Yankees, Mets Reportedly Scheduled to Play on 20th Anniversary of September 11
July 7, 2020
MLB is lining up the New York Yankees and New York Mets to play one another on the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2021, according to Newsday's Tim Healey.
Healey noted this will be only the second time both the Yankees and Mets have played in New York City on Sept. 11 since the attacks. The last time was 2014 when the Mets hosted the Washington Nationals, while the Yankees welcomed the Tampa Bay Rays.
In the immediate aftermath of the attacks, MLB suspended games until Sept. 17. Four days later, Mets catcher Mike Piazza hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning of a 3-2 win over the Atlanta Braves.
"I'm just so happy I gave the people something to cheer," the Hall of Famer told reporters at the time. "There was a lot of emotion. It was just a surreal sort of energy out there. I'm just so proud to be a part of it tonight."
The Yankees also reached the World Series in 2001, losing the Fall Classic to the Arizona Diamondbacks in seven games.
MLB has received criticism in the past for refusing to allow the Mets to wear hats honoring first responders during their subsequent games on Sept. 11. However, in lieu of that, in 2019, Mets rookie first baseman Pete Alonso gifted his teammates custom cleats commemorating first responders for the anniversary and donated his pair to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.
