New York Yankees star Aaron Judge gushed about making some franchise history in front of President Donald Trump.
“We put on a show,” Judge, 33, told reporters after the team’s 9-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday, September 11.
Judge hit two home runs in the game, tying Joe DiMaggio for fourth-most in Yankees history.
Before the game, Trump, 79, paid a visit to the Yankees’ clubhouse, which Judge called “a surreal moment.”
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“He came in here and he told us we were going to win, so I think that gave everybody the confidence in this room to go out there and do it,” Judge said. “I guess we’ve got to have him around more often.”
During his message to the Yankees in the clubhouse, Trump said the team used to win “every time I came” with his late friend and longtime Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.
“You think that was easy, sitting with him for a game?” Trump said of Steinbrenner, who died in 2010. “It wasn’t. It was brutal. You were exhausted at the end.”
Trump expressed confidence that the Yankees “would go all the way,” picking the team to win their first World Series since 2009.
The president sat behind security glass on the upper level box suite level during the game. He was shown multiple times on the screens inside Yankee Stadium during the game and received mixed reactions.
During the second inning, Trump was shown on the jumbotron while “Hail to the Chief” played.
Later in the game, Trump was shown on the screen while the Village People’s “YMCA” played. He participated in spelling out the letters with his arms, but did not stand up.
According to the Associated Press, Trump left the game during the seventh inning.
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Trump attended the game to commemorate the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Judge called it “a tough day for everyone.”
“We all know where we were during that time. Getting us all together and showing we’re unified and we’re strong, reflecting the strength that this city showed and the country showed during something like this. We’re lucky to come out here and play.”
During a postgame interview with YES Network, Judge discussed wearing hats representing the NYPD and FDNY during the game.
“We’re wearing the hats of those that went out there when it was the darkest hour,” Judge said. “They went right into danger to save people they didn’t even know. It’s more than a game, it’s more than a win or a loss. Obviously we want to come out here and win every game, but this is a special moment we got to share out here.”
