Major League Baseball

Major League Mission

Updated Jul. 17, 2020 8:10 p.m. ET

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With the NBA, NHL, NASCAR and other major sports leagues and sporting events suspended or canceled, professional athletes are using their platforms to facilitate financial support for arena workers and those affected by COVID-19 across the nation. Each day, we will feature a philanthropic effort taking place in the sports world.

Michael Rubin is co-owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils, as well as the executive chairman for Fanatics, MLB's official jersey manufacturer.

In other words, Rubin is familiar with sports uniforms.

So when he had an idea to put that uniform knowledge to good use, things got into motion pretty quickly...

...especially when Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf and Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro were all in.

Now, as of Thursday, Rubin's plan has taken flight, and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is all aboard. 

According to MLB.com, Fanatics has immediately put a stop to all jersey manufacturing:

Fanatics has halted jersey assembly, instead using its 360,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Easton, Pa., to create up to 1 million masks and gowns, with plans to produce these items as long as the need exists. The distribution of the equipment has begun throughout the state of Pennsylvania and will extend across New Jersey and New York, which has become the epicenter of the pandemic in the United States.

Thursday was supposed to represent Opening Day of the 2020 MLB season. Instead, it represented a moment for Major League Baseball to turn its attention to the greatest task at hand.

Shapiro also thanked Rubin and Manfred for their efforts to support the state of Pennsylvania and beyond.

While Rubin sent his regards to the factory workers who are now playing their part in helping fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

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