A Moment in Time—When Teams and Fans Were Politically Colorblind

Back on September 11, 2001, the worst tragedy imaginable happened: America was attacked on several fronts by terrorists who hijacked several of our planes and weaponized them against us. The most vicious attacks came in the form of two commandeered airplanes ramming into each of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. Over 2,700 innocent lives were lost with thousands more injured, including many brave firefighters, officers, and who went above and beyond to rescue victims.

At the time, the furthest thing on the minds of Americans was normalcy. Some of the thoughts racing through people’s minds: How do we go about our daily business after suffering so much pain and anguish? For Americans—especially New Yorkers—what is a reasonable mourning period? Are we even safe from additional attacks?
In Queens, New York, subsequent to the horrific events, Shea Stadium—then the stadium of the New York Mets baseball team—became something of a central hub for firefighters, officers, volunteers, and others to recover from the rescue missions and strategize next steps. The last thing on anyone’s mind on September 12 was assembling athletes on that field to “Play Ball!” Major League Baseball postponed its schedule for one week as they deliberated on how to handle the situation with sensitivity and respect. Some people felt it was too soon for America to enjoy itself with its pastime while the wounds were so fresh. Others believed sports could be a healing, unifying factor. This was uncharted territory for everyone concerned; there really was no right or wrong answer.

On Friday September 21, Major League Baseball decided the time had come to resume the schedule, and the first post 9/11 game took place at Shea Stadium with families of those lost, as well as dignitaries, firefighters, and New York’s finest in attendance to watch the New York Mets play the Atlanta Braves. The pre-game ceremonies were solemn and touching. Tears were shed. The crowd burst into chants of “USA! USA! USA!” with waving flags and banners as if it were a heated moment during the Olympics taking place on American soil.

The game began and the proceedings settled back into the usual baseball rituals. It was just another regular game, right? But then things changed in the bottom of the eighth inning. Down by one run, Mets catcher Mike Piazza came to bat. The fans felt something in the air and the noise level rose. And then the impossible happened: The future Hall of Famer cracked a homerun and the Mets snatched the lead. The crowd erupted in a frenzy one might only experience if this had been the end of a World Series win.

But that was not all: Americans all over the country became joyous and positively giddy over Mike Piazza’s victorious game winner. People from rural and urban communities all around our nation wholeheartedly embraced the spectacle of what had happened on the baseball diamond in Queens, New York.

Did Americans in Atlanta, Cleveland, Houston, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, or Chicago care that Mike Piazza wasn’t wearing the “right color” jersey? That question can only be answered with a resound No. They cheered because America was back! People didn’t care which team you rooted for, what political party you belonged to, or which cap you wore. For one fleeting moment, the United Stated States of America was truly “united.” All because of Mike Piazza’s heroic swing.
How is it possible something as simple as the crack of a bat can bring such a diverse nation together—in spite of all of our differences? And yet, in the years since, we have sadly forgotten the lessons learned from the aftermath of 9/11 and have reverted back to rooting for our political team jerseys more than our country.
We are polarized to the extreme—and not even our shared love of America’s pastime can bring us back from the brink.