.
15 years and counting in the ‘Burgh. :(
#23 by Jeremy on 05.01.08 9:32 am | Quote
Reed Johnson used to wear his sock like this.
Last year, he switched to this.
*** Note the Uni Watch reference here.
I couldn’t find any decent pictures of him on the Cubs.
#24 by Stuby on 05.01.08 9:35 am | Quote
He’s wearing low stirrups in both of those pictures.
#25 by Rick White in Cedar Park, TX on 05.01.08 9:46 am | Quote
Bryan, that is the most excellent column ever. Anyone that has ever had a problem with your posts should read that one and forget about any allegedly ‘bad’ items you’ve done in the past. You better watch out though, that guy that used to do the columns (I think his name was Paul) may get jealous and force his way back in. :)
#26 by u2horn on 05.01.08 9:47 am | Quote
first link in the ticker is broken
#27 by Adios el-Kabong on 05.01.08 10:08 am | Quote
that’s black and GOLD on Cowher day. No Pittsburgh team wears “yellow”.
#28 by LI Phil on 05.01.08 10:14 am | Quote
you cannot tell in the first pic, but in the second pic, he’s wearing them sdrawkcab, FWIW
#29 by Nate on 05.01.08 10:15 am | Quote
kenny lofton better not have his number retired by the rangers. that honor should go to Pudge, who wore #7 long before lofton
#30 by Bobby on 05.01.08 10:15 am | Quote
I need Puals email because i have great sockage and cant find it
#31 by chance on 05.01.08 10:23 am | Quote
I think the green caps are every bit as silly as the whole soldier dress-up thing that some teams are doing, but this criticism doesn’t make sense to me:
That only makes sense if teams don’t order multiple caps for players. Many players already change their caps on a regular basis. So instead of ordering a couple dozen red caps and a couple dozen blue caps for Jimmy Rollins, the Phillies ordered a couple dozen red caps, a couple dozen blue caps and one green cap.
I don’t see that manufacturing the green caps has some unique effect on the environment, though that’s the standard criticism. There are plenty of other (better?) reasons to object to them - largely that they’re pandering, selling out the team’s identity to score cheap political points. Again, much like the camo fetish.
#32 by Eriq Jaffe on 05.01.08 10:23 am | Quote
The first link in the ticker goes to a blank .gif.
#33 by Ryan on 05.01.08 10:26 am | Quote
I was at the Yankees-Tigers game last night, and although I can’t find a picture to confirm it, Carlos Guillen appeared to outdo himself on the necklace front with, in addition to the two bouncing around under his chin, one that hung down all the way to the lettering on his jersey.
#34 by Tim Abel on 05.01.08 10:27 am | Quote
the visiting team will be penalized a time out, and so the home team will use one of their time outs at the start of the game to make it even.
#35 by Kris Fulton on 05.01.08 10:29 am | Quote
It could be called an illegal equipment violation - he wouldn’t be able to play until he had the correct equipment.
#36 by James P. on 05.01.08 10:29 am | Quote
I mentioned the Astros wearing their Road Grays early in the comments section yesterday and “Scott” asked the question right before my post if that was the first time the Astros had worn their road grays this year. I saw nothing from Patrick yesterday or the night before in the comments reguarding this.
#37 by LI Phil on 05.01.08 10:32 am | Quote
yeah…um…i guess the [sarcasm] [/sacrasm] tags are broken again
fair points, but, again, i think you missed the [sarcasm] button…the whole point of RECYCLING and/or “going green” would be to make use of some OLD caps (or better yet, just to wear their standard caps)…
nothing says ‘im doing my part for the environment’ than wearing a t-shirt or brand new cap which says ‘im doing my part for the environment’
and…about those RECs…gotta luv the bushies on that little bit…those things were created to allow polluters to ‘buy clean credits’ or some such nonsense…like the phillies instead of actually planting 100K trees…they merely BOUGHT credits which someone somewhere may use to plant said trees…not exactly environmentally conscious
that would be like me buying a six pack and paying someone else to take the cans to the recycler…maybe…
meh…maybe if the phils had made this gesture ON earth day i wouldn’t be as sardonic this fine may morning
#38 by Hama on 05.01.08 10:37 am | Quote
Nothing is as funny about names on jackets like Pascual Perez’ jacket during his time with the Expos. IIRC, he had gotten lost on the interstate on the way to a game once - after that, on the back of his jacket had Perez I-385 on the back instead of his jersey number.
#39 by Stuby on 05.01.08 10:43 am | Quote
It was in Atlanta and was I-285 (aka “The Perimeter”) which circles the city.
#40 by Mark in Shiga on 05.01.08 10:44 am | Quote
Why are caps sold by the dozen, anyway? Do the machines make then in batches of 12, or something?
You’d think that it would be easier for the clubhouse managers and accountants if they were sold in some round unit like 10 or 100.
#41 by Juan Grande on 05.01.08 10:58 am | Quote
Why are hot dogs sold in packs of 10 but hot dog buns come in packs of 8? A fine U.S. American once said “It is what it is.” That will have to suffice for the “why do hats come in twelves dilemna”
#42 by The Ol Goaler on 05.01.08 11:00 am | Quote
The Cardinals have three players rockin’ low stirrups: Brian Barton, Anthony Reyes, and Brendan Ryan.
That stripe pattern was introduced in 1924, and has been in continuous use since 1933; They’ve been worn by the “Gas House Gang” (that’s “Pepper” Martin in the cowboy hat), Hall of Famers Stan Musial, Dizzy Dean, Lou Brock, and Ozzie Smith, among others.
So much better than the pajama-pants look, don’t you think?
#43 by Elena on 05.01.08 11:00 am | Quote
I hate those so-called “green”dispensers for mustard and ketchup that a lot of stadiums have gone to instead of individual packets. They are filthy from being touched by a thousand grubby hands, don’t work half the time, and often have a unappetizing 2-cup size puddle of red or yellow underneath them.
#44 by Dan King on 05.01.08 11:00 am | Quote
as much as i hate chelsea i do have to say that seeing lampard and grant wear the armbands was awesome. also good job to liverpool, they gave lampard flowers in memory of his mom before the game. thats how a tribute should be done.
#45 by MPowers1634 on 05.01.08 11:05 am | Quote
They’re transitions!
#46 by LI Phil on 05.01.08 11:05 am | Quote
must…behave…with…teacher…away
#47 by lwiedy on 05.01.08 11:06 am |