Big Apple Is Where It’s At for Fans Loyal to the Core

NEW YORK —  The Big Apple is abuzz once again about its beloved Yankees, whose 35th appearance in the World Series is keeping the city that never sleeps awake these days.

The Yankees are the topic in the five boroughs. They dominated the back pages of the tabloids throughout their record-setting regular season and playoff run, leading to their second trip in three years to the season-ending party.

And New York has returned to the national spotlight because of the World Series between its American League champions and their NL counterpart San Diego Padres, beginning in Game 1 tonight at Yankee Stadium.

Of course, most New Yorkers believe they’re always the center of attention. But even the underdog Padres are in a New York state of mind.

“It’s always an incredible setting, it’s an incredible city, but especially at this time of the year,” said Tony Gwynn, the Padres’ all-star right fielder. “You look around at what’s going on, how everybody loves the Yankees and are behind them, and you know exactly where you are.”

New Yorkers have made that clear in pep rallies and other ceremonial activities leading to the 94th World Series opener. The stage has been set for the game’s biggest event--and no stage is bigger.

“You can say all you want to about every other city, but New York is center stage,” said Padre playoff hero Jim Leyritz, who formerly occupied that role with the Yankees. “The people, all the stuff going on, the bright lights and everything else.

“Anyone who says they don’t notice that stuff just isn’t telling the truth. To play in the World Series is one of the greatest things in sports, and to play in the World Series in New York is even more special.”

For the Padres, this cross-country trip is special for other reasons too.

They are making only their second appearance in the World Series in their 30-year history, and their first since 1984. The Yankees have won 113 World Series games. The Padres have won one.

This is an organization that only recently has been embraced by its community. A Padre team president once made an obscene gesture with his right hand to a home crowd. On Fan Appreciation Night.

Then there were the fire sales of the early ‘90s--not the way to strengthen a fan base. San Diego’s ship was righted after current owner John Moores, a computer software baron from Houston, bought the club, hired knowledgeable baseball people and permitted them to work without interfering.

But enduring playoff moments don’t occur overnight.

“We’ve had some crazy years, but we don’t have history, that’s what we’re trying for now,” said Gwynn, an eight-time NL batting champion and the only remaining player from the Padres’ last World Series team.

“And it’s more than just winning the World Series, even though we got spanked in ’84 [losing to the Detroit Tigers in five games]. People have taken their shots. I’m playing in my [sixth] World Series game, and Mickey Mantle has what, how many homers in the World Series? [Eighteen.]

“Our World Series memory is Kurt Bevacqua [the Padres’ designated hitter] hitting a home run [in Game 2, San Diego’s only victory] and blowing kisses to the crowd. Here’s an opportunity for us to establish something positive.”

The Yankees have provided many positive postseason moments for their fans, playing in the World Series more than any other team. And they usually don’t return empty-handed, winning 23 titles, including the ’96 championship.

New Yorkers don’t embrace losers because of the Yankees’ success. And to die-hard Yankee fans, anything less than a championship doesn’t cut it.

“You just accept that you have to win in New York,” said Yankee Manager Joe Torre, who in ’96 guided the Yankees to their first World Series title in 18 years in his first season at the helm.

“I think getting here is where the pressure is. Obviously, there is still pressure in the World Series. You want to win. But getting to the World Series is so tough after playing 162 games, and getting into postseason, and then having to fight, bite and scratch and everything else to get here.”