New York. San Diego. --
What's an Orioles fan to do -- cheer for rain delays?
No, of course not. This is America. No true baseball fan can watch the World Series as it begins tonight without a rooting interest. We need an adopted team. So whom do you go with -- the Padres, gritty, shaved-headed champions of the National League, or the Yankees, gutty, big-headed champions of the American League? Let's analyze the match-ups:
Best place to see animals
San Diego: World-famous zoo
New York: Right-field bleachers
Advantage: Yankees.
Fan support
San Diego: Laid back
New York: Hairy back
Advantage: Padres.
Ball-park food
San Diego: Sushi
New York: Spit-steamed hot dog
Advantage: Tie
Eye-catching water views
San Diego: Surfers in Pacific Ocean
New York: Bodies in East River
Advantage: Padres
Major exports
San Diego: Marines
New York: Muggers
Advantage: Padres
Ball-park diversions Part I
San Diego: The wave
New York: The whack
Advantage: Yankees
Mascots
New York: Woody Allen
San Diego: The Famous Chicken
Advantage: Padres
Former players
New York: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio.
San Diego: Nate Colbert, Carmelo Martinez, Champ Summers, Kurt Bevacqua, Tito Fuentes.
Advantage: Yankees.
Cuisine
San Diego: Fish tacos
New York: Poppy seed bagels
Advantage: Tie
National anthem singer (past or present)
San Diego: Roseanne
New York: Robert Merrill
Advantage: Yankees
Roly-poly tourist attraction
San Diego: Shamu, the killer whale
New York: David Wells, the former O
Advantage: Padres
Ballpark diversions Part II
San Diego: Flying Frisbees
New York: Flying flashlight batteries
Advantage: Padres
Irascible owner (past or present):
San Diego: McDonald's owner Ray Kroc
New York: "Seinfeld" target George Steinbrenner
Advantage: Tie
Ballpark names
New York: Yankee Stadium
San Diego: Qualcomm Stadium
Advantage: Yankees
Fan chatter
San Diego: "Surf's up! Let's boogie."
New York: "I've got your &!!ing Qualcomm right here, pal!"
Advantage: Yankees
And the tie-breaker --
Orioles 1998 record against each team:
New York: 3-9
San Diego: 0-0
Go, Padres!
Pub Date: 10/17/98