NEW YORK – It was some four hours before the scheduled first pitch of Thursday’s game, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone was already dressed in his full pinstriped uniform, making the long walk to Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park.
Flanked by pitchers Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón, the three men placed a ceremonial wreath at the base of the Sept. 11, 2001 monument, which honors the innocent victims and selfless courage of that terrible day.
“That was really meaningful,” Boone said. “I’ve gotten to do that now a few times when we’ve been here, so to get to walk out there with Gerrit and Carlos to take in an amazing monument – you see the Pentagon, the Twin Towers, the police dogs and the firemen all honored on there. It hits home.”
In a statement, the Yankees said they “remember those we lost, the heroism of all who bravely sacrificed their own lives to save others, and those who died from illnesses obtained at Ground Zero. Their spirit lives on today with our First Responders and all who serve our communities and our country.”
President Donald J. Trump was in attendance to honor the victims and first responders from that day.
Trump briefly visited the Yankees clubhouse before the game, accompanied by managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner and team president Randy Levine, among others.
It marks the third time a sitting U.S. president has visited Yankee Stadium for a game, and the first time in the current ballpark (2009-present).
Across 161st Street, President George W. Bush threw a ceremonial first pitch prior to Game 3 of the 2001 World Series. President Warren G. Harding attended a game on April 24, 1923, in the stadium’s first week of service.
In honor of the men and women who lost their lives in the Sept. 11 attacks, all Yankees uniformed personnel wore the caps of New York City’s first responder agencies during Thursday’s game.
The colors were presented by the Port Authority Police Honor Guard, with the National Anthem performed by FDNY firefighter Regina Wilson. NYPD officer Brianna Fernandez was scheduled to perform a live rendition of God Bless America during the seventh inning.