9-11 and Baseball

Baseball… America’s Pastime…

September 11th, 2001 was the second time, in my lifetime, baseball was halted due to a disaster.  The first time I had experienced the stoppage of baseball, it was when I was ten years old, and I was home alone waiting for the world series game to begin. 

I have always looked at baseball as a great means of coping and an escape from the craziness of the world.  This weekend will be no different.  We are observing the 21st anniversary of 9-11 and playing ball.  I look at this as us, the United States, not letting the terrorists win.  We are continuing the time-honored tradition of Sunday baseball and we are still honoring those who were needlessly killed on that fateful day in 2001.

Why is baseball so important?

After the events of 9-11 the country was angry and scared.  Many didn’t believe that we could recover from such an attack.  Many wanted revenge and many were just in shock.  For most of the nation, though, we just wanted to get back to normal.  Baseball was the normal we needed.  On September 17th, 2001… Vin Scully gave the most heartfelt and beautiful speech to baseball fans.  That was the first day that the Dodgers were back on the field after the attacks on our country.  Vin recently passed away, but that speech still brings tears to my eyes whenever I hear it.  I hear his conviction of how we, as a nation, can rise and tackle anything because we are great.

Baseball made this possible. 

We unified as fans with great love for the game and came together as a nation.  Even if you weren’t a Yankees fan, you rooted for them to get back on the field.  You rooted for America.  Again, baseball made this possible. 

We look to America’s Pastime as a coping mechanism again.  We united as fans in the wake of Covid.  We unite and remember as fans on the anniversary of the attacks on September 11th, 2001.  It’s what we do as Americans and as baseball fans.  We unite. 

Never Forget

The words “Never Forget” will echo around the country on Sunday.  Rightfully so.  We can never forget the events that needlessly killed so many and stopped our country from functioning fully.  We came through that disaster stronger, and we must remember that strength when pushing forward with all the craziness that is going on around us.  Enjoy your baseball, but never forget those who died and those who gave their lives defending our ability to enjoy America’s Pastime.

By Jamye Wagner