Now 25 years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, some lasting images from the sports world continue to live on as memorable moments from the aftermath of the unthinkable.
For many baseball fans, the one that immediately comes to mind is New York Mets Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza’s clutch home run in the first game back at Shea Stadium — later dubbed the “healing power of a swing.”
That homer on Sept. 21, 2001 was a two-run shot in the bottom of the eighth inning that put the Mets ahead of the rival Atlanta Braves to stay as the Amazins’ won the game 3-2. The collective roar from the fans acted as a sigh of relief from what had transpired just 10 days before.
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Though there’s no denying that Piazza’s swing will continue to be a defining moment of baseball’s return, how that night started flies under the radar.
Following New York City native Marc Anthony’s rousing rendition of the national anthem, the Mets and Braves players and coaches — who had been lined up along the foul lines for the anthem — met in the center of the diamond and embraced.
Take a step back for a minute. The Mets and Braves — hated rivals, especially for us Mets fans since we could never get past the Braves in the late 1990s and early 2000s — were hugging on the field before they were about to square off in a game that had pennant-race implications.
Had the circumstances been different, true diehards might have balked at this gesture. However, even the most-spirited Braves detractors were standing in unison during the pregame ceremonies, with the Mets players and coaches wearing the iconic NYPD, FDNY, EMS, and Port Authority caps to honor the real heroes in the city.
Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Raymond Chappetto remembers exactly where he was 25 years ago. As pastor of Our Lady of the Snows, North Floral Park, he was saying 9 a.m. Mass on Sept. 11 when a man approached the altar sanctuary right after Holy Communion to inform the now-bishop that there had been a plane crash. Bishop Chappetto led the congregation in a special prayer before the final blessing — not knowing the true magnitude of what was about to unfold that day. When he got back to the rectory and turned on the television, he saw the devastation.
As an avid baseball and Mets fan, Bishop Chappetto recognized what it meant for the city to have baseball back following the attacks. Rivalries were cast aside as anyone — including members of an opposing baseball team — lent some much-needed emotional support to a city grieving.
“People had their minds and their hearts in other places, but when baseball came back, it gave us an uplift because baseball is the national pastime; it’s as American as apple pie and motherhood,” the bishop said. “The spirit of the game took over and brought people together.
“Baseball was a gift to America once again, and it had a magical effect.”
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Recalling how the Braves and Mets embraced before that game, Bishop Chappetto said the gesture served as an acknowledgement of humanity, brotherhood, and oneness in a time of tragedy. As much as there was a game about to be played on the field, the Braves saw the heartache the city had endured during the catastrophe and thus offered a warm embrace.
“We have to remember that baseball players are human too,” Bishop Chappetto said. “They have emotions too. You could not help but be affected by what happened, no matter what team you were on. Before you’re a baseball player, you’re a human being.”
As important as it was for the ballplayers to stay strong that night, the return of baseball shone a light on the life-saving efforts of the firefighters, police officers, emergency first responders, and volunteers who ran toward the danger to help others run away safely.
Though Piazza is coined as a hero for his memorable swing, let’s put it into the simplest terms possible: A man hit a round object made of cowhide and red stitching over a padded wall 400-feet away. In the grand scheme of things, does it really matter? It’s just a game.
Sure, the swing took on a greater meaning, and that’s because of the tireless dedication of the heroes at ground zero. These folks never received the front-page headlines; they were just doing their jobs.
Yet, the return of baseball — with the pregame embrace right up there with the healing power of a swing — was able to further amplify the sacrifice of the heroes who we will never forget, not even 25 years later.