NEW YORK, Sept. 13 (UPI) -- Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig was irate when the New York Mets blamed him for them not wearing Sept. 11 commemorative caps, the New York Post reported.
Baseball fans across the country were disappointed when the Mets came onto the field Sunday wearing their usual caps instead of caps honoring New York first responders on the 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Mets officials divulged it was Selig's decision to ban the caps because baseball rules demand uniformity on the field. That, in turn, prompted a call to the Mets from an upset commissioner who accused the team of throwing him "under the bus," a Mets official whose name was not reported told the New York Post.
"(Selig) got embarrassed by it," the source said. "The game got moved into prime time because of 9-11, and (MLB) ended up getting embarrassed."
Mets player representative Josh Thole said Monday the team wanted to wear FDNY and NYPD caps in the contest, but were threatened with fines.
MLB Vice President Joe Torre, however, denied that Tuesday, telling Sirius-XM Radio: "I don't think money was ever an issue or they were ever threatened with a heavy-fisted fine. If that's the case, I have no knowledge of it."
