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New York is the Baseball Capital of the World

Subway Series fever has gripped New York. The city is captivated by the Bronx-Queens showdown. This is a dream come true for New York baseball fans. I have always maintained that New York City is the sports capital of America. New York fans are the most knowledgeable and most devoted. We love our teams and we love our heroes. There can be nothing better than having a Subway Series in New York City.

And it has been a long time coming. New York hasn't seen a hometown-vs.-hometown matchup since 1956, when the Yankees beat the Brooklyn Dodgers and Don Larsen pitched his historic perfect game. I grew up in Brooklyn, one mile from Ebbets Field, when the Yankees, the Dodgers, or the Giants played in the World Series almost every year. It was only natural that the greatest city in the world had the greatest baseball teams in the world. And for 10 of the first 13 Subway Series, the Yankees were the greatest team.

With this year's World Series - the 14th Subway Series - that tradition of greatness is reborn, and in such a dramatic fashion. The Mets came into the Playoffs as a wild card team and proved why they will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come. The Yankees are the reigning World Champs and have brought us now three championships since 1996.

I think either team would make a terrible mistake underestimating the other team. The Mets have terrific pitching and they've won a lot of games. The Yankees also have terrific pitching, and they've found a way to win when people thought they couldn't. The team that wins can chalk it up to skill, but victory also depends on the intangibles. I've watched many World Series games, and that's often been true.

Lots of people talk about the financial impact of a Subway Series, and the $250 million in economic activity this Series is expected to generate is impressive. But what is really extraordinary is the incalculable benefits we receive above and beyond economics. We have the chance to experience both the camaraderie and the competition of watching our teams play for it all, and we get to show the entire world what a terrific city we live in.

People from every nation of the world come to America and New York City to build better lives for themselves and their families. And baseball players from all over the world dream of coming to the United States to play in the Major Leagues.

If you look at the rosters of each team, they are testimonies to the fact that the greatness of our city and our nation comes from our diversity. Players from Cuba to Japan, Panama to Puerto Rico, and Venezuela to the Dominican Republic came to America to play baseball, and they come to New York to be champions.

Of course, great New Yorkers are contributing to both teams. Joe Torre and Lee Mazzilli of the Yankees and John Franco of the Mets were born right here in the city. Joe Torre was here in 1956, and witnessed Don Larsen's perfect game six against the Giants. Joe knows how exciting a Subway Series can be.

For those of you who are lucky enough to remember how the Subway Series captures the attention of the entire city, you know what an incredible experience this is. And for those who are watching their first Subway Series, you are witnessing history. You'll always be able to tell people that you were a New Yorker for the 2000 Subway Series, that you were here, and that you cheered your heart out for your team.

Congratulations to both the New York Mets and the New York Yankees, and thank you for making every New Yorker a winner.