Friday, September 21, 2001 Updated: September 22, 12:45 PM ET
Fans at Shea cheer Giuliani, America
Associated Press
NEW YORK -- Al Leiter stared at the miniature New York City
skyline atop the right-field scoreboard, and closed his eyes.
Diana Ross sang "God Bless America" to highlight the pregame ceremony.
The World Trade Center's twin towers were still standing,
covered by a red, white and blue ribbon.
"I hadn't noticed it," the New York Mets pitcher said, pausing
to take a long, deep breath. "I'm glad they left them up. Those
people will not be forgotten."
Amid tight security at Shea Stadium, baseball returned to the
city Friday night for the first time since last week's terrorist
attacks. Mike Piazza hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning as
the Mets rallied to beat Atlanta 3-2.
Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, singers Diana Ross and Marc Anthony and
bagpipers took part in a pregame tribute that was both solemn and
uplifting, and Liza Minnelli later led the crowd of 41,235 in
singing "New York, New York."
The start of the game was pushed back for a 30-minute ceremony
that included the city's police, fire and emergency medical
personnel throwing out the first balls. The tribute finished with
Mets and Braves players -- in the midst of a pennant race -- hugging
in the middle of the diamond.
Giuliani drew the biggest ovation, by far -- in a ballpark where
the noted Yankees' rooter is routinely booed during interleague
games.
Wearing an "FDNY" pullover shirt and a cap with the police
department shield, he was cheered by Mets and Braves alike.
Giuliani stepped down into Atlanta dugout and got a vigorous pat on
the back by manager Bobby Cox.
Mets manager Bobby Valentine raised his arms and led cheers of
"Rudy! Rudy!"
"This is the way life gets back to normalcy. You can't just
concentrate on the tragedy. It's so wonderful that these people
have such confidence to turn out in such large numbers," the mayor
said.
"Things will be back to normal when I hear boos at Shea
Stadium. I'm a Yankees fan," he said, laughing.
Minnelli stepped on the field to sing the city's anthem -- "New
York, New York" -- during the seventh-inning stretch. She was
eagerly joined by the crowd, and hugged Mets hitter Jay Payton.
"I'm so happy to be here!" she said.
Signs and symbols of America's heartache were all over ballpark,
which had been used as a staging area for the relief effort at the
site of the World Trade Center collapse.
The Mets had the date of the terrorist attacks -- 9-11-01 --
embroidered on the left sleeves of their uniforms, right between
two U.S. flags. "God Bless America" was written on top of the
Mets' dugout and an enormous flag logo replaced the Budweiser sign
on the scoreboard.
The miniature New York skyline atop the scoreboard is formed by
light blue neon lights. Only the twin towers were dark, covered by
the ribbon.
The Mets continued to wear caps honoring New York's rescue and
relief personnel, and the umpires did the same.
"We wanted to show that we're in there with them," plate
umpire Wally Bell said.
The Mets donated their entire salaries for the day, about
$450,000, to a charity set up by ex-Mets star Rusty Staub for
families of police officers and firefighters killed in the line of
duty.
"We want to put our money where our mouths are," Leiter said.
Leiter said he had no qualms about feeling safe at Shea. Neither
did most fans, who were given small U.S. flags but needed a few
extra minutes to pass through the turnstiles as they were checked
by metal security wands.
"We really wanted to be down here tonight, with all that was
going on with the tributes," said Joe Marchiony, 37, of Rochester,
N.Y.
Added his wife, Kathy: "We hesitated about coming tonight,
actually. I was worried about safety a little bit, but we feel
safe."
The Marchionys stood on a walkway at the top deck, looking at
city's skyline. Smoke could still be seen rising from the collapse.
A day earlier, Leiter and pitcher John Franco were among a group
of Mets who visited the area known as Ground Zero.
"It's mind-boggling, cars and buildings and steel all
twisted," Franco said.
Said Leiter: "My mother was raised in England, during the
blitzes of World War II. We've talked about it a little, and she
talked about the war zones. This looked like those did, I
imagine."
Cox also saw the site firsthand. He was walking around the city
Friday morning when a policeman recognized him and drove him around
the area.
"Up close, it's horrific," he said. "There are no words to
describe it."
The Braves got a faraway glimpse of the area around 1 a.m. when
the team bus drove up the New Jersey Turnpike after Thursday
night's game in Philadelphia.
"We all looked over at where the twin towers were, and they
weren't there," Atlanta star Chipper Jones said. "There was a
hole in the skyline. When it dawned us, everyone got real quiet. It
was like a moment of silence."
