The New York Yankees held a moving pregame tribute before facing the Mets, as the city’s two Major League Baseball teams paused to honor those killed in the September 11 attacks.
The final Subway Series of the season began on the 25th anniversary of the attacks on New York City’s Twin Towers, giving the crosstown matchup added emotional significance.
Before the opening pitch at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees staged a remembrance ceremony that included a performance from Lee Greenwood.
Greenwood, 83, sang his signature hit, ‘God Bless the USA,’ a song that became closely associated with a nation mourning in the aftermath of 9/11.
The country star had previously delivered the song from home plate at the original Yankee Stadium ahead of Game 4 of the 2001 World Series, in tribute to victims and first responders. Twenty-five years later, he returned to recreate that poignant moment.
Greenwood’s performance was followed by the national anthem, delivered by internationally acclaimed opera tenor James Valenti.
Derek Jeter joined fellow Yankees legends in leading the club’s 9/11 remembrance ceremony.
Country singer Lee Greenwood performed his classic song, ‘God Bless the USA,’ before the Subway Series.
The Yankees honored the victims of the September 11 attacks on the 25th anniversary of the tragedy.
Valenti’s powerful rendition of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ left fans inside Yankee Stadium, and viewers watching from home, visibly emotional during the solemn occasion.
‘Made it through the day without tearing up till that beautiful rendition, God Bless America,’ one Mets fan account wrote in response to a clip of the performance.
‘That national anthem performed ahead of @Mets vs. @Yankees at Yankee Stadium was so beautiful. Nice job, Yankees,’ one social media user posted.
Another shared: ‘This Yankee team and these young kids should be inspired and motivated by what is taking place at Yankee stadium right now. Legends walking out on the field, Derek Jeter walking out of the dugout, and Lee Greenwood singing to open this series. God Bless our country.’
Meanwhile, others branded it ‘awesome’ and ‘incredible’ as they hailed the rendition on social media.
Before players took to the field, members of the Yankees’ 2001 team, including Derek Jeter, led the pregame tributes to the victims of the 9/11 attacks.
Jorge Posada, Paul O’Neill, Tino Martinez, Scott Brosius, Mariano Rivera and Jeter along with manager Joe Torre walked onto the field in their former pinstripe jerseys.
The pennant-winning players joined the servicemen and women, including honor guards from the NYPD, FDNY, and PAPD, who carried out the presentation of colors as a giant American flag was unfurled in the outfield.
Jorge Posada, Paul O’Neill, Tino Martinez, Scott Brosius, Mariano Rivera and Jeter along with manager Joe Torre of the 2001 Yankees team joined the commemorations
The players joined the honor guards from the NYPD, FDNY, and PAPD on the field
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Fans of the Pinstripes unfurl a banner during the 9/11 tributes at Yankee Stadium
Players from both the Mets and the Yankees wore caps honoring the city’s first responders
The ceremonial first pitches will be thrown by Brielle Saracini, and her husband, Sean McGuire. Saracini’s father, Victor, was the captain of United Flight 175, which was directed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center, where McGuire’s father, Patrick, was working on the 84th floor.
Both Saracini and McGuire were 10 years old when they lost their fathers, and the couple met two years later at Camp Better Days, which was established to provide support for children who lost a parent in the tragedy. Saracini and McGuire were married on September 9, 2017.
Just three days after her father’s passing, Saracini wrote a letter to Derek Jeter detailing her family’s deeply personal loss, explaining that her dad would want her to realize her dream of meeting him. When the letter reached Jeter, he invited her and her family to attend a game.
Earlier in the afternoon, Jeter was joined by current Yankees captain Aaron Judge and pitcher Gerrit Cole as the trio laid a commemorative wreath beside the 9/11 monument in Monument Park at the ballpark.
Even once the game got underway, the tributes continued. Both the Mets and Yankees players sported navy caps with either ‘FDNY’ embroidered in red stitching or ‘NYPD’ in yellow on the front in honor of the city’s first responders who lost and risked their lives in the heroic rescue efforts at the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001.
Austin Wells’s catching equipment for the game also featured logos and wordmarks for the New York City Fire Department.
The front of his chest protector had the acronym ‘FDNY’ on it while the sides have the logo of the fire department.
Above the acronym were the words ‘Never Forget’ while the backside had Wells’s number, 28, inside of a fireman’s cross.
Brielle Saracini, who lost her father on 9/11, hugs Jeter before throwing the first pitch
Austin Wells’s catching equipment featured logos and wordmarks for the FDNY
A special New York Yankees logo is painted on the field as part of the commemorations
His equipment manufacturer, EvoShield, revealed the gear will be auctioned off after the game and proceeds will benefit the FDNY.
It’s the second time in the history of the rivalry that the two teams will play each other on September 11 – with the last coming in 2021 on the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.
Major League Baseball also hosted pregame ceremonies throughout the country. Additionally, players, managers, coaches and umpires wore special caps with a ‘We Shall Never Forget’ side patch.
In the aftermath of those terrorist attacks 25 years ago, MLB postponed games for over a week.
The Mets played the first game in New York after the attacks on September 21, with Mike Piazza hitting a game-winning two-run home run.
The Yankees played their first home game on September 25 and then made a run to the World Series that year, losing in seven games to the Arizona Diamondbacks.