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06/15/2007 11:01 AM ET
Major League Baseball teams up with Gillette, Prostate Cancer Foundation to promote cancer awareness
League-wide "6th inning stretch" increases awareness that 1 in 6 American men develop prostate cancer
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Major League Baseball is teaming up with Gillette and the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) to
increase awareness and early detection of prostate cancer this Father's Day. In an effort to emphasize
the impact of a disease that strikes 1 out of every 6 American men, all Major League Baseball games
played on Sunday, June 17, will celebrate a "6th th Inning Stretch" in addition to the customary 7 inning
stretch. The "6th Inning Stretch" will include the singing of "Take Me Out To the Ballgame," as well as a
Public Service Announcement that urges fans to know the risks and talk to their doctors about prostate
cancer.
MLB will take a number of steps to recognize those whose lives have been
affected by prostate cancer and communicate invaluable health information to those
at risk of developing the disease. On-field personnel including players, managers,
coaches, trainers, umpires and groundskeepers, will wear blue wristbands, blue eye
glare, temporary blue ribbon tattoos and blue ribbon uniform decals symbolizing
prostate cancer awareness. The blue ribbon logo will also appear on the bases,
commemorative home plates and the official dugout lineup cards. Game-used bases,
team-autographed commemorative home plates and lineup cards from each ballpark
will be auctioned off at a later date to raise additional funds for PCF.
"This Father's Day, Major League Baseball will once again focus its efforts on increasing awareness
about prostate cancer," said Tim Brosnan, Executive Vice President, Business, Major League Baseball.
"With the support of Gillette and the Prostate Cancer Foundation, we are in a unique position to be able
to communicate to our fans how prevalent a disease prostate cancer has become and the importance of
early detection."
One of the key components of the Father's Day initiative is the "Home Run Challenge," a program
supported by all 30 Clubs and its players. Now in its 11th year, fans will be able to make monetary
donations at www.prostatecancerfoundation.org for each home run hit during 60 select MLB games
ranging from June 6 - June 17, including all games played on Father's Day. Major League Baseball
Charities has committed $50,000 to the PCF as part of the "Home Run Challenge" program.
Each Major League Club has at least one player representative who is publicly supporting the "Home
Run Challenge." Since its inception, this initiative has raised more than $27.5 million toward prostate
cancer research. All money raised through the "Home Run Challenge" goes directly toward prostate
cancer research.
MLB support for the Father's Day program presented by Gillette will also include scoreboard and PA
announcements featuring Hall of Fame shortstop, Ozzie Smith, electronic video insertions (EVI) behind
home plate as well as editorial content on MLB.com, the official Web site of Major League Baseball,
featuring Major League Baseball players and their fathers. Major League Baseball will run a full-page ad
in USA Today in honor of Father's Day and to promote prostate cancer awareness.
Fans wishing to learn more can receive information cards about prostate cancer awareness by visiting
the guest services area at each ballpark.
Major League Baseball Health Initiatives
The Father's Day prostate cancer initiative is one of several health initiatives supported by Major League
Baseball. Other projects include: Susan G. Komen for the Cure, working to educate women about breast
cancer and recognized on Mother's Day and Play Smart When it Comes to the Sun, a league-wide,
season-long skin cancer awareness program in conjunction with the Major League Baseball Players
Association and the American Academy of Dermatology.
The Prostate Cancer Foundation
The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is a non-profit public charity dedicated to finding better treatments
and a cure for recurrent prostate cancer. Founded in 1993, the PCF rapidly identifies and funds promising
prostate cancer research, attracts leading scientists to the field, raises public awareness and fosters
collaboration among physicians and scientists working toward a cure for prostate cancer. The PCF is the
world's largest philanthropic source of support for prostate cancer research.
Gillette
Gillette's partnership with Major League Baseball continues the proud history of sports marketing that
dates back to 1910, when Gillette featured baseball greats like Honus Wagner in ads for the original
Gillette Safety Razor. By the 1930s, Gillette was sponsoring sports on the radio - first boxing in 1935,
followed by exclusive broadcasts of the World Series in 1939. Since then, Gillette has maintained a close
relationship with Major League Baseball, while also sponsoring World Cup soccer, NCAA basketball, NCAA
football, NASCAR, the PGA TOUR, Champions TOUR, LPGA TOUR and the National Hockey League. In
2002, Gillette became the exclusive naming rights sponsor to the home stadium and sports complex of
the New England Patriots of the National Football League and the New England Revolution of Major
League Soccer. Under the terms of the agreement, "Gillette Stadium" became the exclusive name of the
68,000-seat, state-of-the-art open-air facility in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
About P&G
Three billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one
of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers(R), Tide(R), Ariel(R),
Always(R), Whisper(R), Pantene(R), Mach3(R). Bounty(R), Dawn(R), Pringles(R), Folgers(R), Charmin(R),
Downy(R), Lenor(R), Iams(R), Crest(R), Oral-B(R), Actonel(R), Duracell(R), Olay(R), Head &
Shoulders(R), Wella, Gillette(R), and Braun. The P&G community consists of almost 140,000 employees
working in over 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth
information about P&G and its brands.
2007 Clubs With Father's Day Home Games
Baltimore Orioles
Boston Red Sox
Chicago Cubs
Cincinnati Reds
Cleveland Indians
Colorado Rockies
Houston Astros
Kansas City Royals
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Los Angeles Dodgers
Minnesota Twins
New York Yankees
Oakland Athletics
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates
Toronto Blue Jays
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