The New York Yankees and New York Mets met at Yankee Stadium on Friday to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, giving fans a chance to remember and pay tribute to all those affected. Both teams took the field sporting first responder caps, honoring the FDNY and NYPD.
Yankees Legends Honor the Day
Earlier in the day, Yankees manager Aaron Boone, alongside Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole, laid a wreath beside a plaque in Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park, a solemn tribute to the victims and heroes of 9/11. The stadium then welcomed back members of the 2001 team that advanced to the World Series. Manager Joe Torre led the charge, followed by key team leaders Jorge Posada and Paul O’Neill. Tino Martinez and Scott Brosius, who famously hit home runs in that World Series, also joined their teammates. The absolute legends, Hall of Famers Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera, then emerged to the pitching mound with the other five.
The pregame ceremonies hit deep. Lee Greenwood reprised his performance of “God Bless the U.S.A.”, a song he sang before Game 4 of that 2001 World Series, bringing it back 25 years later. It was a powerful callback, showing just how much time has passed and yet how strong the bonds remain for those who lost loved ones.
A Connection Forged Through Tragedy
The most moving part? The introduction of Brielle Saracini. Her father, Victor, was the pilot of one of the planes that struck the World Trade Center. It was revealed that Saracini had written a letter to Derek Jeter years ago, and he had invited her family to attend a Yankees game and meet the team. Joining her on the field for the ceremonial first pitch before Friday’s game was her husband, Sean McGuire. He also lost his father, who was working on the 84th floor of the South Tower. They met at Camp Better Days, a camp created specifically to support children who lost parents on 9/11, and later married in 2017. With the seven Yankees luminaries standing right behind the pitching mound, Saracini and McGuire threw the first pitch, which current Yankees Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt received. The pregame wrapped up with opera tenor James Valenti performing the National Anthem as a giant American flag, unfurled by longtime Yankees season ticket holders, covered center field.
Before the festivities, Saracini and Jeter spoke to reporters, sharing their memories. Saracini recalled Jeter’s easygoing nature even in such a difficult time: “Thinking back to that day, I remember… you came up, sat next to me and immediately started teasing me about my hat.” She remembered him saying, “He’s like, ‘We can’t get her a new hat; this one’s too iconic.’” She added, “I remember just talking about anything and everything, anything that came through my mind that day… And you just made it so comfortable. I remember just feeling normal for a day, which was hard to do.”
A City Remembers
The ceremony was complete with the Port Authority honor guard, NYPD ceremonial unit, and FDNY ceremonial unit, all standing at the edge of the infield, presenting colors. FDNY Lieutenant William Arce was set to sing “God Bless America” during the seventh inning. It was a day designed to honor, to remember, and to show that the spirit of New York, even 25 years on, is still incredibly strong. This wasn’t just about baseball, it was about a community coming together, once again.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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