Red Sox and Yankees to honor the town of Newtown on Opening Day at Yankee Stadium - "to reflect upon more important things..."

Before baseball’s greatest rivalry heats up for another season, the Yankees and Red Sox will stand together for Newtown.

The Yankees announced Wednesday that the two teams will dedicate their April 1 home opener to the memory of the victims of the December mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.

Each player will wear a ribbon featuring the emblem of the city of Newtown surrounded by a star for each of the 26 Sandy Hook victims - 20 children and six adults.

Their names will be shown on the center-field video board. The announcement from the Yankees comes just one day after Congressional leaders said that a proposed federal ban on assault weapons is all but dead.

“On Opening Day, we will reflect upon more important things and play the game to honor the community of Newtown," Yankees co-owner Hal Steinbrenner said.

Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig has asked the 28 other teams to join the Yankees and Red Sox in wearing the Newtown ribbon during their Opening Day games, as well, and to observe a moment of silence.

The Yankees also will host “Newtown Day at Yankee Stadium” with approximately 3,000 members of the Connecticut community invited to the Yankees-Orioles afternoon game on Sunday, July 7, once the children from the area are on summer break.

“Since the day of the tragedy, our hearts and thoughts have been with those who were affected," Steinbrenner said. "We hope that bringing the families of Newtown together at Yankee Stadium later in the summer will give the community an opportunity to create new memories and aid in the difficult process of moving forward."

In addition to the special ribbon players will wear on their uniforms, the same ribbon will be painted on the field in front of both dugouts.

The idea was born in the early days following the Dec. 14 massacre at the Sandy Hook Elementary School when the Yankees' media relations department began talking with Red Sox officials about a way to do something for the people of Sandy Hook and Newtown in the offseason, says Yankee director of marketing Debbie Tymon.

"As we reviewed the calendar, we realized the children would be in school during that time and we wanted to put the needs of the children first," she said. So the Yankees began to think about creating an event for Opening Day, and then a game after school ends.

Tymon and the Yankees worked with the Red Sox, Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig's office and the office of Connecticut Gov. Daniel Molloy to set up the Opening Day tribute.

Tymon applauded the "wonderful effort, with everyone coming together," and said the Red Sox will likely follow with a day honoring Newtown in Fenway Park.

"Months have passed, yet we are still trying to come to grips with this incomprehensible tragedy," Red Sox owner John W. Henry said. "As our teams look to face each other on Opening Day, we will stand united in support of the families affected as we remember and honor those who were lost.