Posted by The Real B. @gametimegirl

When a number of Padres players received the word Sunday night about successful military activities against Osama bin Laden, they were inspired to do something special.

The idea to wear the club’s camouflage uniforms on Monday night — a tradition usually reserved for Sunday afternoon games — began to take hold, and when the players arrived in the clubhouse, those honorary jerseys were hanging at each locker.

Manager Bud Black said the support for the idea came directly from the players, who wanted to acknowledge the military campaign against the leader of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.

“The players came up with it,” Black said. “I’m not sure where it started. I think Chase [Headley] was one of the first guys that talked about it. It gained a lot of support over a period of time, and we said, ‘We’re gonna do it.'”

The team further acknowledged the armed forces that make up so much of San Diego’s population by offering two free tickets to active or retired members of the military.

“I think it’s a great tribute to what happened,” said Ryan Ludwick. “I think it’s a great tribute to the troops who are out here each Sunday, and what better day to bust [the jerseys] out than after what happened. I watched the President’s whole speech, and it was unbelievable. I told my wife afterward I wanted to go out in the streets and start celebrating.”

That sentiment was shared throughout the Padres’ clubhouse on Monday, where most of the televisions were tuned to news stations covering the military strike. Generally before games, those TVs show baseball from around the league, or other sporting events.

WRITTEN BY TIM POWERS/SPECIAL TO MLB.COM