Major League Baseball Umpires deliver 25,000th Build-A-Bear in charity’s history to a young patient at UPMC Children’s Hospital

(L to R) MLB Umpires Dan Merzel, Mark Ripperger and Dan Bellino hand off the 25,000th Build-A-Bear in the charity’s history to a child at UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh. (Photo courtesy of UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh). 

(L to R) MLB Umpires Dan Merzel, Mark Ripperger and Dan Bellino made this young patient’s day with this milestone delivery! (Photo courtesy of Jill Farrar)

Twenty years ago, Major League Baseball Umpires banded together to create UMPS CARE Charities as its official philanthropy, and although they did not realize it at the time, they created a movement of giving back among umpires at all levels.

On Thursday, May 28, the MLB Umpire crew working the Pittsburgh Pirates’ series against the Chicago Cubs, took time out from the diamond to deliver joy to children at UPMC Children’s Hospital. The visit will mark the 246th visit MLB Umpires have made to a children’s hospital since the program’s inception in 2006.

This event marks the milestone delivery of our 25,000th Build-A-Bear furry friend to a sick child in a hospital since 2006.

“This annual visit in Pittsburgh is always a big hit with the kids and caregivers at UPMC Children’s Hospital,” said UMPS CARE Charities Executive Director Jennifer Skolochenko-Platt. “It is incredible to think that what started out with a simple visit with umpires delivering 25 Build-A-Bear Workshop® furry friends to kids in one hospital back in 2006 has grown so much that we are delivering our 25,000th stuffed toy to a child in a hospital today. The MLB Umpires have been giving back for 20 years and are looking forward to doing even more for years to come.”

Special thanks to our partners at Major League Baseball Umpire Association and our UMPS CARE Charities donors for their financial and volunteer support for the Blue for Kids hospital program. Learn more at UmpsCare.com.

(The Major League Baseball Umpires not only gave this young patient Build-A-Bear No. 25,000 – they also gave him signed lineup cards from the Pittsburgh Pirates-Chicago Cubs game from the previous night. (Photo courtesy of UPMC Children’s Hospital).