How COVID-19 Silenced The Words "Play Ball" Across Our Nation.
MLB Opening Day 2020 rang silent as, “Play Ball”, failed to echo though stadiums across the nation. So many Americans long to hear those infamous two words each Spring, as they gather to cheer their favorite teams, eat a hotdog or sip a cold beverage. Baseball is the Great American Pastime. But this year, 2020, is no ordinary year as COVID-19 has disrupted life as we know it. Daily routines are no more as “The New Normal” of Social Distancing and Stay At Home orders have been issued nationwide. Stadiums were shuttered and vacant as MLB, and the world, deals with the spread of this viral pandemic.
The streets surrounding Yankee Stadium on MLB Opening Day 2020 were empty of fans and pedestrians as many heeded Governor Andrew Cuomo’s order for all non-essential retailers and businesses to close, and for residents across the state to stay home as much as possible in an effort to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. Cuomo’s executive order, called PAUSE – “Policies Assure Uniform Safety For Everyone”, mandates that any businesses not deemed “essential” must keep 100 percent of their workforce home. The number of COVID-19 cases ballooned throughout New York—which now has become the epicenter in our country of the new coronavirus pandemic.
MLB Opening Day 2020 - Cancelled Due To COVID-19 Virus
A colleague of mine, Julie Jacobson, hired me to document the scene around Yankee Stadium for the Associated Press. Jacobson knew that I flew drones for a living since I accepted a buyout from the Hartford Courant in November of 2018 after 20 plus years. She inquired about possibility of capturing aerial images of Yankee Stadium or Citi-Field on Opening Day. I told her I hold a Wide Area Authorization for both airports, both are Class B controlled airspace, which is required to legally fly around these MLB stadiums. Yankee Stadium is an easier place to fly since it is further away from the active runways at LaGuardia Airport giving me a 300 ft AGL ceiling to fly in. Citi-Field is located in what is called a “zero” grid because of it’s proximity to the airport and would require additional clearance for the control tower. We decided that Yankee Stadium would be the best place for us to capture the desired images for the Associated Presses worldwide distribution.
MLB Opening Day 2020 may have been cancelled due to COVID-19 but with any luck a restructured schedule will be announced once the “All Clear” signal has been given by the White House.
I would like to thank Associated Press staff photojournalist John Minchillo who had my back and stepped in as a VO (visual observer) as I flew around the stadium to capture the images. Of course we practiced our “Social Distancing”. Be safe and healthy all, we will get through this.
