The date was Oct. 30, 2001, and the New York Yankees were about to play the Arizona Diamondbacks in the third game of the World Series, the first Fall Classic game played in New York City following 9/11.
Former president George W. Bush stood on the mound of Yankee Stadium, ready to deliver one of the most important pitches in this nation’s history.
The ceremonial first pitch wouldn’t be recorded on the scoreboard, just the hearts and minds of millions of Americans watching around the world.
It was a perfect strike.
The crowd erupted into cheers of “U-S-A! U-S-A!” The president’s pitch was a rallying point, a symbol of unity that transcended the game itself.
Sunday night, President Barack Obama announced the death of the mastermind behind those attacks nearly a decade ago, prompting more than a thousand people to celebrate their country in MU’s Greektown and join countless others around the United States.
I couldn’t help but think of the similarities between Sunday’s festivities and communities celebrating a historic win for their local sports team.
Sports take a back seat to the type of nationwide event that occurred Sunday, as they should, but they have always held a close relationship to patriotism. A sense of togetherness is commonplace in sports, where the final score is only one piece of the puzzle. The effects on communities reach well beyond the stadium from a random high-five with a stranger to extra profits benefitting the local economy.
Last fall, pride in this university swelled during Homecoming weekend as the football team prepared to play the No. 1 team in the country. Black and gold abounded, tailgating tents could apparent for miles and Francis Quadrangle was broadcast to a national audience.
We all know what happened in the game itself, but the night wasn’t close to being over. Thousands of fans flooded Faurot Field, jubilant to celebrate the win but also each other. The experience wasn’t about fans carrying pieces of yellow-painted metal 1.25 miles. It was about savoring a piece of history that could forever be connected to that memorable night.
In the same way, Sunday night wasn’t celebrating a man’s death, but rather our country and the accomplishments of men and women who protect our freedoms. It was a night that many won’t soon forget.
The last three semesters I have occupied this little section of The Maneater, trying to deliver stories that didn’t tell the final score so much as its effects. Nights like the one last October don’t come around often, but they are possible with successful sports teams. Resurgences in the football and basketball programs as well as the softball team’s ascension have coincided with MU’s enrollment numbers breaking their own records year in and year out. There is no doubt a significant correlation between a university’s enrollment and the success of its sports teams.
What is it about sports that produce these effects? They’re just games, whose outcomes have little to no consequence on the rest of our lives. The answer is different for everyone.
From the players to the fans, it’s a sports writer’s goal to share these stories. I hope I have done so in some capacity within this space, and would like to leave you with a quote from the late, great Jack Buck from Sept. 17, 2001, the first day baseball resumed following the terrorist attacks, which I believe can be applied to Sunday’s celebration as well:
“I don’t know about you, but as for me, the question has already been answered: Should we be here? Yes!”
