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The Oklahoma City Dodgers Triple-A baseball club has joined 32 other minor league franchises in a special effort to honor their many Hispanic fans.

“Cielo Azul,” translated “Blue Sky,” is the new alternate name of the team.

Dodgers players will wear special uniforms with the alternate name at two home series, a total of eight games, during the regular season. They will use the same alternate name for one away game.

The eight home games will feature a special theme, “¡Celebración Cielo Azul!” at the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

The club has a multi-cultural appeal in Oklahoma City. Last season Free Press visited with fans at the opening home game.

The two home series will feature the visiting teams’ alternate names, too.

• May 31 – June 3 vs. Omaha Cazadores de Tormentas

• July 27 – July 30 vs. El Paso Chihuahuas

It is a part of the league’s new outreach emphasis. In a news release, the OKC club explained the purpose.

Among the goals of the “Es Divertido Ser Un Fan” campaign are celebrating each community’s multi-cultural fans and creating a culturally relevant gameday experience through music, concessions and promotions.

Reveal

Tuesday the team revealed their new alternate uniform on the south side at the Supermercados Morelos at 1 SE 59th Street in Oklahoma City.

A number of children were present to play games and see the new uniform as well as see the mascots, Brix and Brooklyn.

Cynthia Salas had her face painted before talking with Juan Puente, a pitcher for Mid-American College who was modeling the new uniform. She was eager to pose with him.

“I love the new uniform!” Cynthia said. She came with her family to the event because they are fans of the team and baseball.

Alex Freedman with the Dodgers said they had to get a player from Mid-American to wear the uniform because all of their players are at spring training in another state as they prepare for the upcoming season.

“The concept started with the idea of creating a brand that celebrated the richness and depth of Hispanic and Latino culture in the United States,” said Freedman.

“It’s linked to the team’s identity as the Dodgers and connected with our home state of Oklahoma.”