Blacksburg, VA (WFAN)  -- This was a trip the Yankees didn’t have to make. They did make it, however, and it was a fun event for people in Blacksburg who have had a hard time getting over the events of last April when a gunman killed 32 people.

When the Yankees arrived, they went straight to the memorial site where 32 stones had been built in a semi-circle with the names of the victims etched into each stone. At a sight that evokes nothing but horrific memories, the people who came out to see the Yankees were all smiles. That may have been enough right there. The team went to the stadium and the Hokies watched in awe as the Yankees took batting practice. Watching how the Yankees went about their business was the most valuable lesson for the Va. Tech players. For the fans (who received tickets through a student lottery) it was a moment to see that somebody else cared about them and were coming to show their support.

The reason the Yankees were here was a somber one, but the atmosphere was anything but that. It reminded me of walking into a college football or basketball game where the number one team had come to town and the fans were doing everything they could to will their team on. They cheered wildly when Bobby Abreu swung and missed at a pitch. The jeered at the umpire they thought was squeezing their pitcher on a ball off the plate. The one thing they didn’t do was boo. And it may be the only visiting stadium ever where the Yankees were not going to hear anything negative. I spoke to several fans, many of them appreciated the Yankees just being there, especially the fact that all the stars came out for this event. It would have been easy for the Yankees to treat this like a split-squad game in Lakeland and send 3 or 4 regulars and then a bunch of guys wearing uniform numbers 60 and above. But they all showed up, signed autographs, and for at least a little while helped this recovering family at Va. Tech forget about the tragic events that made this visit necessary in the first place.

They won’t ever forget, of course. Just like any tragic event in the lives of a close-knit group, they never forget. They’ll talk about that day last April for a long time in these parts. But now they have another day to talk about for the rest of their lives, and this one will bring a smile to their faces.

Click below to listen to audio from the Yankees visit to Virginia Tech:

Alex Rodriguez
Derek Jeter
Joe Girardi

Thanks for reading. Send comments and questions to yankees@wfan.com.

Sweeny