Prior to mid-March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic arrived with full force on the shores of the United States, there was only one other moment in my lifetime when sports – all American sports, at least – stopped their competition.
It was, of course, the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, PA.
Twenty-one years ago this week most adult Americans, myself included, went about their daily routines in a state of numbness. Most experienced a full continuum of emotions that ranged from sorrow to rage to fear to unknowingness. One thing most folks weren’t doing was cheering for their favorite teams or athletes, and understandably so.
I know I was in a bit of a daze for the days that followed and, until I began thinking about what I’d write about this week, really couldn’t recall what happened to my hometown teams and their return to action so I had to look it up. .
- The Detroit Tigers were in the midst of a miserable 66-96 season and returned to action, September 18, in Minnesota’s Metrodome and were 3-hit by four Twins’ pitchers during an 8-3 laugher.
- The Detorit Lions were in the midst of a forgettable 2-15 season (its last in the Pontiac Silverdome) and returned to action, September 23, in Cleveland where the Browns dismissed Detroit, 24-14. It was the second of 12 straight losses to begin the season.
- The University of Michigan football team was in the midst of a so-so 8-4 season, beat Western Michigan, 38-21, in front of 109,837 in Ann Arbor.
- The Michigan State University football team was in the midst of an equally so-so 7-5 season, beat Notre Dame, 17-10, in South Bend.
Clearly there were plenty of reasons to not recollect what happened to the sports teams here but I’d say rather forgettable seasons for all of them had something to do with it as well.
I’m not sure I recall much of anything, specifically, about the events that followed 9/11. I have a faint recollection of Dale Earnhardt Jr. toting the American flag around the track following his victory and plenty of FDNY and NYPD emblazoned on hats, shirts, and jackets.
What I do recall pretty clearly, however, is President George W. Bush’s first-pitch before Game 3 of the 2001 World Series in Yankee Stadium later that fall. It was the type of moment that felt like a giant F-you to the perpetrators and that felt right.
Here’s hoping we never have to shutter sport again for any reason aside from an ill-timed weather issue.