Former MLB pitcher Andy Pettitte says sports is a way to unify politically divided country

by Olafimihan Oshin - 09/11/22 12:58 PM ET

Former MLB pitcher Andy Pettitte said on Sunday that competitive sports are still one way that could unify a politically divided U.S.

During an appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” anchor Shannon Bream asked Pettitte for his thoughts on some aspects of sports becoming too political.

In recent years, headlines of prominent athletes using their platforms to speak on societal and inequality issues have dominated the news such as former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s protest during the national anthem. There have been a host of athletes using their platforms to speak up against racism, particularly during the summer of 2020. There was also Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka and U.S. gymnast Simone Biles stepping away from their competitive sports to focus on their mental health.

“Well, I think so. I mean sports have always been just, you know, something that unified us,” Pettitte told Bream, sharing experiences from his childhood of attending sports events.

Pettitte, a three-time All-Star selection and five-time World Series champion with the New York Yankees, also noted how sports helped unify the country in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attack, describing how the country proudly supported both the Yankees and Mets, New York’s famed based baseball teams and bitter rivals.

“And in the sense of 9/11, just what an opportunity that was and that we saw, you know, as the players, the way that everyone rallied around us, you know, and rallied around as a team,” he said.

“And then whether you were a part of the Yankees or the Mets at that time, or you were just a fan, what 9/11 really did was make you feel like you – we were all a part of the same team. And so, as we move forward, of course we need to remember for sure, but continue to try to unify our country and unify each other. And I think baseball and the sports is a great way to do that,” he concluded.

Pettitte’s remarks come as Sunday marked the 21st anniversary of 9/11, which took the lives of more than 3,000 Americans.