Mets to wear caps honoring Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

As the Mets begin their first Spring Training game, their goal is to try and compete in 2018. Sometimes, different goals are brought forward due to difficult circumstances. More than a week since a tragic shooting affected the Parkland, Florida community and members of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the Mets and all of baseball will stand in solidarity with them.

All 30 MLB teams, including the Mets, will wear the caps of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School’s baseball team during their Spring Training Opener at 1:10pm. The team will face their division rivals, the Atlanta Braves, at First Data Field in Port St. Lucie. During batting practice and even during the game, the Mets will don the caps. After the game, players and coaches will sign the caps, and they will then be auctioned to support those affected by the tragedy.

It’s interesting for the Braves and Mets to be going through something like this again. After September 11, 2001, the two teams played the first major sporting event in New York on September 21st. It was an emotional game after another tragedy struck the nation. The club wore FDNY and NYPD hats during the game. Mike Piazza hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning to give the Mets the lead. That shot created a beautiful moment that will last a lifetime. Now, along with all 30 teams, they have a chance once again to try and honor those we lost.

In the film ‘Field of Dreams‘, Terence Mann, played by James Earl Jones, tells Kevin Costner’s Ray Kinsella that the one constant through all the years has been baseball. A quote sticks out from that monologue:

 This field, this game, is a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good, and that could be again.

Truer words have never been spoken, especially today. The start of the 2018 season will be put aside, if only for a moment. It will be replaced by a more concerning matter at hand.

For more information regarding the Broward Education Foundation, where donations from the auction will be going through, check out the attached link.