#7) 2001: Mike Piazza’s Home Run Ten Days after 9/11
Prior to the Yankees’ World Series comebacks, the Mets and catcher Mike Piazza provided a similar brief moment for New York baseball fans to heal and to come together after 9/11. Playing on September 21, 2001, in the first professional sporting event in New York since September 11th, Piazza provided a much-needed spirit-lifting and smile-giving two-run blast in the bottom of the eighth inning, deep over the center field wall off Queens native Steve Karsay, to give the Mets a 3-2 victory over Atlanta. Prior to the game, Mets and Braves players, coaches, and managers, though many were long-time rivals, followed pregame ceremonies by exchanging heartfelt hugs on the field in light of the 9/11 tragedy only ten days earlier.