Danny Graves was relieved the first start of his career was on Sept.10, not Sept.11.

Reds players and Cincinnati police stand at attention in pre-game ceremony. (Steven M. Herppich photo) | ZOOM |

        “I don't know if I could have handled it,” he said. “It's a pretty emotional day.”

        The Reds and the rest of Major League Baseball carried on with games Wednesday. The Reds played the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first game of the day on the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

        “Baseball was a big part of the healing process,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “We can't cave in to terrorism. Playing on this day is an honor.”

Shawn Estes shakes hands with an officer (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        The Reds had pregame ceremonies to mark the occasion. The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office Bagpipes and Drums Corps played Taps and America the Beautiful. Representatives of the American Red Cross and the military were honored on the field. Members of the Cincinnati police and fire departments stood along the baselines. The Reds and Pirates stood next to them.

        Andy Moskal, 14-year-old son of World Trade Center victim William Moskal, threw out the first pitch, to Barry Larkin. William Moskal was vice president of Marsh USA, a consultant for Great American Ball Park.

        Every fan was given a “We Shall Not Forget” T-shirt from MLB, as were construction workers at GABP. God Bless America replaced Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the seventh-inning stretch.

Andy Moskal shakes hands with Barry Larkin after throwing out the first pitch. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        Down the street at Paul Brown Stadium, Bengals coach Dick LeBeau addressed the anniversary with his players Wednesday morning but left it to them to mark the day.

        “It's a meaningful day for all of us,” LeBeau said. “I think each one, his feelings to that day, are different.”

        Bengals guard Victor Leyva said he could empathize with people who lost loved ones in the attack because his father, Jacinto Leyva, died in the offseason.

        Fullback Nicolas Luchey had a cousin who worked in the first World Trade Center tower that was hit. He escaped, but the family didn't hear from him for more than a day.

        “It lets you know how precious life is,” Luchey said. “It was a regular old day, people going to work, standing there drinking coffee, and the next thing you knew, there was a plane coming at you.”

        Most Tristate high schools said they would observe moments of silence at sporting events through the weekend, including Friday night football games.

        Greg Bailie, Lakota East football coach, talked with his team before football practice Wednesday.

        “It's obviously a day everyone will remember for their entire lives, so it's not something we wanted to ignore,” Bailie said.

        The football game between LaSalle High School and St.Andrews (Toronto, Canada), which was to be played Sept.14, 2001, becomes a reality Friday at LaSalle.

        The game was canceled last year when St.Andrews could not get across the Canadian border.

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