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CNN Sunday Morning

James Earl Jones and Oprah Winfrey Will Help Lead Prayer Service at Yankee Stadium in New York City Today

Aired September 23, 2001 - 10:24   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Back here in New York City, at Yankee Stadium today, the biggest hitters in that ballpark with not be Derek Jetter or Paul O'Neil but rather James Earl Jones and Oprah Winfrey, helping to lead a prayer service that will be getting underway a bit later today. Marty Savidge outside Yankee Stadium in the Bronx with more on that.

Marty, good morning.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Well, Bill, it is going to be a very emotional service. It's also one that's going to be conducted under very strict security. Those that are planning to attend must have a ticket. And when they go into the stadium, they will not be allowed to carry very much with them. There are no bottles that are allowed. There are no backpacks, anything along those lines.

Security was the main reason that when there had been talk about possibly a memorial service today in Central Park, that that idea was quickly put down. It was pointed out that first of all, this is not the time for a memorial service. That is too final and that search and recovery is still ongoing. But also, foremost in the minds of city officials was that trying to secure an area as large as that, perhaps a million people just would have been too difficult with all the resources that have been committed to the World Trade Center site.

It is very clear that for the first time since this all began, today, this afternoon at 3:00 Eastern time, you're going to see a shift in what has been the emotional epicenter of this terrible story, transferring at least temporarily from the World Trade Center to Yankee Stadium. It's expected that they will be filled to capacity there.

You mentioned James Earl Jones, Oprah Winfrey, on top of that, there will be a number of religious leaders from many different faiths that will be reading from scripture. And then of course, the music that will be there, a very variety and mix that will be uplifting for many. It has everything from classic music to choirs to Placido Domingo to Bette Midler. And on top of that of course, is just the amount of prayer and the fact that people, for the first time, can gather in an official way.

The very sad thing about all of this, of course, despite the size of that stadium is that much of those seats will be taken up by the family members of those that are still missing. Over 6,000 people, multiple that over the family members and representatives and you can see that that stadium easily could be filled by those people alone.

As a result of that, there are some tickets that are available to the general public. There are also alternate viewing sights that have been set up on Coney Island and also have been set up on Staten Island. This is going to be an opportunity for the people of New York but as the name implies a "Prayer For America" is also just that, an opportunity for the entire nation to take part -- Bill.

HEMMER: And Marty, watching Shea Stadium get back to business on Friday night, quite emotional in the pre-game ceremony there as well. And today, much more the same. Thank you, Marty; we'll check in a bit later.

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