In a Major League Baseball first, players Derek Jeter, David Eckstein and Marcus Giles are among dozens of players who will be swinging Louisville Slugger baby pink baseball bats to honor mothers on Mother's Day and to raise money for breast cancer charity. In addition, the bats, home plates, and lineup cards will be autographed by the teams and auctioned off, with proceeds going to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. More than 400 of the limited edition baseball bats are being dyed at the Louisville Slugger factory for 50-plus players. David Ortiz, Jim Edmonds, Mark Teixeira, Michael Young and Hank Blalock have requested a baby pink baseball bat for the Sunday games.

"It takes a big man to swing a pink bat in a major league game," remarked Howard Smith, senior vice president for licensing for MLB. Commissioner Bud Selig and other executives all support the baby pink bat idea. Some of the players are requesting that their mother's name be burned into the bats.

Thanks to Jacki Donaldson! for the tip!
Photo credit: Brian Bohannon / Associated Press