#PutOutYourBats - On Thursday, cricket fans all over the world were shocked and saddened by the news that the 25-year-old Australian cricketer, Phillip Hughes, died after he was hit by a ball on the head. Ordinary fans and star players alike joined together in giving Hughes a poignant tribute on social media.
Several photographs of cricket bats leaning against front doors, stadiums and establishments flooded social media site, Twitter, with a hashtag #PutOutYourBats on Friday. The touching and moving memorial came a day after Phillip Hughes died at St. Vincent's Hospital.
Among the cricketers who joined the campaign was West Indies legend Viv Richards. The Independent UK said that Cricket Australia also paid tribute after placing 63 bats in the front windows of its Jolimont headquarters. Google Australia also joined the movement decorating its homepage with simple picture of a cricket bat.
As tributes pour in for the young Australian cricketer, Phillip Hughes, the #PutOutYourBats campaign goes viral. The Guardian reported the very first picture was posted by Paul Taylor with the trending hashtag. Eventually the poignant memorial quickly spread all over the world.
Now, not only cricket fans have spread the touching #PutOutYourBats tribute but celebrities and sports icons have united to join the impassioned campaign. The Daily Mail reported the members of the England team Stuart Broad, Matt Prior and Jonathan Bairstow, former captain Michael Vaughan, former England spinner Graeme Swann have also joined in.
Phillip Hughes, 25, never regained consciousness from a tragic head injury he sustained after a ball delivered by bowler Sean Abbott struck him in the back of the head while he was playing first-class cricket at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday afternoon.
Meanwhile, cricketing world's legendary icons, including Ian Chappell, Sachin Tendulkar, Ian Botham, Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist have paid tribute to Hughes whose guts and determination defined his all-too-brief, but remarkable career.
Aside from the poignant #PutOutYourBats tribute on social media, several other ways of memorial were taking place throughout the sporting world. At the Melbourne Cricket Ground, flags flew at half-mast while India paused to observe a minute of silence for Hughes.
Rory McIlroy, golf's top player had a black ribbon pinned to his cap at the Australian Open in Sydney. Pakistan and New Zealand called off Thursday's play in the third Test in Sharjah but when the match resumed on Friday, both observed a minute of silence and wore black armbands in tribute. IBN Live said the New Zealand players placed their bats outside the team's dressing room with their national black caps on them to join the #PutOutYourBats campaign.
Western Sydney Wanderers' fans planned a minute of applause at 63 minutes (Hughes' score when he was struck down) of Saturday's derby match against Sydney FC. And on Saturday, Australia's rugby team will wear black armbands when they play against England at Twickenham. Additionally, Tennis star Rafael Nadal and New Zealand's All Blacks rugby team were also among the diversely huge group to send their condolences after the very uncommon accident.
Although the world of cricket has lost a spectacular player, the #PutOutYourBats campaign simply showed that in times of tragedy, the world can be united and use the power of social media in spreading a great and remarkable movement.
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