Chants of "USA!" "USA!" interrupted Sunday night's New York Mets-Philadelphia Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia after reports of Osama bin Laden's death spread through the stadium.

Fans could be seen checking their phones as details about Bin Ladenâ€™s killing emerged. The chants reached a crescendo in the top of the ninth inning with New York Mets infielder Daniel Murphy at the plate. Murphy seemed distracted and stepped out of the batterâ€™s box to regroup.

"I don't like to give Philly fans too much credit," Mets third baseman David Wright said with a wry smile after the game, a 2-1, 14-inning Mets victory, "but they got this one right. Itâ€™s a proud moment to stand out there and youâ€™ve got 45-50 thousand people chanting (announced attendance was 45,713). That was pretty special.â€

Mets rookie reliever Pedro Beato, who watched the Towers come down as a high school student in Brooklyn, said he heard the chants in the bullpen. When he was told what was going on, Beato told reporters that he replied: "About time."

Phillies starting pitcher Cliff Lee, who had been taken out after seven innings on Sunday night, said no one in the dugout was sure what was going on.

"I didn't really understand what was going on there for a minute," said Lee. "Then someone came up and said bin Laden had been killed over there. Took them long enough."

Chris Young, the Mets' starting pitcher Sunday, was a senior at Princeton when the attacks took place. He recalled seeing the destruction of 9/11 when he traveled to New York days later.

"It's uplifting to know that we're winning the war," Young, who resides in Manhattan during the season, told reporters after the game.

Mets manager Terry Collins told reporters the news about bin Laden overshadowed anything that happened on the field.

â€œThatâ€™s certainly something bigger to celebrate than this, I can tell you that,â€ Collins said.

Phillies reliever Danys Baez defected to the United States in 1999 from Cuba and he was just a rookie when 9/11 happened.

"It was a close game and everyone was focused on the game," Baez said. "But obviously what happened for the U.S. and the rest of the world is great."

"For those who have suffered, maybe they'll have some kind of closure," Phillies center fielder Shave Victorino said.

Wright said he thought about the losses suffered by New York's police and fire departments on 9/11. Wright also spoke of the wounded veterans who are recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington. The Mets visited there last week when they were in D.C. to play the Nationals.

That the Mets were playing a team from Pennsylvania â€“ and that former Mets manager Bobby Valentine was broadcasting the game for ESPN â€“ when the announcement was made seems serendipitous.

Valentine was the Mets' manager at the time of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, for which Bin Laden was held responsible.

Valentine and the Metsâ€™ players assisted in relief and rescue efforts while Shea Stadium was being used as a staging area. They also wore caps honoring metro area police and fire departments when play resumed a week after the attacks.

Pennsylvania became a part of the 9/11 story when passengers on Flight 93 resisted a group of hijackers who, it is believed, intended to fly the plane into the U.S. Capitol or the White House. The plane crashed in Shanksville, Pa., southeast of Pittsburgh, killing all aboard.

The real-time reactions to Sunday's announcement by President Barack Obama expressed mostly joy, relief, gratitude, with athletes and journalists alike weighing in via Twitter. A sampling:

"As the great hawk harrelson would say...osama bin laden...he gone!" -- Chicago White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham

"God Bless America" -- New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees

"Thank u former Pres. Bush for starting the pursuit and thank you Pres. Obama for finishing the job! Let's leave it at that!" -- Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Derrick Mason

"bush gets the W and Obama gets the save." -- Dennis Dodd, CBSSports.com

"Just clapped out loud in my hotel room. Job well done President Obama. God bless The United States of America..." -- Florida Marlins catcher Brett Hayes

"Well done ! Proud to be American !" -- Marlins catcher John Buck

"Revenge is a drink best served cold!" -- Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zach Duke

"As always big thanks to all who serve our country." -- NASCAR driver Joe Nemechek