2001 World Series

2001 World Series Baseball in 2001 will always be remembered not for the games that took place during the regular season, but for the patriotism and heroic tributes that took place in the wake of the 9/11 terrorists attacks.

It somehow seemed fitting that the city of New York, led by Mayor Rudy Giuliani, would show immeasurable strength and host the event after suffering such devastating loss a few months earlier. As usual, the Yankees remained on top of the American League as baseball's most storied franchise prepared to face one of its newest as the National League's Arizona Diamondbacks had just won their first pennant in their fourth year of existence. Many fans felt that this was the year to beat the perennial champions and as a banner hung at Arizona's Bank One Ballpark stated:

Yankees = History

Diamondbacks = Future

Diamondbacks win World Series
By Carrie Muskat
MLB.com

PHOENIX -- The Diamondbacks found their own mystique and aura.

After being beaten in extra inning games twice in New York, Arizona got late inning revenge and a World Championship, too.

Luis Gonzalez hit a RBI single with one out in the ninth inning Sunday night off super closer Mariano Rivera to give the expansion Diamondbacks their first World Series win and upend the three-time defending champion Yankees.

A classic Fall Classic
Game 7 thriller puts 2001 World Series in an elite class

PHOENIX -- You can define a classic in a lot of ways. Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca, for sure. A '66 Mustang. Born to Run. A Brooks Brothers blazer.

There's "Not that there's anything wrong with that," and "Excuuuuuse me" before that. There's Joe Namath wagging his index finger, Yogi Berra jumping into Don Larsen's arms, Jack Nicklaus at Augusta.

What happened in the swirling winds of the desert here Sunday night ... that was a classic, too, in any sense of the word. In baseball lore, Game 7 of the 2001 World Series will edge its way in beside Larsen's perfect game and Bill Mazeroski's home run and some of the best World Series games ever played.