They say we should use this time to learn something new – so we thought we’d offer up a history lesson free of charge!
We’re going to be recapping all the important sporting moments each and every day on the Ladbrokes Blog.
So if it’s AFL, NRL, Basketball, Cricket, Golf or even Wrestling, be sure to return each morning as we take a trip back through the history books to relive some of the great and important sporting moments in This Day In Sport!
2001 – A Tragic Day
The tragic events of September 11th 2001 will never be forgotten.
While it was the least of the impact of the events in the grand scheme of things, it did bring the sports world to a halt in the USA and around the world.
Major League Baseball cancelled all games scheduled on the day to be cancelled.
The baseball cancellations would extend for a further three days.
Later that year, US President George W Bush would throw the first pitch at Yankee Stadium to emotional scenes.
The NFL would also cancel all Week 2 matches scheduled for the following Sunday the 16th of September, with the matches tacked on to the end of the regular season.
Because of 9/11 the NFL now holds the Super Bowl in the first Sunday of February.
Two days after 9/11, WWE proceeded with Vince McMahon giving an impassioned speech to the masses in a time of need.
Other sports such as NASCAR cancelled events up until November and the PGCA Tour made the unanimous decision to cancel the World Golf Championship.
US College Football was also called off with Division 1 college games scheduled on the dates of September 13 and 15 cancelled.
Most games were called off until early December of that year.
There was also speculation that the 9/11 terriorist attacks could impact the upcoming 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.
It wasn’t just sport in the US that was cancelled as a result of the 9/11 attacks.
UEFA postponed all of the week’s remaining Champions League and UEFA Cup ties with all matches including Manchester United taking on Olympiakos and Celtic’s tie against Rosenborg put on hold.
Both matches were re-scheduled for October 10th of that year.
The English Premier League did proceed with matches the following Sunday, September 16.
In Australia, despite calls for the games to be cancelled/postponed both the semi-finals in the AFL and NRL proceeded as scheduled and a minutes silence was observed.
Two weeks later, at the 2001 AFL Grand Final, then Richmond player and AFLPA President Brendon Gale paid tribute to the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.