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When baseball returns Tuesday to Yankee Stadium, the donation from players, coaches, staff is expected to be in excess of $250,000 to a fund yet to be chosen.
By MARC TOPKIN
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 22, 2001
TORONTO -- Scheduled to play the first game at Yankee Stadium since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Rays wanted to do something to help.
Friday, they came up with a touching plan, committing to donate their collective pay for Tuesday's game to one of the relief funds.
The players came up with the idea, and the coaching staff, manager Hal McRae and some members of the front office are expected to join in. Specifics are being worked out, but the donation was expected to be in excess of $250,000. A decision will be made by Monday on which group will receive the money. "It's the right thing to do, it's the moral thing to do, it's the only thing to do," said infielder Russ Johnson, who helped organize the effort.
The Mets and Reds have made similar pledges.
"It's the least we can do," Johnson said. "This is America's game. Everyone in the baseball family was affected in some way, shape or form. It tore the heart out of me, to think of the kids with no mamas and daddies and the innocent people with no fighting chance."
The team also said that as part of a tribute planned for Thursday's first post-attack game at Tropicana Field, it will provide two free seats to retired and active members of the military and police, fire, rescue and EMS squads. Eligible fans can get tickets at the Tropicana Field box office Thursday by showing identification.
The team plans a pregame ceremony in memory of the victims and to honor rescue workers.
Johnson and Greg Vaughn talked to their teammates on the trip from Boston to Toronto late Thursday/early Friday and apparently didn't have to do much convincing. The chance to make the donation when the team was in New York made it better. For a player making the $200,000 minimum, the donation would be about $1,090. For Vaughn, who makes $8.25-million, it would be in excess of $45,000.
"It's great for the organization to show we care," pitcher Ryan Rupe said. " ... It won't be nearly as much as they need, but it shows the gratitude from our side."
"I think it's a great idea," said pitcher Tanyon Sturtze, whose friend's wife was a passenger on one of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center. "I don't even think it's a big deal that we're doing this. It's something we should do. We should help out in any way we possibly can.
"A day's pay? C'mon. With the money we make? You can certainly give up a day's pay to help out with something as tragic as this. It's the right and moral thing to do. We have to help out as much as we possibly can."