After his mother Traci was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis 20 years ago, Rumble Ponies outfielder Dario Pizzano is joining the fight to find a cure alongside Mission Stadiums 4 Multiple Sclerosis. Traci Pizzano is one of 2.3 million people worldwide living with MS, an unpredictable and often disabling disease of the central nervous system.

Despite wanting to wait for a big league platform, Pizzano was inspired after seeing actress Selma Blair walk the Oscars red carpet for the first time after her MS diagnosis.

"I started researching the next day," said Pizzano."The fact that I can do this for her, to help with something she’s been struggling with the past 20 years, it’s awesome I can start giving back for the 28 years I’ve been alive." 

MS4MS is a nonprofit dedicated to spreading MS awareness and raising money for research at Johns Hopkins by spreading orange in Major League Baseball stadiums, a dream of founder and CEO Sam Greenberg. 

"Orange is the official color of multiple sclerosis," said Greenberg. "By wearing orange in places you might not normally see orange, people ask questions and you can spread the word."

Pizzano and Greenberg met through a mutual friend, and Dario immediately took action. He began posting to social media, spreading awareness and orange to every ballpark he has been to during his time with the Rumble Ponies.

The Pizzano family is involved with spreading orange too. Dario inspired younger sister Gianna, a softball coach at Bryant University, to host an MS Awareness Game to raise money for MS4MS. 

The Rumble Ponies will be hosting an MS Awareness Game of their own on June 1. Each player will wear orange batting practice tops, orange socks, and use orange bats. Shirts will be signed and auctioned off to raise money. Tickets can be purchased online or at the ballpark.