Osama bin Laden Again Intertwined with Sports

During the ninth inning of the game between the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday night the crowd started to chant. They weren't chanting "Let's go Phillies" or "Charge" or anything else to do with baseball. The crowd came together to chant "U-S-A, U-S-A." As news of Osama bin Laden's death was spread throughout the stadium the chants got louder and more passionate, creating a unified atmosphere as Americans.

It is fitting that the Mets were playing as news of the world's most wanted terrorist's death broke. The team was heavily affected by the events of September 11, 2001 and helped the city recover in the following days as games provided a welcome distraction from the reality of the situation. Shea Stadium was used to support rescue workers and provide supplies for those who needed them.

After games resumed there was an outpouring of support for the Mets and other New York based teams as the entire nation tuned in to lend their support. 10 days after the attacks in 2001 the Mets won their first game at Shea Stadium in dramatic fashion. They took the lead on a two-run home run from Mike Piazza in the eighth inning and won the game.

Nearly 10 years later America was informed of bin Laden's death as the Mets were on the field. Some players, like reliever Pedro Beato, were only 15 or 16 years old when the Twin Towers were destroyed but were still able to contribute to making sure the Mets won 2-1 in another game that players are unlikely to forget.