Sept. 11, 2001, was the worst day in the history of America. But the best was yet to come.
The last months of 2001 were among the saddest, most confusing, most emotionally draining times any of us has ever lived through. They were also filled with some of the most precious memories: throngs of people along the West Side highway cheering the selfless rescue workers in New York, the relative calm in situations at work — or heading to and fro — that otherwise reflected our poor judgement on life's big picture, our compassion, our generosity. America was beautiful.
Nine Innings From Ground Zero HBO's tear-jerking special on the Yankees' World Series' run during that time, depicts the juxtaposition of a still-smoldering Ground Zero and the jubilation enjoyed by its fans who needed a lift. Every tough period deserves an escape, and if it's OK to escape through Hemingway, through Monet, through the Beatles, then it's OK to escape through Jeter and Torre and Brosius.
But those guys weren't fictional characters in a novel. The Yankees made regular trips to fire houses, invited victims' families to be their special guests, and played with the hopes of the FDNY, NYPD and millions of others riding on their backs. Boy, did they ever come through. The scoreboard says they were winners until ninth inning of Game 7 in Arizona. In our hearts, they'd already won.
Yankee Stadium is the same today as when my dad took me to my first game as a kid. It's the same as when I was an awkward teen living in Westchester County, a young adult at Syracuse University, a self-reliant Manhattan professional, a heartbroken former boyfriend, a grieving son. It's the same as one the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, when I walked up to a crowd of people huddled on the side of a white van, listening to the radio, knowing instantly what the second plane meant.
Sometimes you need a place like Yankee Stadium. You need a friend to high-five. You need a hot dog and a beer. You need to take your mind off of everything but 27 outs a team and 90 feet between the bases. In the fall of 2001, we needed that god-damn team. Thanks to all of them.
In Five Words or Less: Remember a Most Humane Time
• HBO's schedule for Nine Innings From Ground Zero
Well put Paul, my sediments exactley
Posted by Grant at September 15, 2004 2:12 AM