In baseball, pink bats are limited-supply baseball bats manufactured by Louisville Slugger for use by select Major League Baseball players on Mother's Day, first introduced in 2006 in association with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization. Each year on Mother's Day, Major League Baseball authorizes the use of the specially dyed bats — temporarily suspending the regulation that restricts players to using black, brown, red, or white bats — as part of a weeklong program to benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization.
In addition to wielding the unique Sluggers, players and field-staff wear pink ribbons, pink wristbands, pink necklaces, pink bracelets, pink gloves, and pink cleats.[1][2] Bases and homeplates are tagged with the breast cancer awareness logo, and line-ups are written on a pink card lineup card. All of the specially produced memorabilia is later autographed and auctioned off on MLB.com to benefit Komen for the Cure. In its debut season, "Major League Baseball and its fans collectively raised $350,000" through the program.[3]
Origin
In March 2006, John A. Hillerich IV, President and CEO of the Louisville Slugger parent-company Hillerich & Bradsby, made a visit to the Canadian-based sports company TPS Hockey, which had produced more than 400 pink hockey sticks for players in the NHL. Players including Tie Domi, Mats Sundin, Steve Yzerman, Sidney Crosby and Ed Belfour used the special sticks during the weekend of March 17, raising more than $110,000. Hillerich later presented the idea of the Pink Bat to MLB Commissioner Bud Selig and MLB President Bob DuPuy, who "both went to bat for the pink bat".
Bill Hall, Hillenbrand, Beltran, Guzmán, Cuddyer, Teahen, Napoli hit some of the few Pink Bat home runs, while Biggio used a Pink Bat to go 2-for-4, collecting his 2,965th and 2,966th career hits (his 648th and 649th career doubles) for Houston. Griffey also hit a "pink homer", the 570th of his career to surpass Rafael Palmeiro and take sole possession of ninth place on the all-time career home runs list. And Hunter hit two Pink Bat home runs for the Twins — a three-run shot in the first inning and a two-run long ball in the eighth — and set a new career high for RBI in a game with seven.
Pitcher Mike Myers of the New York Yankees ordered a pink glove. Myers said he would ignore the rule and face a fine. Ultimately there was no issue since Myers did not appear in the game.[5][6]
2008
In its third year, the program offered pink wristbands and pink titanium necklaces made by MLB licensee Phiten.[7]Ryan Braun and Craig Monroe each hit two Pink Bat homers for the Brewers and Twins, respectively. Carlos Beltrán and Ryan Church hit back-to-back homers with the Pink Bats for the Mets. Nick Swisher of the Chicago White Sox also dyed his goatee pink in honor of his deceased grandmother Betty.
On 22 May 2008, Robert C. Pontes was arrested and "charged with aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony" after threatening his 19-year-old son Christopher and his 18-year-old friend Nicky Dinger with a pink baseball bat.[8]
Rios, Crawford, Weeks, Griffey, Damon, and Teixeira each hit "pink home runs", Pierre collected three hits; Orlando Hudson wore specially designed cleats bearing a pink Nikeswoosh and pink laces.
Additionally, Major League Baseball ran the Honorary Bat Girl contest,[9] "a campaign to recognize incredible MLB fans who are going to bat against breast cancer in their daily lives." Some of the contest winners included:
Anne Fairchild for the Arizona Diamondbacks
Cathy Greer for the Baltimore Orioles
Mary Eno for the Washington Nationals
Traci Clancy for the Cincinnati Reds
Kathy Abel for the Philadelphia Phillies
Dorothy Mucciarone for the Boston Red Sox
Mary Murphy for the Chicago White Sox
Traci Clancy for the Cincinnati Reds
Jennifer Torok for the Cleveland Indians
Reverend Kathy Bird DeYoung for the Colorado Rockies
Karissa Ma for the Houston Astros
Rebecca Hultquist for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
