Mets Jersey Worn by Piazza in Post-9/11 Game is Up For Bid
The echoing crack drew thousands of eyes to the ball that arched over the field before rocketing beyond the back wall of Shea Stadium in Queens.
With that swing in September 2001, Mike Piazza helped New Yorkers snatch back a moment of normalcy, a time for cheer, a means to celebrate. The Mets catcher's two-run homer in the eighth inning came during the first regular game played at home by a New York team after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
The jersey Piazza wore in that emotional contest against the Atlanta Braves is now up for bid, according to ESPN.com.
“I feel like I’m gonna cry, but I gotta do my job,” Piazza recalled in a MLB video about the hit. “I was torn.”
The jersey, which will be auctioned off in a live event April 30 in New York City, has a U.S. flag patch on the back collar and 9-11-01 with American flags sewn on the right sleeve. It is signed by Piazza, who will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame this summer, according to the website.
By 9/11 Memorial Staff
“Unbelievable. Just got back into the White House, after having been in the ‘bunker’ all afternoon,” read an email from Clay Johnson III, a President George W. Bush assistant, who sent the message to an unknown recipient at 5:07 p.m., hours after the attacks on Sept. 11.
A popular relay race offering competitors the chance to secure a $10,000 donation for their favorite charity comes to New York City for the first time.