After the attacks on the WTC life and world as we knew it literally stopped in its tracks. No one really knew what was going on or what to do. Were we at war? The answer was yes but people couldn't really grasp why. The attacks for us citizens, seemingly came out of nowhere and the biggest question that no one had answers to was "why?"
All events stopped in the days after 9/11 including the baseball season. With teams in the heat of pennant races, the MLB postponed games held in the following days as a precautionary measure. With baseball halted, it was symbolic of life being put on hold. Even those who aren't fans of the sport will admit that baseball has been a constant in America since the 1800s and it has been a staple of most of our lives come October. Fan or not, everybody will tune in for the playoffs if their team makes it. So for America's pastime to be stopped certainly meant something.
The ensuing days after 9/11 brought about so many emotions and a great sense of fear. Safety precautions were made and heightened but that did not stop the images of two planes crashing into New York's famed landmarks from flooding people's minds. It was not easy to forget and as the wreckage was cleared, more and people were found dead buried beneath the rubble each day.
Now, I don't want to say baseball single-handedly brought America out of this state of fear and unknowing but I like to think it had a big part in it. When baseball resumed playing games especially in New York with the Mets and Yankees, it was a symbol that American life was resuming. We will never be able to go back to life pre 9/11 because of all of the security upgrades but people's own personal lives would and have gone back to normal. Baseball going back was like America getting its distraction and its secutiry blanket back. It represented the feeling that life would be okay again. Not to mention the world series and pennant races definitely took some of that fear and sadness and turned it to happiness.
I hate to give credit to any New York team for anything but after 9/11, the Mets got it right. At the time their first baseman had traded his Mets cap with a NY firefighters cap to wear. MLB told him he couldn't wear it on the field so he wore it in the dugout instead. As the season continued, more and more of the Mets players acquired firefighter, police and EMS hats and began to wear them during games. Once again MLB told them they could only wear them during the welcome back ceremonies at the first resumed game at what was then Shea Stadium. The players did that but then for the game did not take them off. The first baseman even told MLB officials that if they wanted the players to take the hats off they would have to come down to the field and rip them off of their heads. The Mets players banded together as a team and for the rest of the 2001 season wore the hats on the field and during games without another word or penalty from the MLB.
Obviously Major League Baseball would have been idiotic to fine the players for wearing the hats and would have faced media criticism that could have been enough to kill the administration at the time. It was a threat that the players anticipated and that to the absolute joy of New York fans showed honor and respect for the lives lost.
This year, the tenth anniversary all of the NFL teams had celebrations. Wearing special 9/11 remembrance pins on helmets and jerseys, the players on all teams playing took to the field along with police, fire and military officers to display giant flags across the entire field of play. This took place at every stadium on Sunday and was a wonderful way to remember the lives lost. The flag was displayed during the singing of God Bless America and it symbolically kicked off the Sunday games of the NFL season.
The Jets, playing at the Meadowlands also had additional special ceremonies presented in front of the New York hometown fans. Tons of armed forces and service personal were invited and represented at these games and at the Mets game too which was played at Citi Field and which saw players wearing fire and police caps in the dugout. Unfortunately the same sort of feeling was not there and players were forbidden by Commissioner Selig from wearing the caps on the field. Despite all of this the opening and somber ceremonies were certainly something to be commended.
Maybe it is wrong, but I wish just one player would have defied those rules. It would have meant so much to the city which continues to reel from the events of 9.11.01 each and every day. At the very least MLB should have let all of the teams wear the special stars and stripes caps. Where I give credit to the Mets all I can do is shake my head at the MLB Commissioner. In the nicest way I can say possible, they did not handle this one the way they should have.
God Bless America and God Bless all of you!
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