The Atlanta Braves will open SunTrust Park Friday wearing newly designed batting helmets that will feature a carbon-fiber pattern.
According to ESPN, the Braves' helmet change for the opening games of the new stadium was spurred by equipment manager Ben Acree:
The special helmets are the brainchild of Braves equipment manager Ben Acree, who got the idea after several Atlanta players and coaches visited the United States Naval Academy's football program last year. "The guys came back from the trip talking about some of the special helmets they saw, which Navy had worn against Army a few years back," said Acree. "That got me thinking about whether we could do something like that, so I kind of did a deep dive on college football helmets. I saw what teams have been wearing the past few years and started to explore what it would be possible for us to do."
The Braves will be the first Major League Baseball team to wear the helmets, made using hydro dipping -- a process that applies printed graphic patterns to three-dimensional surfaces. The Oregon Ducks use this to create their many looks on the college football field.
The helmets also feature a three-dimensional helmet logo of the famed Atlanta “A,” instead of a conventional decal.
The Braves will wear the batting helmets Friday and Saturday against the San Diego Padres before offering them up to fans via auction.
