SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego Padres today unveiled a new navy digital camouflage jersey modeled after U.S. Navy uniforms. Continuing a longstanding tradition in San Diego, these uniforms will be worn for Sunday home games, which honor the military.
The full Sunday uniforms were debuted by Padres Manager Andy Green, Padres outfielder Wil Myers and Padres pitcher James Shields during a press conference this afternoon on the flight deck of the USS Theodore Roosevelt. Also in attendance were Padres President & CEO Mike Dee, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, Capt. Craig Clapperton, Commanding Officer of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, and 50 sailors from the USS Theodore Roosevelt.
The Padres worked directly with the U.S. Navy to receive permission to use its official blue camouflage digital pattern. The four-color (deck gray, haze gray, black and Navy blue) design is modeled after the Navy Working Uniform Type 1, which sailors affectionately refer to as their "blueberries." The Chief of Naval Operations officially authorized the blue camouflage uniforms to be worn by active duty sailors in August 2011. The jersey features the updated Padres wordmark across the chest and an American flag patch on the left sleeve. The Padres will wear gray pants at home on Sundays to match the lighter gray in the digital pattern. The look will be topped off with the traditional Padres blue hat with a white "SD".
The Marine digital camouflage jerseys Padres players have worn during Military Sundays since 2011 will be worn twice during the 2016 season -- on U.S. Marine Corps Appreciation Day and on U.S. Army Appreciation Day. It will be updated with the new Padres wordmark. Moving forward, the Marine and Navy digital camouflage jerseys both will remain in the Sunday jersey rotation, alternating each year which will be worn most often.
Padres players have worn camouflage jerseys in honor of the military for the past 16 seasons. The club first introduced a camouflage design representing the Army (woodland design) in 2000. In 2006, the design was updated to represent Navy SEALs (desert camouflage, worn from 2006-10). The current digitally produced MARPAT (Marine pattern) jersey has been worn for the past five seasons.
When replicas of the new Navy digital camouflage jerseys become available in the Padres Majestic Team Store, a portion of each sale will go back to the U.S. Navy.
