Ok, it’s time for me to come clean. The secret to the Dodgers 3-game winning streak is my 2012 Stars & Stripes Dodgers hat, which I have worn to all three games – but I’m not superstitious, mind you.

Just as I had done every year for the previous four years, I bought the 2012 version of the Dodgers Stars & Stripes hat. How can I not buy one every year when a percentage of the proceeds go to the Welcome Home Veterans program.

Unlike past years which have featured all red hats, all white hats, all blue hats, and a red-trimmed white and blue hat, the 2012 version of the hat is the exact same color as the regular Dodgers hat (Dodger Blue), but the LA logo on the front and the MLB logo on the back are camo colored in honor of our military. Each year these special Stars & Stripes hats are worn by every MLB player on Memorial Day, the 4th of July, and on Patriots Day (September 11) – again, to honor our servicemen and women.

The 2012 version of the Stars & Stripes hat is the exact same color as the regular Dodgers hat, but the LA logo on the front and the MLB logo on the back are camo colored in honor of our military.

Because the Stars & Stripes hats are usually unavailable or sell out very quickly at Dodger Stadium, I always order mine on-line through MLB.com well in advance of Memorial Day. Unfortunately, I missed the ordering deadline to receive it in time for Memorial Day 2012, which fell on Monday, May 28. Naturally it arrived on Tuesday, May 29 because UPS does not deliver on Memorial Day. By the way, the Dodgers lost to the Brewers 3-2 on Memorial Day.

However, I wore the hat on the 4th of July when the Dodgers beat the Reds 4-1

I decided to wear the hat for the Labor Day weekend, even though the MLB does not do so for this holiday.

On Saturday, September 1, the Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks 2-1.

On Sunday, September 2, the Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks 5-4.

On Monday, September 3 (Labor Day), the Dodgers beat the Padres 4-3.

After A.J. Ellis’ 11th inning walk-off hit to beat the Padres 4-3 on Labor Day, and after having his jersey shredded by The Shredder, A.J. (and Steve Lyons) got soaked by an unknown “Soaker” – probably Matt Kemp. (Photo credit – John SooHoo).

You can bet your last dollar that I will be wearing it for tonight’s game, too – and for every game from here on out. In the event that (Lord forbid) the Dodgers should lose before September 11, I will discontinue wearing it until September 11, when the Dodgers will be in Arizona to take on the Diamondbacks (several friends and I will be driving over to Phoenix for that short 2-game series).

On the other hand, should the Dodgers keep on winning right on through September 11, I will continue to wear the hat until they lose – if they lose, that is. Needless to say, I hope to be wearing the hat at the 2012 World Series victory parade in Los Angeles.

Did I mention that I’m not superstitious? No sir, not me… not even a little bit. It is nothing more than a coincidence that I never step on the lines when I walk onto a baseball field, or that I never say the words “perfect game” or “no-hitter” when one is in progress, or that I wear the same hat, Dodger jersey, or clothes during a winning streak. Nope… purely a coincidence.