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Team plans for 9/11 ceremonies
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09/10/2002 11:01 am ET 
Team plans for 9/11 ceremonies
By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com

Pirates @ Reds, Tigers @ Twins, Expos @ Cubs, Dodgers @ Giants, Orioles @ Yankees, Blue Jays @ Indians, Marlins @ Phillies, Mets @ Braves, Red Sox @ Devil Rays, White Sox @ Royals, Mariners @ Rangers, Rockies @ Astros, Cardinals @ Brewers, A's @ Angels, Padres @ Diamondbacks

All times Eastern

CINCINNATI REDS
Pirates at Reds, 12:35 p.m.

Festivities get under way about 40 minutes before the scheduled start. The ceremonial first pitch will be thrown out by Andy Moskal, the 14-year-old son of World Trade Center victim William Moskal. William Moskal was the vice president of Marsh USA Inc. Pregame ceremonies will feature representatives from the American Red Cross, Cincinnati Fire Department, Cincinnati Police Department, Hamilton County Sheriff's Office Pipes & Drums, Hamilton County 911 Dispatchers, Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, the U.S. Army, Navy and Marine Corps, and the Ohio Army and Air National Guard.

MINNESOTA TWINS
Tigers at Twins, 1:05 p.m.

"Remember The Heroes" is a statewide slogan on this day of remembrance and reflecting. Guest speakers at the stadium include Gov. Jesse Ventura and Commissioner Charlie Weaver of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Highlighting the afternoon festivities will be a special dedication featuring the hoisting of a permanent "Remember the Heroes" Banner. Family members of Minnesota Police Officer Melissa Schmidt (killed in August 2002) will be on hand; as will Aliina Granholm, wife of Esko Firefighter Kim Granholm (killed in June 2002). Ceremonial first pitches will be tossed by New York Firefighter Danny Prince, Edina and retired Police Officer Mike Blood.


CHICAGO CUBS
Expos at Cubs, 2:20 p.m.

Wrigley Field will be jam-packed with patriotism. All the flagpoles inside the park will hoist American flags, and there will be two large banners reminding "We Shall Not Forget." Prior to the first pitch, six students from LeMoyne Elementary School will recite the Pledge of Allegiance. A joint services color guard will present the American flag followed by Wayne Messmer singing the Canadian and United States national anthems. Additionally, 20 representatives from the Shannon Rovers Irish Pipe Band will perform "Amazing Grace." In the game, moments of silence will be observed in the middle of the seventh inning, immediatedly followed by Messmer singing "God Bless America."

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
Dodgers at Giants, 3:35 p.m.

Arrive early and show your true American colors by wearing Red, White and Blue. Bagpipers will lead a procession of San Francisco firefighters, law enforcement officials onto the field for the unfurling of the American Flag. The Giants have invited the Bay Area families of the victims as well as the Bay Area survivors of the terrorist attacks to participate in the tribute. All attending are being asked to observe a moment of silence as wreaths of carnations are released into McCovey Cove from the San Francisco Fire Department's Fireboat. At the completion of the National Anthem, to be sung by fans, doves will be freed into the sky. On Sept. 4, the Giants unveiled a memorial for the 9/11 victims in Willie Mays Plaza. Banners hanging from the Plaza's palm trees list the names of every person who died in the attacks.

NEW YORK YANKEES
Orioles at Yankees, 7:05 p.m.

Messages of hope and perseverance will ring through Yankee Stadium on what promises to be an emotional and memorable evening. Highlighting the pregame ceremonies will be the dedication of a monument in the stadium's legendary Monument Park. The memorial pays tribute to all the 9/11 victims and recognizes the many heroes who displayed courage and dignity responding to the tragedies. During the ceremony, an American flag recovered from the World Trade Center will be presented by the United States Marines. The flag is believed to have come from one of the upper floors of the Twin Towers. Tattered and missing 12 stars, the flag was flown at Yankee Stadium during Game Three of the 2001 World Series. As part of the "American Forests" campaign to honor the heroes and victims, the Yankees will take part in a tree-planting ceremony in Monument Park. The campaign aims to plant thousands of trees in New York City; Arlington, Va.; Washington, D.C., and Somerset County, Pa. The memorial groves are to be a living testament to the police, firefighters, emergency workers and citizens who risked their lives to help others. The ceremony also includes musical performances by The Harlem Boys Choir and Irish Tenor Ronan Tynan. After the National Anthem, "Challenger," a non-releasable bald eagle will soar into the stadium, symbolizing freedom. Additionally, there will be a flyover by four United States Navy F-18 Hornets which just returned from combat operations in Afghanistan off the USS John F. Kennedy. All fans attending the game will receive a red, white and blue All-American Beret courtesy of the New York Department of Health.

CLEVELAND INDIANS
Blue Jays at Indians, 7:05 p.m.

The Indians will join Major League Baseball in remembering the events of Sept. 11, 2001. The Cleveland Police Department, the Cleveland Fire Department and local E.M.S. crews will take part in a pregame ceremony. They will assist in unfurling the American flag in the shape of the United States. Members of the American Red Cross will be holding red, white and blue stars in the outfield, and the Cleveland Police and Fire Bagpipe Band will perform in centerfield. The 40-piece bagpipe band will also play "Amazing Grace" while the game's first pitch is thrown. Also, Rootstown Elementary School students will sing "America the Beautiful" and "America Stand Strong," a poem written by one of the Rootstown students that has been turned into a song.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Marlins at Phillies, 7:05 p.m.

Pregame ceremonies will feature the Philadelphia Boys Choir, a city firefighter from the "House of Dragons" company signing the national anthem and a giant American flag. All fans attending the game will receive U.S. flags and "We Shall Not Forget" T-shirts.

ATLANTA BRAVES
Mets at Braves, 1:05 p.m. and 7:05 p.m.

Before the second game of a doubleheader, the Braves will honor the one-year anniversary of the attack on America with a special ceremony. The group No Strings Attached will perform the National Anthem and America The Beautiful. Local firefighters and law enforcement personnel will be on hand as a large American flag is unfurled. Festivities will feature a 21-gun salute, and a helicopter flyover along with an eagle landing on home plate.

TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS
Red Sox at Devil Rays, 7:15 p.m.

United States Army General Tommy Franks will address fans during a pregame ceremony at Tropicana Field. General Franks, the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Central Command, is responsible for U.S. military activities in 25 nations. Police and fire personnel from Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater will stand with players and coaches during pregame introductions and the National Anthem, which will be performed by Air Force Major Henry Polczer. A special invitation has been extended to all military officers stationed at MacDill Air Force Base who have returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan. Soldiers will hold flags from all 50 states. Chris Frost from the Tampa Pipes and Drums will perform "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipes and a 21-gun salute will be conducted by a military contingent from MacDill. The St. Petersburg Museum will present a display of American flags from different eras at the Tropicana Field rotunda from Sept. 10-22.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS
White Sox at Royals, 8:05 p.m.

Country music and baseball will be on tap in Kansas City as part of the "United County -- Tribute to America." The Red, White and Blue salute includes performances by two top country artists, a B-2 Bomber Flyover, local hero recognition as well as a postgame fireworks display. The Royals are teaming with local music stations WDAF 610 Country, 94.1 KFKF and Young Country Q104 to remember 9/11.

TEXAS RANGERS
Mariners at Rangers, 8:05 p.m.

In honor of the day, the Rangers will pay tribute to area police Officers and firefighters with a special pre-game presentation. The University of Texas at Arlington Marching Band will be performing a medley of patriotic music. Police officers and firefighters will be recognized on-field and will participate in the unfurling of the American flag. The Arlington Police Department will be presenting the Colors of the United States of America.

HOUSTON ASTROS
Rockies at Astros, 8:05 p.m.

To mark the one-year anniversary, 343 firefighters from the Houston Fire Department will escort a large American flag onto the field. The 343 members represent the number of firefighters lost in last year's attacks. Actress and Houston native Skye McCole Bartusiak will lead fans in the Pledge of Allegiance. The 9-year-old actress has appeared in several films and TV shows, including "The Patriot" and "The Cider House Rules" and the series "24." The First U.S. Army Calvary Band from Fort Hood, Texas, will perform the National Anthem, and a squad of F-16 jets from the Texas Air National Guard out of Ellington Field will fly over the ballpark.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS
Cardinals at Brewers, 8:05 p.m.

"A Tribute to 9-11" gets underway at Miller Park with the unfurling of a large America Flag. There will be tributes to law enforcement, fire safety and emergency personnel during the pregame ceremonies. The National Anthem will be performed by a member of the Milwaukee Police Department. And Kate Smith's rendition of "God Bless America" is set for the seventh-inning stretch.

ANAHEIM ANGELS
A's at Angels, 10:05 p.m.

Southern California police, firefighters and EMTs will unfurl a big American flag before the game, and singer Robbie Britt will perform "America The Beautiful." The pregame ceremony will also feature the National Anthem being sung by Kristen Romero of the Fullerton Police Department. Local elementary school students will recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Tossing out the ceremonial first pitch will be Los Angeles County fire captain John Price, who went to New York in the aftermath of the 9/11 tragedies. Price has been instrumental in programs to support the families of fallen firefighters.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Padres at Diamondbacks, 10:05 p.m.

Fans attending the game are being asked to wear their patriotism on their sleeves ... literally. The Diamondbacks are requesting fans leave their team colors at home and dress in Red, White and Blue. The Interfaith Action Coalition of Arizona choir will sing "We Are One." A recital of the poem the late Jack Buck read last Sept. 18 in St. Louis will be read. No ceremonial first pitch will be thrown. Instead, tributes will be made to police officers and firefighters, and to the family of WTC attack victim Gary Bird, a Tempe resident. New York City Firefighter Jim Dillon will be present as part of the Ceremonial First Pitch festivities. Jesse McGuire will sing the "Star Spangled Banner" and "America the Beautiful" will be performed on bagpipes.





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