Fanatics, MLB partner to use baseball uniforms to make coronavirus masks, gowns

Bret Gibson
Thursday, March 26, 2020 7:59 p.m. | Thursday, March 26, 2020 7:59 p.m.

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AP

This image provided by Fanatics, shows a model wearing a protective mask and gown for medical professionals made from the fabric of a baseball uniform.

AP

Police tape blocks an entrance to Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team, Tuesday in Philadelphia.

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A grounds crew worker cuts the infield in front of empty seats Thursday at T-Mobile Park in Seattle around the time when the first pitch would have been thrown in the Mariners’ Opening Day baseball game against the visiting Texas Rangers.

Major League Baseball and sports apparel maker Fanatics are combining efforts to produce hospital gowns and protective masks out of the material used to make uniforms.

The top provider of MLB hats, jerseys and other merchandise has converted its Easton factory to produce the protective gear for health care professionals fighting the coronavirus pandemic, which are in short supply. They will be created with the official fabric that Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees players wear.

We’re proud to partner with @MLB to support emergency personnel who are fighting against COVID-19 and face a need for masks and hospital gowns. We're utilizing our manufacturing plant in Easton, PA to make masks and gowns out of the same jersey fabric that the players wear pic.twitter.com/5jEg1B2iUa

— Fanatics (@Fanatics) March 26, 2020

“We’ve got a million yards of fabric that we make these baseball uniforms from, what would you think if we take that fabric and make masks and gowns,” Rubin told The Associated Press. “He immediately said, ‘Great. I want to do it immediately. The most important thing is we’ve got to help the heroes on the front line and baseball can help play a role in it.’”

Michael Rubin, executive director of Fanatics, discussed the idea with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred last week.

Rubin added that Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and Attorney General Josh Shapiro asked for help to get gowns and masks for workers in the commonwealth.

(Thread):

Woke up in the middle of the night last week with idea of converting our @Fanatics factory in PA that makes official @MLB jerseys into a facility that makes much needed masks and gowns and then donating them to help fight this horrendous virus. pic.twitter.com/r6FAxUdlgH

— Michael Rubin (@MichaelGRubin) March 26, 2020

Rubin said the company has focused only on the masks and gowns so they could be distributed across the state. Eventually, Fanatics will then extend shipping to New York and New Jersey.

“We have already begun production of up to one million masks and gowns from the fabric used to make the official MLB jerseys and then donating to hospitals and emergency management personnel throughout Pennsylvania with the goal of expanding to New York and New Jersey,” Rubin said in a statement.

Couldn’t be prouder of our game right now. #RobManfred & @MichaelGRubin have stepped up to the plate. @MLB & @Fanatics have halted the production of MLB player jerseys & are using that same jersey fabric to produce masks & hospital gowns to help frontline emergency personnel. pic.twitter.com/4tOkTNmqz1

— Alex Rodriguez (@AROD) March 26, 2020