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MLB, World Vision to donate unused gear

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By Tim Britton / MLB.com

11/04/09 3:01 PM EST

NEW YORK -- The team that loses the World Series may win some new fans abroad.

With the Series down to its final days and the outcome still undecided, championship merchandise has already been manufactured for both the Phillies and the Yankees. While the winning team and its fans will proudly sport champion T-shirts, the losing team's apparel will be sent to Indonesia to aid in the nation's recovery from a September earthquake.

Major League Baseball is teaming with World Vision, a humanitarian organization, to include the clothing in a shipment of supplies headed to Indonesia late this week.

"Baseball is a social institution with important social responsibilities, and this is a tremendous opportunity for Major League Baseball to make an impact on the lives of those in need around the world," Commissioner Bud Selig said. "We are pleased to work with World Vision, which brings 60 years of experience successfully assisting millions of people around the world."

It's a win/win scenario, since Major League Baseball has to prematurely produce inventory preparing for either outcome. Only half of that merchandise can be sold, and World Vision helps donate the other half to those in need. The two organizations already teamed together to ship 1,300 articles of clothing commemorating pennants for the Angels and Dodgers to developing countries.

Tim Britton is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.