Schools Played On Amid Postponements
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MARTIN, Tenn. — With most sports on hold after terrorists struck New York and Washington, fans gathered Thursday night at a small college football game in Tennessee and spontaneously sang “God Bless America.”
Players and cheerleaders from Kentucky Wesleyan and Tennessee Martin were joined on the field by local police and firefighters in tribute to those killed in Tuesday’s attacks.
The game was the first team event to go on as scheduled in a week that has seen virtually all professional and major college sports postponed across the nation.
The crowd of 4,645 was led in prayer and heard a soloist’s rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner” before breaking into a chorus of “God Bless America” without musical accompaniment.
“May the forces of evil be broken by your power,” said the Rev. Adam Hall said in a prayer to begin the game at 6,500-seat Skyhawks Stadium.
Despite the NFL, major league baseball and all NCAA Division I-A schools canceling or postponing games through Monday, the game between Division I-AA Tennessee-Martin and Division II Kentucky Wesleyan went on.
“This speaks to our sense of strength and freedom, that we will continue on,” Hall said.
Tennessee Martin won, 54-14.
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