It was a complete sign of unity and support for the inaugural Paint The Park Pink, organized by the Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association's (CMSA's) Summer Women's 11-inch Softball League.
At least one player from all 52 teams playing at the Waveland Fields June 5 sported some pink on their uniform or body in support of breast-cancer awareness. Event organizers said that 40 percent of the teams were completely decked out in pink for the day, regardless of what their team's traditional color scheme is.
We're talking pink hats, shirts, shoe laces, boas, skirts, Superman-esque capes, bandanas and more.
"It was incredible, unbelievable," said Elizabeth Wackerlin, 27, who lives in Bronzeville, plays for the Halsted's B-Division team and was one of the event's organizers. "When I pulled into the park, all I could see on all four fields was pink. It was a great feeling, a great sight."
The event was held the same weekend as the annual Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk For The Cure, and done in partnership with the Howard Brown Lesbian Community Cancer Project (LCCP).
There were banners hung at all four field declaring it, "Breast Cancer Awareness Day" and prizes were awarded to the best-dressed 'pink out' winners, including a team's fee for the 2012 season.
"It was a great event and will only get bigger and better next year," said Jennifer Howard, 39, a Rogers Park resident and one of the event's organizers. "It was an emotional day, an emotional weekend for many. I personally heard from five women [in the league] today who said they are breast cancer survivors. That really tells me that we're doing the right thing."
The winning team for the PINK-OFF Contest was Spin. "Playing a double-header, the Spin team showed up decked out in pink feather boas, breast cancer ribbon socks, pink T-shirts and a whole lot of attitude," organizers said.