For their Wednesday home game, the New York Mets, naturally, had a tribute for those lost and for those who served during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Then the game started, and the tribute was over, at least apart from special red, white and blue shoes that said “We Will Never Forget.”
But as it turned out, that wasn’t the only tribute of the night. The Mets scored 9 runs and had 11 hits in a victory against the Arizona Diamondbacks, an emotional coincidence that provided further remembrance for that awful day in 2001.
Mets score 9 runs on 11 hits in emotional win on anniversary of 9/11 attacks https://t.co/SFIbxxEHkn pic.twitter.com/jh5D6JZz4g
— CBS News (@CBSNews) September 12, 2019
The pregame tribute
As far as planned commemoration, the Mets had first responders on the field for the national anthem and wore special first responder hats during batting practice.
Major League Baseball doesn’t allow special hats during the game, so Pete Alonso, the Mets rookie sensation with 47 home runs, came up with another tribute. He orchestrated special cleats, ordered them and even paid for them.
Alonso, who didn’t contact MLB about his plan because he was afraid they would reject it, said it was in response to baseball’s refusal to allow special hats and jerseys for first responders.
“I think it’s kind of sad that first game back, they’ve kind of shot it down every single year since,” Alonso said, according to ESPN.com. “It’s real unfortunate. So a way to kind of get around that was the cleats.”
Pete Alonso orchestrated the Mets’ wearing of commemorative 9/11-themed cleats tonight.
He planned it for weeks, ordered & paid for everybody’s shoes and enlisted other clubhouse leaders (including Jacob deGrom) to get everyone on board. pic.twitter.com/fiJbYCU8mq
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) September 12, 2019
The unintended tribute
Something else baseball couldn’t control was the Mets’ eerie run and hit totals.
New York, which is two games behind the Cubs and Brewers for the second NL wild card spot, won the game 9-0. But the nine runs and 11 hits had everyone talking afterward.
“What a great day. Just to have all the first responders on the field, getting to stand in between,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. “I know I had some pretty cool conversations with the guys around me; I’m sure everybody out there on the line did. He was just talking about that day, and all the cleanup after — it’s amazing. So that was neat in its own right; and then to come up and win a game for them, and to get nine runs on 11 hits, that’s even cooler.”
Mets radio announcer Howie Rose absolutely eviscerates Major League Baseball for not allowing the Mets to wear First Responders hats on 9/11. He comes with the receipts, too! pic.twitter.com/3jpiJjEt1c
— We Gotta Believe Podcast (Weds, iTunes & Spotify) (@GottaBelievePod) September 12, 2019
