To highlight the significance of this helmet, We wish to inform you that several museums including the 9/11 Memorial, the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, the Yogi Berra Museum and other sports related museums  will proudly accept this helmet on loan or as a permanent donation. Goldin Auctions will be proud to help facilitate this request if desired by winning bidder.

      September 11, 2001 will be a date that no one in this lifetime who was old enough to remember will ever forget. All aspects of life were seemingly put on hold as the grieving and stunned nation came to grips with the terrible and tragic events of that day. In the sports world, especially for all of the major professional sports leagues, the questions lingered as to what was going to happen – do they cancel the seasons (for those sports that had started), do they start up (for those sports that had not started yet), do they postpone or do they carry on.

      The NFL cancelled all of the games on September 16th and 17th and ultimately moved the Super Bowl back one week to make sure all of the regular season and playoff games were played. The NHL was still in its preseason and cancelled 23 preseason games, while the NBA had not started at all (but did cancel their scheduled international preseason games). Baseball was already in its final weeks of the season and Commissioner Bud Selig decided the games would resume on Monday, September 17th. The New York Mets traveled to Pittsburgh for a three-game set, while the New York Yankees resumed their schedule in Chicago against the White Sox on September 18th. As baseball resumed in all its cities, eventually, the time would come for New York to play host. That day came on Friday, September 21st as the National League East Division leading and hated rivals, Atlanta Braves came to town to face the Mets as the Yankees were still on the road, this time in Baltimore. This, of course, was not just any other game. Emotions were running high as 41,235 fans packed Shea Stadium as the city of New York would host its first major sporting event while the nation turned its eyes on the Big Apple.

      There were tributes to the victims of World Trade Center collapse and then Mayor Rudolph Giuliani appearing before the crowd with his “FDNY” hat and receiving chants of “Rudy, Rudy!”. Marc Anthony sang the national anthem, Diana Ross belted out “God Bless America” and Liza Minnelli would sing a stirring rendition of “New York, New York”- not a dry eye in the stadium. The game almost seemed an afterthought until recently elected Hall of Famer Mike Piazza, who hit 427 career home runs, hit his most famous and arguably most important home run of his career on that memorable night in Flushing, Queens. Trailing 2-1 entering the bottom of the eighth inning after Atlanta had just taken the lead, Piazza, facing an 0-1 count, hit a towering blast off of Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Steve Karsay that seemingly landed somewhere near LaGuardia Airport in the bottom of the eighth inning, which erased the 2-1 deficit and gave the Mets a 3-2 lead. A lead they would not relinquish. The crowd responded with cheers, some tears and then... “USA! USA! USA!” For at least a few moments, this moment allowed the capacity Shea Stadium crowd a brief opportunity to rejoice in the shadow the events that took place 10 short days prior. "It was almost like a blur to me, it was almost like a dream, sort of surreal," Piazza said at the time. "I'm just so happy I gave the people something to cheer. There was a lot of emotion. It was just a surreal sort of energy out there. I'm just so proud to be a part of it tonight."

      Aside from the monumental home run, history was made in this game as well as Piazza wore this historic black catcher’s helmet with a blue brim that had “NYPD” in white across the front. This marked the only time in Major League history where a players were allowed to wear a hat or helmet that was not associated with his respective team, thus adding to the historical significance of this item.

      Manufactured by American Baseball Cap of Media, PA, this size M helmet has an American Flag sticker on the right side, with the MLB logo sticker and a “PIAZZA” sticker affixed to the back. On the blue brim is another “PIAZZA” sticker with the recently elected Hall of Famer’s bold signature in silver marker. The inside of the helmet has two-inch brown padding all around the edges. The highlight of this magnificent helmet is the “NYPD” patch that was glued over the interlocking “NY” on his Mets helmet. He wore this helmet while catching throughout the course of the entire game. This item comes with a letter of authenticity from The MeiGray Group (MGA003322) with a detailed photo-match to the exact game as part of the MeiGray LOA. There is also a Steiner hologram on the underside of the brim which certifies the autograph.

      Goldin Auctions is proud to offer this piece of New York baseball history. Without a doubt the most important home run in Mets history, and for the United States and the world, a great memory that transcended sports and for many, started the healing process to the City of New York and the country. The Mike Piazza jersey worn on that same game sold for a record $365,000 in May of 2016 and will be displayed on a rotating basis at the 9/11 Memorial, the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown and the New York Mets Hall of Fame Museum at Citi Field. This helmet was previously on display at the Mets Museum in Citi Field at the same time and alongside that jersey.

 Goldin Auctions will donate 50% of the buyer’s premium from this item to Tuesdays Children, a NY-based 501C3 charity formed in the aftermath of September 11, 2001 that supports first responders and their families, international youth, families and communities impacted by terrorism and traumatic loss.  For more information visit www.TuesdaysChildren.org

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