Giuliani craves a World Series win

Giuliani is not alone in finding comfort within the historic portals of Yankee Stadium. On Tuesday, the final 18,000 tickets for games three to five were sold within 90 minutes.

In the great scheme of events still unfolding at Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan, a curving pitch and the crack of ball meeting bat are of little consequence. Yet there can be no measure of what it would mean to New York should the Yankees fulfil Giuliani's prediction of a serieswinning victory in game five next Thursday.

A supporter since the early 1950s, with a prized seat just behind the home dugout, Giuliani was on the mark when he said his side would beat the Seattle Mariners in five to win the American League pennant for the 38th time on Monday.

"It will be the Yankees in five again," he said, looking forward to the greater challenge posed by the Diamondbacks, "because I want them to win it at home".

Just imagine what that would do for the spirit of the stricken city. The champagne corks were popped in the wake of the triumph over the Mariners yet care was taken to ensure celebrations were not considered too exuberant.

Joe Torre is manager of a team whose domination of baseball in America mirrors that enjoyed by Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United in football here, to the extent that the two have come together in a transatlantic marketing enterprise.

Torre acknowledged: "We really have understood the responsibility of having the 'N' and 'Y' on our caps.

"I realise, and the players realise, our responsibility was more than just to baseball fans this time. It was to the people of New York, to represent them and to bring a smile to their faces.

"We're working like hell to give them a little rest from the weariness they have experienced."

How often must Torre have heard his players referred to as "heroes". Yet there is an acceptance, this time, that the real heroes are wearing rather different uniforms to those on display around the playing diamond.

Yankee right-fielder Paul O'Neill recalled one of the most poignant moments during last weekend's tribute rock concert at Madison Square Garden and said: "This is a game. This is fun. When you see a little boy on stage who has lost his father, that's different."

It all adds to the sense of occasion pervading this World Series. Tino Martinez, the Yankees' first baseman, captured the overall mood.

"I believe we will bring the world championship to the city of New York because these people deserve it," he said.

"I'd like to say it is destiny but all I know is we represent this great city and we know that the people of New York and the victims of the tragedy of 11 September, many of them Yankee fans, are counting on us. We believe we can help ease their pain."