To honor the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the baseball community gathered in The Bronx as the Yankees hosted the Mets to commence the Subway Series. Seven members of the legendary 2001 Yankees squad, which made a memorable run to the World Series, attended the commemorative ceremonies.
“It is hard to believe it has been 25 years,” Derek Jeter reflected. “It changed the world forever.” Joined by fellow Hall of Famers Joe Torre and Mariano Rivera, along with Jorge Posada, Paul O’Neill, Tino Martinez, and Scott Brosius, the Yankees commemorated both the anniversary and the aftermath of the attacks. Following the national anthem, a resounding “U-S-A” chant erupted from the crowd, prompting manager Aaron Boone to describe the evening as “huge.”
“We understand the weight of today,” the Yankees manager stated before the game. “The 25th anniversary, two New York teams playing. It feels like an honor to take the field. There will be a lot of different emotions tonight. We do not take it lightly.”
Cody Bellinger likely holds a deeper connection to the anniversary than many of his contemporaries.
His father, Clay, was on the 2001 Yankee roster, making Bellinger just six years old and living in Connecticut when the attacks occurred. Clay Bellinger was among the players from both the Yankees and the Mets who visited Ground Zero in the attacks’ aftermath. He later became a firefighter in Gilbert, Arizona, where he still serves.
Manager Boone addressed the team regarding the significance of Friday’s ceremonies. “We talked about it today, and especially here, there will be many people with a personal connection to it,” Bellinger said. “It is a special moment to be here for this. It is one of those things that is bigger than the game. We know it is a pretty big game, but there will be more important things happening here tonight.” The ceremony also included first pitches thrown by Brielle Saracini and Sean McGuire.
The married couple, who both lost their fathers on 9/11, met as children at Camp Better Days, an organization established to support children who lost loved ones. Saracini was greeted by Jeter, whom she originally met shortly after the tragedy when she sent him a letter detailing her family’s loss. Jeter invited Saracini to the stadium later that month, and the two have maintained a strong bond over the past 25 years.
“I just remember feeling normal for a day and feeling like a kid again,” Saracini recalled of their initial meeting.
As players and coaches reflected on the role sports played in the nation’s recovery, Saracini agreed it was vital. “I cannot imagine a scenario where they were not being played,” she said. “It meant so much to so many people and gave us something to cheer about. It was exactly what the country needed and what the country united around.”
