For decades, David Bowie was the sharpest-dressed man around. Now, one minor league baseball is mimicking the look of the late music icon — and they’ve got the namesake to pull it off.
The Bowie Baysox, a Maryland-based Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, is hosting its second “David Bowie Tribute and 70th Birthday Celebration” this Friday (July 28), and they’ll be taking the field in some flashy threads fit for a duke.
They’ll also be changing the pronunciation of their home city, from the localized “Boo-ie” to the more familiar “Boh-ee” (for music fans, at least).
“When Bowie passed away [in January 2016] it was like, ‘Why don’t we do this?’ It was a Eureka moment and made us wonder what had taken us so long,” Baysox promotions manager Chris Rogers tells MILB’s Promo Watch. “And the huge thing with David Bowie was the many personas he took on. What better way to honor that in Minor League Baseball than with a specialty jersey?”
Promo Watch also notes that his choice for the team to take the field dressed as the icicle clowns from the “Ashes to Ashes” video was shot down by the front office. “But we wanted to make sure we were paying homage, and wanted to make sure they looked good,” he adds. “This year’s jersey design is an amalgamation of a Ziggy Stardust outfit and the Union Jack flag. There’s a lot of red in there.”
During the game, players will have specialized David Bowie walk-up music, and game action with be punctuated with various Bowie-isms. There will also be fan trivia, fireworks, and other tributes
David Bowie died in January 2016 at the age of 69 due to complications from cancer. And last July, the Bowie Baysox dressed the part with a similar look.
This year’s jerseys will be auctioned off online after the game, with proceeds benefiting the American Cancer Society.
Featured photo via MILB Promo Watch.
British Invasion Weekend is coming! Come on out to the Baysox for David Bowie Night (Friday, 7/28) and Harry Potter Night (Saturday, 7/29)!! pic.twitter.com/yWpfZXjSM1
— Bowie Baysox (@BowieBaysox) July 26, 2017