New York Yankees to play New York Mets on 20th anniversary of 9/11
The Yankees and Mets will face off in New York on September 11, 2021.
The New York Yankees and New York Mets will play each other at Citi Field on Sept. 11, 2021, the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, according to Newsday’s Tim Healey.
The announcement comes just two days before the 2021 MLB schedule is slated to be released, and the matchup is historic. According to Healey, the two teams have never played each other on September 11, and after New York leaned on the two teams throughout its healing process, the game is sure to be emotional.
New: The Mets and Yankees will play at Citi Field on Sept. 11, 2021, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.https://t.co/OwZa6JmXf0
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) July 7, 2020
Although the rest of the schedule has not yet been released, ESPN’s Marly Rivera tweeted that she spoke to Yankees manager Aaron Boone, who all but confirmed the news. Boone pointed out the difficulties that the league has endured due to the coronavirus pandemic as a reason why this game would be so special.
Almost nineteen years after the attacks on the World Trade Center, the distractions the teams provided to hurting New Yorkers remain prominent memories for baseball fans everywhere.
Mike Piazza’s go-ahead home run in the Mets’ first game following the attacks remains an emotional play, and President George W. Bush throwing out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium in the World Series was a unifying moment for a healing nation.
While the world will be 20 years removed from the attacks when the game is played, players and fans alike have vowed to never forget the tragic events of that day. For those who are still healing, the teams surely hope that they can, at the very least, provide a distraction from the pain that September 11 evokes from many New Yorkers.
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Although the MLB has taken plenty of well-deserved criticism for its inability to reach an agreement about the shortened 2020 season, it deserves credit for getting this right. The game will not only be an emotional event for New Yorkers, but a fantastic platform for players to express their gratitude to first responders.