MLB drops licensed gang caps

Sports blog Deuce of Davenport recently picked up a story where Major League Baseball (MLB) officially licensed ball caps with colors and symbols of gangs like the Latin Kings. As they reported from Fox News’ New York City affiliate (naturally):

"Companies involved should not profit from the promotion of gang affiliation, which leads only to gang violence," the activists, who call themselves the Coalition to Protect Our Children, said in a statement. The coalition is concerned that unsuspecting kids could buy one of the hats, wear it in the wrong turf and then be targeted for attack.
The group marched in East Harlem Thursday and pressured local shops to pull the caps from their shelves. One store operator agreed to do so.”

Despite New Era representatives claiming that “they had no idea” that the caps were being licensed, New Era and MLB agreed today to stop making the controversial headwear.

Apparently they were afraid that the following people would wear it:

• Impressionable, albeit stupid, children
• Hipsters looking past Von Dutch caps for the next fad
• Journalists angling for an easy story

(Hat tip: Deadspin).

Sources- Deuce of Davenport, MyFoxNY.com, Deadspin

Image- MyFoxNY.com (New York Yankees cap festooned with the colors and symbols of the Latin Kings gang)