By Vera Chinese New York Daily News
The Mets hit a home run Thursday with two teens who lost loved ones on 9/11.
Michael D’Amadeo and Frankie DeVito got to tour Citi Field and meet the likes of second baseman Justin Turner, catcher John Buck and skipper Terry Collins.
The 16-year-olds were thrilled at the chance to attend a press conference before the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“I got to ask Terry a question! He seemed like a really nice guy!” said D’Amadeo, whose father, Vincent, a vice president at Cantor Fitzgerald financial services, was killed in the attacks.
Buck, the Mets’ surprising slugger, said the manager was no softie behind the scenes.
“That’s all a front! He yells at us,” Buck joked.
Turner escorted the teens through the cafeteria.
“This is where we come to get away from the media,” he joked.
Turner also gave the two their first big scoop as cub reporters: He revealed where he would be taking a drug test later in the afternoon.
The boys had yet to decide on a dream gig, but while shadowing the team’s PR department they said a job in the sports media business wouldn’t be so bad.
But Buck said there had been no question what he was going to be when he grew up.
“It sounds very cocky. It sounds naive. But yes, I always thought I’d play baseball,” Buck said. “I had a baseball in my hand since I was 5 years old.”
DeVito’s grandfather, William Steckman was killed while working as an NBC engineer on 9/11. DeVito called the Citi Field experience “great.”
The pair took in the game — the Mets lost, 3-2 — from the press box courtesy of Tuesday’s Children, a group dedicated to children affected by the attacks.
