Due to his scary-good skill set, which has netted numerous accolades, including the 2015 National League Most Valuable Player award, Bryce Harper has become a polarizing performer in smacking fastballs and roaming right field for the Washington Nationals. While his talent will continue to inspire disparate opinions among baseball fans, his patriotism likely will not strike out among any of them. Through this weekend’s tilts, the 24-year-old star will sport custom cleats that honor the United States Armed Forces, the second such time his Under Armour endorsement deal has found him using footwear to reflect his admiration for the country’s protectors.
The spikes will adorn the four-time All-Star’s speedy feet for six contests, with his club—the reigning National League East champion—having opened today at Nationals Park versus the Miami Marlins. The Fish and the Philadelphia Phillies, who will host their division foe Friday through Sunday, will look to keep Harper from crossing home plate in style, with dashes around the bases sure to make for vibrant experiences, as the shoes include depictions of the Bald Eagle and a Navy aircraft carrier.
The brainchild comes from Kreative Custom Kicks and Dez Customs, who last year fashioned similar footwear for Harper for Fourth of July weekend. That well-received move and this season’s deferential design are products of Harper’s 10-year deal with Under Armour, which, in December, became one of Major League Baseball’s official uniform partners and will outfit players beginning in 2020.
The slugger has spent his seven-year pro career with the Nationals, who made him the first overall pick in the 2010 draft. He has rewarded their regard by tallying 121 home runs, 334 runs batted in, 122 doubles and a .279 batting average in 657 games. The squad has also made the postseason three times in his five seasons but has not advanced past the division series. Interestingly, 2016’s team success did not include a stellar individual campaign from the undisputed face of the franchise, who batted only .243 and hit 24 home runs, significant dips from the .330 and 42 bombs that he registered in his MVP breakout year.
Perhaps the shoes, which are not the only custom item that Harper has wielded or donned to be a standout presence, will help him to lace a few more fastballs this week and to leave his footprint on what should be a tremendous year in the national pastime’s annals.
