President George W. Bush in Yankee Dugout Before Game 3 of 2001 World Series

ESPN 30 for 30 Documentary “First Pitch” Features New Rochelle’s Own, Nicky Trotta

Written By: Robert Cox

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Nicholas Trotta, who grew up in New Rochelle’s West End and attended Salesian High School, is feaured in a new ESPN documentary on the events surrounding the September 11th attacks. Trotta recently retired as a senior officer in the U.S. Secret Service. IN 2001, he was assigned to lead President Bush’s secret service detail. Trotta appears in the documentary.

Trotta was on hand for the premier in Dallas, TX a few weeks ago as a guest of President Bush.

ESPN debuted this morning, “First Pitch”, a 30 for 30 documentary on the night of Oct. 30, 2001, when President George W. Bush stepped onto the mound at Yankee Stadium to throw out the first pitch at Game 3 of the World Series, just six weeks after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

ESPN Films’ new 30 for 30 Short “First Pitch” looks at how important that famous pitch was to the nation, and how baseball became a part of the recovery after 9/11.

With New York City and the entire country still trying to heal, the ceremonial first pitch that night meant more than “play ball.” 

The 23-minute film, directed by two-time Academy Award-winning director Angus Wall and executive produced by Jim Gray, relives that anxious October night and the days leading up to it with behind-the-scenes footage and interviews from President Bush, Derek Jeter, Condoleezza Rice, Joe Torre, Rudy Giuliani, Billy Crystal, George Tenet, Bush family members, Cabinet officers and Secret Service agents. “First Pitch” recounts stories from the Yankees’ visit to the New York City Armory, where they comforted citizens looking for lost family members, as well as what it took for the president’s Secret Service team to safely allow him to throw out the pitch.

Preview here.