After retiring from baseball , Tepedino served as a firefighter for the New York City Fire Patrol . During the September 11 attacks , Tepedino 's son called him and asked if he had heard a plane hit the World Trade Center . Tepedino had no knowledge of the event . He realized it was a terrorist attack when the second plane hit the World Trade Center a short time later . Tepedino drove to the World Trade Center with three others , and when they got there , it had already collapsed . During an assembly at Rocky Point High School six years afterward , Tepedino said , " I lost 343 friends on September 11 , 2001 , " referring to his colleagues on the New York City Fire Department who died during the terrorists ' attacks . " I did n't know them all personally , but they were all my friends . " On October 11 , 2001 , one month after the attacks , Tepedino threw out the first pitch at the second game of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Frank Tepedino