Former President George W. Bush recounted a moment with New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter before throwing a ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium in the weeks following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Bush shared the memory during a reunification event at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas, alongside his former national security advisor, Condoleezza Rice. The event focused on the legacy of 9/11.
During the 2001 World Series, Bush recalled Jeter telling him, "Don’t bounce it, they’ll boo you," as he prepared to take the mound. The former president described the atmosphere at Yankee Stadium as filled with raw emotion.
"I looked at the catcher, he looked really tiny, and the ball felt really heavy," Bush said, recalling his feelings as he walked onto the field. He added that he imagined the crowd thinking, "You can knock down our buildings, but you d— sure not going to touch our soul."
Bush successfully threw the ball over the plate, describing the experience as "memorable" and "an amazing feeling."
The Sept. 11, 2001, attacks involved al-Qaeda terrorists hijacking four commercial airplanes. Two planes struck the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third hit the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and the fourth crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 people died in the coordinated attacks, including many first responders.
