Team USA arrived at its World Baseball Classic championship matchup with Venezuela representing another American squad that has had recent success in international competition — Team USA hockey.
The players arrived at LoanDepot Park in Miami sporting a distinct matching look: game-worn USA men’s hockey sweaters from this most recent Winter Olympics.
Behind the Jersey Choice
According to Fanatics, which provided the jerseys through its memorabilia arm, the look was coordinated through a behind-the-scenes connection between Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and New Jersey Devils centre Jack Hughes, both Fanatics partners and members of their respective Team USA squads.
Fanatics’ memorabilia arm is fortuitously located about 20 miles from LoanDepot Park, and the jerseys were delivered directly to Team USA’s hotel.
Road to the Championship
Team USA enters Tuesday’s championship on the back of a dramatic semifinal win over the Dominican Republic in which a pair of fourth-inning home runs from Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony proved enough for a 2-1 final.
Hughes’ goal was the difference in the Americans’ overtime win over Canada in the gold medal game.