OAKLAND -- The A's traded in their green and gold threads for some baby blues on Saturday against the Yankees, as MLB promotes prostate cancer awareness on Father's Day weekend. In a growing initiative, teams around the league donned blue jerseys, caps and gear that will eventually be sold or auctioned to benefit Prostate Cancer Foundation and Stand Up To Cancer.
"It's great," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "Baseball's been really good, probably the last four or five years, of not only giving it a day but giving it a weekend for the awareness. It sinks in a little bit more, I think. I applaud it."
All 30 clubs around the league are decked out in blue this weekend. Since 1996, players and on-field personnel have been wearing blue ribbons and wristbands to promote prostate cancer awareness, but this marks the second season teams have worn specially designed uniforms. Sunday's contests also feature blue-stitched game balls from Rawlings.
The Prostate Cancer Foundation has raised more than $700 million since its inception. Clubs have raised more than $3 million for PCF since June 1 as part of the Home Run Challenge, which gives fans a chance to make a one-time donation or pledge for every home run hit by their favorite team until Father's Day on Sunday.