GaryMrMets
09-12-2001, 04:54 PM
From today's New York Daily News(Wed 9/12/2001)
By T.J. Quinn
Daily News Sports Writer
Pittsburgh-Normally Mets pitcher Al Leiter would have flown Monday with the rest of his teammates from Miami to Pittsburgh, where a three-game series was to begin last night.
But he wanted to take his daughter to her first day of school, and Leiter decided to spend the team's rare day off with his family in uptown Manhattan.
After saying goodbye to his wife and three children early yesterday morning. Leiter left for LaGuardia Airport and was already thinking about his start against the Pirates later in the day.
Leiter boarded US Airways flight 567 to Pittsburgh expecting to depart on schedule. But at 9:10am, the pilot's voice came over the intercom.
"He said there might have been a small plane that hit the World Trade Center and we might have to sit for a while," said Leiter, reached on his mobile phone. "Twenty minutes later they came on and said no one was going anywhere."
Leiter hired a car and figured he could drive to Philadelphia and fly from there. "I was still thinking I had to be there for a baseball game," he said.
"Baseball is so secondary now," Leiter said. "I'm petrified to get on a plane tomorrow. I feel vulnerable, I feel violated- I'm so angry."
Leiter's feelings were echoed by teammate Mike Piazza.
"It's a feeling of complete despair," Piazza said. "You're angry, you're shocked- I just don't understand it. You never imagine something like that would happen in this country. How do you even begin to get back to normal?"
The Mets team moved from the Westin Hotel Convention Center because of its proximity to the William S Moorehead Federal Building. The team went to the Ramada Inn in Monroeville about 15 miles east of Pittsburgh.
Giants back safely
The Giants' plane back from Denver landed at Newark Airport at 5:45am, and the bus arrived back at the stadium at 6:30am.The players had yesterday off andcoaches followed yesterday's events from Giants Stadium.
To the best of the Jets' knowledge, no onein the organization- players and their families included- wereharmed by the terrorist attacks, according to team spokesman Frank Ramos. Yesterday was the usual off day for players.
The Rangers players were present and accounted for. The team has canceled all public training camp functions for this week.
Two Los Angeles Kings scouts were on the flight from Boston to Los Angeles that crashed into the World Trade Center.
Condolences to the families of the 2 Los Angeles Kings scouts.
By T.J. Quinn
Daily News Sports Writer
Pittsburgh-Normally Mets pitcher Al Leiter would have flown Monday with the rest of his teammates from Miami to Pittsburgh, where a three-game series was to begin last night.
But he wanted to take his daughter to her first day of school, and Leiter decided to spend the team's rare day off with his family in uptown Manhattan.
After saying goodbye to his wife and three children early yesterday morning. Leiter left for LaGuardia Airport and was already thinking about his start against the Pirates later in the day.
Leiter boarded US Airways flight 567 to Pittsburgh expecting to depart on schedule. But at 9:10am, the pilot's voice came over the intercom.
"He said there might have been a small plane that hit the World Trade Center and we might have to sit for a while," said Leiter, reached on his mobile phone. "Twenty minutes later they came on and said no one was going anywhere."
Leiter hired a car and figured he could drive to Philadelphia and fly from there. "I was still thinking I had to be there for a baseball game," he said.
"Baseball is so secondary now," Leiter said. "I'm petrified to get on a plane tomorrow. I feel vulnerable, I feel violated- I'm so angry."
Leiter's feelings were echoed by teammate Mike Piazza.
"It's a feeling of complete despair," Piazza said. "You're angry, you're shocked- I just don't understand it. You never imagine something like that would happen in this country. How do you even begin to get back to normal?"
The Mets team moved from the Westin Hotel Convention Center because of its proximity to the William S Moorehead Federal Building. The team went to the Ramada Inn in Monroeville about 15 miles east of Pittsburgh.
Giants back safely
The Giants' plane back from Denver landed at Newark Airport at 5:45am, and the bus arrived back at the stadium at 6:30am.The players had yesterday off andcoaches followed yesterday's events from Giants Stadium.
To the best of the Jets' knowledge, no onein the organization- players and their families included- wereharmed by the terrorist attacks, according to team spokesman Frank Ramos. Yesterday was the usual off day for players.
The Rangers players were present and accounted for. The team has canceled all public training camp functions for this week.
Two Los Angeles Kings scouts were on the flight from Boston to Los Angeles that crashed into the World Trade Center.
Condolences to the families of the 2 Los Angeles Kings scouts.