After one of the most tragic days in our nation’s history, San Diego’s sports community came together to grieve, show respect and persevere in a way we have not seen since. Following the 25th anniversary of 9/11, here’s a look back at how San Diego’s MLB and NFL franchises — and more than 50,000 community members at the then-named Qualcomm Stadium — honored those lost.
The San Diego Padres
America’s pastime provided a much-needed sense of normalcy in the weeks following September 11. All sports had screeched to a sudden halt for six days, and the return to the field was legendary. Cardinals Hall of Fame broadcaster Jack Buck’s famous “Should we be here? Yes!” confirmed the game’s vital role in national healing. From President Bush’s ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium in an FDNY jacket over a bulletproof vest to Mike Piazza’s memorable go-ahead home run in New York’s first post-9/11 game, baseball was what people needed. The San Diego Padres played a pivotal role in this: they were the first to sing “God Bless America” during the seventh inning stretch. This is now a common element of game days across the country, typically sung on Sundays or before the Star-Spangled Banner.
“We wanted to do something special to honor the military that were a big part of the 9/11 aftermath,” Sue Botos, a member of the Padres’ staff in 2001, said about the decision to sing the patriotic song. She was involved in community relations, player engagement and club philanthropy at the time. “First responders were a huge part of it, but the military side of it hit a lot closer to home.”
Botos said she still gets goosebumps when thinking of the unity the baseball community experienced that year.
The San Diego Chargers
Before their 2017 return to Los Angeles, the Chargers were a beloved part of the San Diego community. Players protested the team owners’ initial push to continue playing after the attacks. . It seemed wrong to be playing a game where bodies are tackled while other bodies were still being pulled from rubble.
Coincidentally, the San Diego Chargers had a bye week (a scheduled week off) during the week of 9/11, which led to confusion about how the league should handle the schedule — this shift is responsible for the Super Bowl moving into February. The NFL returned to the field on Sept. 23, but the Chargers would not have their first home game after the pause until Sept. 30.
As then-quarterback Doug Flutie ran out of the tunnel at Qualcomm Stadium (now SDSU’s Snapdragon Stadium), Chargers photographer Mike Nowak snapped one of the season’s most memorable photos. Surrounded by a cloud of smoke, Flutie ran out as usual — but carrying an American flag. Nowak’s photograph of the moment, titled “Freedom,” won the Dave Boss Award of Excellence and earned its place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“Doug came running out of this big cloud of smoke carrying the American flag,” Nowak said in a 2021 CBS interview. “Out of the 15 frames that I shot or so, in this one frame Doug is just suspended in mid-air, and he’s away from the smoke, and it’s kind of like a 3-D image almost. It was pretty special.”
Jeff and Jer’s Human Flag at Qualcomm Stadium
Star 100.7 was one of San Diego’s top radio stations, known for uniting the community behind different causes. Hosted by National Radio Hall of Famers Jeff & Jer, the morning show created impactful initiatives like Becky’s House (a domestic abuse shelter launched after a listener’s call raised $43,000) and the “Breaking and Entering Christmas” program, which surprised families in need with holiday decor, gifts, and furniture.
But the show’s most impactful moment came 11 days after 9/11. The team organized an event in which San Diegans came to Qualcomm Stadium’s parking lot and formed a massive human flag — and what started as a plan for 1,000 or so people ended with more than 50,000. Producer Tommy Sablan shared what went into the decision and logistics of what he calls “one of the most important moments in San Diego history.”
“At midnight, the staff at Star 100.7 all met at the parking lot, preparing for what we hoped was at least 1,000 people,” Sablan said. “We got everything together, anticipating people. And then around 3 a.m., people started showing up. 4 a.m., a lot more; by 6 a.m., there were now so many people. 7 a.m., thousands of people were there.”
The turnout was not the issue — capturing the photo was. All aircraft were grounded following the attacks, so they could not use a small Cessna or a helicopter. Their solution: a tethered hot air balloon 1,000 feet in the air, packed with reporters and photographers.
“At that time, Sept. 22, 2001, in San Diego, San Diegans showed their pride,” Sablan said. “And the main reason why we did it was to show support for Ground Zero.”
