The New York Yankees reached their fourth straight World Series by defeating the Seattle Mariners on Oct. 22 with a by score of 12-3.
The three-time defending champions will return to the World Series to defend the title against the National League winners, the Arizona Diamondbacks. The series kicks off in Phoenix on Saturday, Oct. 27.
The Diamondbacks will have to deal with the Yankee mystique and attempt to steal the glory from the 26-time World Champions.
The Yankees, seeking a fifth championship in six years, won a record fourth American League Championship Series in a row. “This is a special team because of the World Trade Center,” Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said. Giuliani used the Yankee games to rally civic pride following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
The city of New York has been trying to return to a state of normalcy after the devastation and disruption created on Sept. 11. Another World Series win from the Yankees may actually be the sentiment needed to help the city cope.
“The Yankees and the ‘NY’ that we wear on our cap when we play, we feel we’re representing more than the Yankees now,” New York manager Joe Torre said. “We feel inspired by what’s gone on. I don’t think it would be fair for me to say that that’s been our motivation because we’ve done it before, before this tragedy, and we’ve always been a highly motivated team.”
