Sports events canceled in wake of attacks
Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, September 11, 2001
By Ronald Blum
Associated Press
Ballparks stood empty, race tracks fell dark and sports television networks replayed scenes of devastation instead of games as terrorist attacks brought professional and college sports to a standstill nationwide.
Major league baseball postponed its entire schedule of 15 games for the second straight day today following the attacks in New York and Washington. The last time baseball postponed a full schedule of regular-season games for was D-Day in 1944.
Many college football games, including the Washington Huskies’ game at Miami, Fla., were also called off and the NFL was deciding whether to play Sunday.
“Football doesn’t seem too important right now,” University of Florida football coach Steve Spurrier said.
Baseball, with just 2 1/2weeks remaining in its pennant races, perhaps was most affected. Teams are fighting for playoff berths and Barry Bonds hopes to hit eight more home runs to break Mark McGwire’s record of 70.
Commissioner Bud Selig said he made the decision to postpone games “in the interest of security and out of a sense of deep mourning for the national tragedy.”
The NFL, criticized for playing after President Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, wasn’t sure whether to play this weekend’s schedule, league spokesman Joe Browne said.
Three college football games set for Thursday night and four on Saturday were postponed, and commissioners were considering postponing the weekend’s entire schedule.
“The games themselves are insignificant in the face of what has happened today,” NCAA president Cedric Dempsey said.
The PGA Tour canceled Thursday’s starts of the World Golf Championship and two other tournaments. Commissioner Tim Finchem said the World Golf Championship in St. Louis will begin Friday with 36 holes.
“This is a sad, sad day in America,” Tiger Woods said.
Olympic officials said security for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics will be completely re-evaluated but vowed the games will go on as planned from Feb. 8-24. A $200 million plan to protect athletes and spectators is no longer sufficient, said Mitt Romney, president of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee.
In Pittsburgh, the New York Mets left a hotel across the street from a federal building and moved to the suburbs as a security precaution. The New York Yankees canceled tonight’s game against the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium, which was evacuated within 90 minutes of the first attack.
Security was tightened outside the 78-year-old ballpark in the South Bronx, more than 10 miles from the World Trade Center but perhaps the building that most symbolizes American sports.
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