Yankees Play 'Sweet Caroline,' Hold Moment Of Silence In Honor Of Boston
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The Yankees and the Red Sox might be bitter rivals on the field, but when it comes to tragedy, the two clubs stand firmly united.
In the wake of the unspeakable Boston Marathon bombings, the Yankees paid tribute to the city of Boston when they hosted the Diamondbacks in the Bronx on Tuesday night.
The Yankees held a moment of silence at the stadium and played "Sweet Caroline" at the end of the third inning.
"Sweet Caroline," of course, is a Fenway Park favorite.
PHOTOS: Yankee Stadium's Tribute To Boston Tragedy
In case you've never been in attendance at the famous ballpark, the entire crowd sings in unison to the Neil Diamond classic.
It goes a little something like this:
Reporter Sonia Rincon of 1010 WINS was at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night and didn't find anyone wearing anti-Boston t-shirts.
Yankee Fans Show Solidarity With Boston After Bombings
CBS 2's Hazel Sanchez reported solidarity was the focus among fans.
"I just think we all have to band together," said Yankees fan Karen Figueroa. "New York City, Boston come together tonight for the sake of what happened."
"This don't come down to a Boston/Yankee thing," added Yankees fan Alex de Jesus "It's a human being thing."
A man and his two young sons were also sending a message of solidarity. They are Yankee fans and they wore their Yankee jerseys, but they also donned some customized Red Sox hats.
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"We're wearing Boston hats and I had the guy at the Lids where we got it put the date on it -- yesterday's date 4-15-13," he said.
The fan that spoke to Rincon said he was inspired by the sentiments expressed by Boston fans after 9/11.
"We went up to Fenway Park and the Boston fans were singing 'New York, New York,' so I thought it was just a touch that we should do something too," he said.
As fans headed into Yankee stadium for the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, they were greeted by stepped up security, including bomb-sniffing dogs and emergency service officers on the ground and NYPD choppers in the sky.
It was a painful reminder that a tragedy like what happened in Boston can strike anywhere at any time.
"Pain for them – it's devastating," said Yankees fan Evan Janush. "Everybody needs to come together -- New Yorkers. It doesn't matter where you're from. If you have a heart, you are absolutely devastated about what's going on."
In response to the Yankees' honorable gesture, the Red Sox expressed gratitude to their AL East rivals in another tweet.
After beating the Tampa Bay Rays in Boston on Monday just hours before the marathon, the Red Sox took on the Indians in Cleveland on Tuesday night.
Yankees To Play 'Sweet Caroline,' Hold Moment Of Silence In Honor Of Boston
The Indians, too, sent their best wishes to the Boston community and all of those affected by the tragedy.
Flags were at half-staff at Progressive Field and there was a moment of silence prior to first pitch.
Tributes to the victims of the bombings were also seen elsewhere around New York City.
At City Hall, the Boston city flag flew at half-staff, while in Brooklyn, Borough Hall was illuminated in green in honor of the marathon spectators who lost their lives, as well as and the families left behind.
The Brooklyn Academy of Music's Peter Jay Sharp Building also displayed messages in support of the Boston victims and their families. A projected message read "NY (heart) B," with the B in the Red Sox font.
The building also featured projected messages reading "Peace and love," and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. quote, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that."
Back at the Yankees game, fans said by standing together, terrorism will never defeat America.
"Just stay strong, and believe and just know that people really are with you in your pain," said Yankees fan Rebecca Moses.
We all stand united. Sound off with your thoughts and comments in the section below...
