A Night of Baseball and Healing: Mets and Braves Unite New York After 9/11
NEW YORK — The lights of Shea Stadium burned a little brighter on September 21, 2001, as baseball returned to New York City for the first time since the September 11 terrorist attacks. The night was heavy with emotion and quiet resilience, a reminder that sports can both grieve and heal.
Before the first pitch between the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves, a hush fell over the crowd of more than 40,000. Mets reliever Rick White, wearing a navy NYPD cap in honor of the fallen first responders, walked toward Braves third baseman Chipper Jones. The two veterans shared a long, powerful embrace near home plate. Cameras flashed. Fans stood in silence. In that moment, baseball became more than a game—it was a symbol of unity.
“We weren’t just playing for wins,” White later recalled. “We were playing for a city, for the people who risked and gave their lives. That hug said more than words ever could.”
The Mets honored New York’s heroes by wearing caps representing the city’s police, fire, and emergency services. The gesture resonated throughout the stadium, where first responders and victims’ families filled the stands. Many wiped away tears as the national anthem played, the sound of trumpets echoing with both sorrow and hope.
The game itself provided drama worthy of the occasion. Atlanta struck first, but the Mets answered with determination, feeding off the energy of a city eager for a reason to cheer. When Mike Piazza launched a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning, Shea erupted in a cathartic roar that could be heard well beyond Queens. Piazza’s blast became an instant piece of baseball history, forever tied to a night when sports gave a grieving city something to celebrate.
Braves star Chipper Jones described the atmosphere as unlike anything he had experienced. “It wasn’t about Braves versus Mets,” Jones said. “It was about standing with New York. We were honored to be part of it.”
In the days after the attacks, Major League Baseball postponed games as the nation mourned. When play resumed, every ballpark carried a somber tone. But the return of baseball to New York held special significance. It signaled resilience—a city determined to move forward without forgetting the pain of its loss.
Fans who attended the game recall an overwhelming sense of solidarity. “We were strangers hugging strangers,” said longtime Mets supporter Maria Delgado. “For a few hours, we all felt connected and hopeful.”
The Mets went on to win 3–2, but the score was secondary to the collective healing that unfolded on the field and in the stands. That night remains a touchstone in New York sports history, a testament to the power of a simple game to unite a city and inspire a nation.
More than two decades later, the image of Rick White in an NYPD cap embracing Chipper Jones endures as a symbol of compassion and shared strength. Baseball returned to New York on that September night not just as entertainment, but as a bridge between heartbreak and hope.
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