Each of these situations is unique, and yet what they all have in common is the common thread of sport being used to bring hurting people together. We all understand that sports have a powerful influence in our society, and often that influence is less than positive. But sometimes when we need it most, sports can be a way for people to find some semblance of healing.A young man named Austin Siegel wrote an article last year that captures this idea beautifully in a piece that he originally wrote for his high school paper. Austin's work later found its way to the internet and can be found here.
It's so easy to get caught up in the pursuit of wins and championships. As wonderful as victories and championships are, reading Austin's words provides a much needed reminder that the real power of sports comes from its ability to draw people together in meaningful, even life-changing ways.
When Tragedy Strikes, Sports Help Heal by Austin Siegel
Iconic Bostonian Rene Rancourt has sung the national anthem at countless Boston Bruins games. His voice is powerful and remarkably consistent, considering Rancourt has been the Bruins’ official anthem singer for the better part of 35 years.
Yet his most memorable performance came on a night when Rancourt barely sang a verse. Because on this night, it was about so much more than just a hockey game.
On Monday, April 15, terrorists detonated two pressure-cooker bombs at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three and wounding nearly 300. The bombings were the worst attack on U.S. soil since 9/11. Images of the smoke and haze rising over Boylston Street and spectators lying wounded on the pavement went viral in the days after the attacks. “Pray for Boston,” and “Boston Strong,” became rallying cries across the country as Americans tried to come to terms with the attacks. The fact that the bombings occurred at the Boston Marathon, a sporting event that has been a symbol of the city for over a decade, made the attacks all the more devastating. The uncertainty that followed in the days after the attacks lingered over the city like a fog.
Sports often take a back seat during times of tragedy, and rightfully so. It’s tough to think about something as trivial as playing a game, when disastrous events that once seemed impossible become all too real. However, sports often return to cities affected by tragedy long before reality does.
Only two days after the explosions on Boylston Street, the Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres got together to play a hockey game. 17,565 fans crammed themselves into TD Garden, a sell-out crowd, for a night that was more about the power of collective healing than anything else.
A montage of photos from the marathon set to Phillip Phillips’ “Home” played on the scoreboard as a blue and yellow ribbon commemorating the tragedy was projected onto the ice. Accompanied by members of the Boston Fire Department honor guard, Rancourt stepped onto the ice, mic in hand, and began to sing.
“Oh say can you see, by the dawn’s early light, what so proudly we hailed…”
And then he stopped.
Silently mouthing the words, Rancourt gestured the crowd to take over. What began as a gentle murmur turned into a torrent of sound, as the words, “at the twilight’s last gleaming?” cascaded down from all corners of the Garden. Suddenly, it wasn’t Rancourt singing the anthem. It was Boston. Their voices, with perfect timing and perfect clarity, became one. Rising and falling like a tidal wave, they hit every note. Go back, watch the moment on YouTube and try to not get chills. I dare you. People watching the moment unfold on TV could be forgiven for complaining that they had something in their eye.
Yet it really shouldn’t come as a surprise that a sporting event could have this effect on people. After all, sports represent a return to normalcy, something with which people can identify. It gives a beleaguered city a chance to come together for something celebratory and forget about tragedy for a while. And every one of these games has a moment, an instant, where all the emotions people have been feeling just erupt.
Think about it.
Atlanta Braves vs. New York Mets, September 21, 2001—the first sporting event in New York City after 9/11.
With the Mets wearing hats representing the first responders, Mike Piazza smacked a game-winning home run in the bottom of the eight to give the Mets a 3-2 lead. 41,000 people at Shea Stadium waved Americans flags and cheered for the first time since the tragic events of 9/11. “People wanted to find refuge in baseball, in a crowd and being around other people,” Piazza said. “It has a tendency to kind of ease the pain a little bit when you have a support group.”
Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints, September 25, 2006—the first Saints game after in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
Playing in the Superdome, which only a year earlier was used as a shelter for people forced to leave their homes after the flooding that resulted from Hurricane Katrina, the Saints hosted the Falcons for a Monday night clash that brought hope back to the Bayou. With signs reading “Dome Sweet Dome” dotting the crowd, Steve Gleason blocked a Falcons punt to give the Saints their first touchdown following the storm. The moment is now immortalized outside the stadium, and Gleason, who is currently battling Lou Gehrig’s disease, remains a symbol of the city’s resilience following Katrina
Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks, November 2, 2012—the first sporting event in New York City after Hurricane Sandy.
Playing their first game since New York City was devastated by Hurricane Sandy, the Knicks routed the Miami Heat in front of a raucous Madison Square Garden crowd. With much of New York City still under water, the game was emotional from the start. Before the game, Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony addressed the crowd and acknowledged the fans whose lives had been affected by the tragedy, then lit up the Heat for 30 points in the victory.
The healing power of sports is always evident after tragedies and this has been especially true following the events in Boston.
A few days after the crowd sang the anthem at TD Garden, the Boston Red Sox returned for their first home game since the tragedy. With the Red Sox wearing special home uniforms with “Boston,” replacing “Red Sox” in the stitching across their chests, the game had its share of emotional moments. Before the game, Boston slugger David “Big Papi” Ortiz addressed the crowd, telling Red Sox fans, “This is our city,” a statement that was met with tremendous applause. Then in the late innings, when Sox fans traditionally sing Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” Diamond himself took the field. He had shown up unannounced before the game, asking only, “Can I sing?”
“Where it began, I can’t begin to knowin’, but then I know its growing strong…”
Diamond’s voice, sweet and smooth, rang throughout Fenway as the fans joined in.
“Was in the spring, and spring became the summer, who’d have believed you’d come along,”
“Sweet Caroline, good times never seemed so good,”
The voices carried throughout the ballpark, throughout Boston, as Sox fans reveled in the simple joy of a timeless song. There will be more games after this one, more wins and losses, more triumph and heartbreak, but slowly normality will return to Boston, one game at a time.
This story originally appeared in Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School's The Gauntlet.
Well said, Austin Siegel. Thank you for writing.
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