“It sounds silly to say, but I think I was just literally looking at a baseball,” said Keri Zierler, the creative director of the Seattle Mariners, when asked what inspired the team’s new LGBTQ+ tradition. “I was fiddling with it as I was thinking, and I just imagined the red stitches as a rainbow. I thought of how powerful that could be as a symbol.”
The Pride Ball, thrown as part of a ceremonial first pitch on June 4 at T-Mobile Park, represents the culmination of a yearslong passion project for Zierler. She pitched the idea, pushed it through countless conversations and meetings, and even painted the colorful thread herself, since there were no off-the-shelf ones that matched what she was looking for.
Every Major League ball is stitched by hand, so in order to create a unique-looking baseball that met the standards of an average athlete, Zierler chose to collaborate with local craftsman Jerry Thornton, whose embroidery company STT Sports creates jerseys for the Seahawks, Mariners, and Huskies.
“Thornton had never stitched a ball before, but he was up to the challenge when I brought this concept to him” said Zierler. “He said, ‘…Let’s figure it out together.’ He learned how to stitch a baseball just for this project, so those were his hands doing it when we captured that process.”
In the video introducing the Pride Ball to the world, we watch as Thornton carefully embroiders an existing ball with Zierler’s rainbow thread. As he goes through his process, a script written by Zierler flashes across the screen, as she reflects on MLB’s journey toward genuine inclusivity, speaking from a place of pragmatism and honesty.
“From LGBTQ+ players in the minor leagues and LGBTQ+ executives in the front offices, to every Pride night and parade crew, every action pulls our communities closer together,” it says. “That’s more important than ever, because there is work to do. We’ve yet to see an out LGBTQ+ player on a big league roster, but that day will come, and when everyone can be who they are and love who they love, out loud, everyone wins.”
Before starting her marketing career, Zierler grew up traveling between Seattle and Vancouver. She’s a genuine product of the Pacific Northwest, so she’s fully aware of how uniquely progressive her region can be compared to the rest of the country.
Mariners fans don’t just come from within our city limits. They’re from all over Washington and beyond, in places that aren’t always as accepting as Seattle. Doing right by those fans, to make them feel recognized and respected by the team they love, was top of mind for Zierler while writing.
“I know I’m putting something into the world that’s really personal to me, through the platform of the Mariners,” said Zierler. “I had to say something that would make an impact on me, if I were a fan.”
This desire — to have the Pride Ball make a meaningful connection with as many fans as it can — also inspired collaboration with other teams. The ball will go on a nationwide tour, visiting the Kansas City Royals, San Francisco Giants, Tampa Bay Rays, and Baltimore Orioles before finally returning home.
“The ball itself is this symbol of representation and community, so as we ship it between ballparks, it gains more meaning with every place that it goes,” said Zierler. “Since we’re talking about baseball as a sport, not just Seattle, why not give other folks the opportunity to share this message? We’re all in this together, and we’re stronger together than we are individually.”
Support the Seattle Gay News: Celebrate 51 Years with Us!
As the third-oldest LGBTQIA+ newspaper in the United States, the Seattle Gay News (SGN) has been a vital independent source of news and entertainment for Seattle and the Pacific Northwest since 1974.
As we celebrate our 51st year, we need your support to continue our mission.
A monthly contribution will ensure that SGN remains a beacon of truth and a virtual gathering place for community dialogue.
Help us keep printing and providing a platform for LGBTQIA+ voices.
How you can donate!
Using this link: givebutter.com/6lZnDB
Text “SGN” to 53-555
Or Scan the QR code below!
