Editing 2001 World Series (section)

==Background==
{{See also|2001 Major League Baseball postseason}}

===Arizona Diamondbacks===
{{Main|2001 Arizona Diamondbacks season}}

The Arizona Diamondbacks began play in [[1998 Arizona Diamondbacks season|1998]], along with the [[Tampa Bay Devil Rays]], as the youngest [[expansion team]] in Major League Baseball (MLB).<ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Chuck|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/diamondbacks/2001-10-23-cover.htm|title=Diamondbacks quenching fans' thirst for winner|work=[[USA Today]]|date=October 23, 2001|access-date=July 31, 2017}}</ref> After a mediocre debut season, the Diamondbacks finished [[1999 Arizona Diamondbacks season|the following year]] first in the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] (NL) [[National League West|West]] with a {{Win–loss record|w=100|l=62}} record, but lost to the [[1999 New York Mets season|New York Mets]] in the [[1999 National League Division Series|National League Division series]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Magruder|first=Jack|title=D'backs' future looks promising|work=[[Arizona Daily Star]]|date=October 11, 1999|page=1D}}</ref> With several [[Major League Baseball All-Star|All-Star]] players like [[Randy Johnson]] and [[Matt Williams (third baseman)|Matt Williams]], the Diamondbacks had high expectations for the [[2000 Arizona Diamondbacks season|2000 season]], but finished third in the NL West with an {{Win–loss record|w=85|l=77}} record.<ref name="Bob Brenly new manager">{{cite news|last=Magruder|first=Jack|title=D'backs hire Brenly – Former major-league catcher's knowledge, vivacious personality convince Colangelo|work=[[Arizona Daily Star]]|date=October 31, 2000|page=C1}}</ref> During the [[offseason]], team manager [[Buck Showalter]] was fired, and replaced by [[Sports commentator|sportscaster]] [[Bob Brenly]].<ref name="Bob Brenly new manager"/> The Diamondbacks acquired several notable [[free agent]] players during the offseason, including [[Miguel Batista]], [[Mark Grace]], and [[Reggie Sanders]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Gilbert|first=Steve|url=http://www.mlb.com/ws/news/ws_news_story.jsp?article=10262001-1613|title=D-Backs wasted no time in building a winner|work=[[MLB.com]]|date=October 27, 2001|access-date=July 2, 2017}}</ref> Most of the Diamondbacks players were above the age of 30, and had already played on a number of teams prior to the 2001 season.<ref name="Old Team">{{cite news|last=Hummel|first=Rick|title=D'Backs Move Into Series With Loads Of Experience – Problem Is That Not Much Has Been In Postseason|work=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]]|date=October 23, 2001|page=D4}}</ref> In fact, the Diamondbacks [[starting lineup]] for the World Series did not include a player under the age of 31, making them the oldest team by player age in World Series history.<ref name="Old Team"/> With several players nearing the age of retirement, [[Luis Gonzalez (outfielder, born 1967)|Luis Gonzalez]] noted that the overall team mentality was "there's too many good guys in here to let this opportunity slip away".<ref name="Documentary">{{cite video|title=Destiny in the Desert: The 2001 World Series|publisher=Major League Baseball Productions|date=2001|medium=DVD}}</ref>

Although the Diamondbacks were only one game [[Winning percentage|above .500]] by the end of April,<ref name="2001 DBacks season">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/ARI/2001-schedule-scores.shtml|title=2001 Arizona Diamondbacks Schedule|website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=July 2, 2017}}</ref> Gonzalez had a particularly memorable start to the season, in which he tied the MLB record with 13 [[home run]]s during the month of April.<ref name="Documentary"/> The Diamondbacks found greater success in May and June, and at one point had a six-game lead in the NL West. During this span, the team won nine consecutive games, and Johnson tied the MLB record with 20 [[strikeout]]s in a nine-[[inning]] game.<ref name="Documentary"/><ref name="2001 DBacks season"/> The six game lead did not last long however, and by the end of July, the Diamondbacks were a half game behind the [[2001 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Los Angeles Dodgers]] in the West.<ref name="2001 DBacks season"/> A resurgent August pushed the team back into first place, a spot they maintained for the rest of the season.<ref name="2001 DBacks season"/> By the end of the season, several Diamondbacks players had put up exceptional [[Baseball statistics|statistics]]: [[Curt Schilling]] had the most wins of any pitcher in MLB that year with 22, while Johnson nearly broke the single season strikeout record with 372.<ref name="Documentary"/><ref name="Schilling and Johnson">{{cite magazine|last=Verducci|first=Tom|author-link=Tom Verducci|url=https://www.si.com/vault/2001/12/17/8112289/the-power-of-two-spurring-each-other-on-curt-schilling-and-randy-johnson-carried-arizona-to-victory-in-the-world-seriesand-enthralled-a-nation|title=The Power of Two|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|date=December 17, 2001|pages=112–115|volume=95|number=24}}</ref> Johnson and Schilling also had the two lowest [[earned run average]]s (ERA) in the NL, with 2.49 and 2.98 respectively.<ref name="Schilling and Johnson"/> Gonzalez ended the season with a .325 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] and 57 home runs, and finished third in voting for the NL [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player Award]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_2001.shtml|title=2001 Awards Voting|website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=July 2, 2017}}</ref> The Diamondbacks were also one of the best defensive teams in MLB that year, second in fewest [[Error (baseball)|errors]] committed, and tied with the [[Seattle Mariners]] for the best [[fielding percentage]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/2001.shtml|title=2001 MLB Team Statistics|website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=July 2, 2017}}</ref>

The Diamondbacks entered the postseason as the #2 seed in the [[National League (baseball)|National League]], and played the #4 seed [[2001 St. Louis Cardinals season|St. Louis Cardinals]] in the [[2001 National League Division Series|National League Division Series]].<ref name="Schilling and Johnson"/> Schilling threw a [[Shutouts in baseball|shutout]] in Game 1 to give the Diamondbacks an early series lead,<ref name="Documentary"/> but the Cardinals won Game 2 thanks to a two-run home run from [[Albert Pujols]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Ostermeier|first=Joe|title=Cards Even Series At 1–1 – Williams, Pujols Show How To Do It|work=[[Belleville News-Democrat]]|date=October 11, 2001|page=1D}}</ref> [[Craig Counsell]] hit a three-run home run late in Game 3 to give the Diamondbacks a 2–1 series lead,<ref name="Documentary"/> but the Cardinals won Game 4 with strong pitching performances from [[Bud Smith]] and their [[relief pitcher]]s.<ref>{{cite news|last=Fallstrom|first=R.B.|title=Cards extend series Rookie's pitching forces final game|work=[[Charleston Gazette-Mail]]|date=October 14, 2001|page=P4E}}</ref> The Diamondbacks clinched the series in Game 5, when [[Tony Womack]] hit a game winning [[single (baseball)|single]] that scored [[Danny Bautista]].<ref name="Documentary"/> They then faced the third seeded [[2001 Atlanta Braves season|Atlanta Braves]] in the [[2001 National League Championship Series|National League Championship Series]].<ref name="Schilling and Johnson"/> Johnson also threw a shutout in Game 1,<ref name="Documentary"/> while the Braves hit three home runs in Game 2 to tie the series at one game apiece.<ref>{{cite news|last=Reid|first=Jason|title=Glavine, Braves knot NLCS – Atlanta hands Arizona its first loss at home in playoffs|work=[[Charleston Gazette-Mail]]|date=October 18, 2001|page=3B}}</ref> Schilling threw a [[complete game]] in Game 3,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ATL/ATL200110190.shtml|title=2001 National League Championship Series (NLCS) Game 3, Diamondbacks at Braves, October 19|website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=July 31, 2017}}</ref> and the Diamondbacks scored 11 runs in a Game 4 victory to take a 3–1 series lead.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ATL/ATL200110200.shtml|title=2001 National League Championship Series (NLCS) Game 4, Diamondbacks at Braves, October 20|website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=July 31, 2017}}</ref> The Diamondbacks clinched the series in Game 5 with another strong performance from Johnson.<ref name="Schilling and Johnson"/> With the win, they became the fastest expansion team to reach the World Series, in just their fourth year of play.<ref name="Documentary"/>

===New York Yankees===
{{Main|2001 New York Yankees season}}
In contrast to the Diamondbacks, the New York Yankees were one of the oldest and most recognized teams in all of North American sports.<ref name="Documentary"/> The Yankees had built a [[Dynasty (sports)|dynasty]] in the late 1990s that extended into 2000, which included winning three consecutive World Series' and four of the last five.<ref name="Documentary"/> These teams were led by a group of talented young players that became known as the [[Core Four]]: [[Derek Jeter]], [[Andy Pettitte]], [[Jorge Posada]], and [[Mariano Rivera]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Gyurina|first=Scott|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/500086-ny-yankees-core-four-represents-offseason-issues-for-bronx-bombers|title=New York Yankees: Core 4 Represent Offseason Issues for Bronx Bombers|website=[[Bleacher Report]]|date=October 25, 2010|access-date=August 23, 2020}}</ref> Following the Yankees win over the Braves in the [[1999 World Series]], sportscaster [[Bob Costas]] called the Yankees "the team of the decade, [and] most successful franchise of the century."<ref name="Documentary"/>

The Yankees finished the 2001 season in first place in the [[American League East|AL East]] with a win–loss record of {{Win–loss record|w=95|l=65}} (a winning percentage of {{winpct|95|65}}), {{frac|13|1|2}} games ahead of the [[2001 Boston Red Sox season|Boston Red Sox]], good enough to secure the #2 seed in the [[American League]] playoff bracket. The Yankees then defeated the fourth seeded [[2001 Oakland Athletics season|Oakland Athletics]] 3 games to 2 in the [[2001 American League Division Series|AL Division Series]], after losing 2 games at [[Yankee Stadium (1923)|home]], and the top seeded [[2001 Seattle Mariners season|Seattle Mariners]] 4 games to 1 in the [[2001 American League Championship Series|AL Championship Series]] to advance to their fourth consecutive World Series, and fifth in six years.

[[Derek Jeter]] and [[Tino Martinez]] led the Yankees offensively during the 2001 season. Jeter batted .311 with 21 home runs and 74 RBI in 150 games, while Martinez batted .280 with 34 home runs and 113 RBI in 154 games. [[Roger Clemens]] and [[Mike Mussina]] were the leaders of the Yankees' pitching staff. Clemens who won the Cy Young Award, his sixth of a career total and major league record 7, finished with a win–loss record of 20–3, an [[earned-run average]] (ERA) of 3.51, and struck out 213 batters in 220.1 innings pitched and was by far the Yankee's best starter in the World Series. Mussina finished with a win–loss record of 17–11, an ERA of 3.15, and struck out 214 batters in 228.2 innings pitched.

=== September 11 and the month of November ===
[[File:2001 World Series first pitch.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Donning an [[FDNY]] fleece, with a bulletproof vest underneath, President Bush tosses out the ceremonial first pitch.]]
After MLB games were postponed as a result of the [[September 11 attacks]], the World Series began on October 27, 2001,<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://m.mlb.com/postseason/history/2001/world-series/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031111056/http://m.mlb.com/postseason/history/2001/world-series/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 31, 2015|title=Postseason History: 2001 World Series|publisher= MLBAM, LP|access-date=April 4, 2020}}</ref> the latest start date for a World Series until the [[2009 World Series]], which started on October 28. The last three games were the first major-league games (other than exhibitions) played in the month of November.<ref name="auto"/> This was just the fourth time that no World Series champion was decided within the traditional month of October.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.mlb.com/postseason/history/1918/world-series/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151029081450/http://m.mlb.com/postseason/history/1918/world-series/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 29, 2015|title=Postseason History: 1918 World Series|publisher=MLBAM, LP|access-date=April 3, 2020}}</ref> The previous three occurrences were in {{wsy|1904}} (no series), {{wsy|1918}} (series held in September because of World War I), and {{wsy|1994}} (series cancelled by the [[1994–95 Major League Baseball strike|players' strike]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/postseason/history/world-series|title=Postseason History: World Series|publisher=MLB Advanced Media, LP|accessdate=July 12, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/yr1918ws.shtml|title=1918 World Series|publisher=Baseball Almanac, Inc.|accessdate=July 12, 2022}}</ref> Game 7 was played on November 4; at the time this was the latest date a World Series game was played, and still tied with Game 6 of the 2009 Series for the second-latest date of a World Series game (only behind {{wsy|2022}}'s Game 6, played on November 5).<ref>{{cite magazine |title=2022 World Series Could Extend to Nov. 5, Latest Date Ever |magazine=Sports Illustrated |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2022/08/15/2022-world-series-could-extend-to-nov-5-latest-date-ever |accessdate=November 11, 2022}}</ref>

Additionally, the Series took place in New York City only seven weeks after the attacks, representing a remarkable boost in morale for the fatigued city.<ref name="auto"/> A tattered and torn American flag recovered from the wreckage at Ground Zero, which had been used at funerals of fallen [[Port Authority of New York and New Jersey|Port Authority]] police officers after the attacks, was flown over Yankee Stadium during the series.<ref>[https://www.espn.com/mlb/playoffs2001/s/2001/1030/1271252.html Torn flag a reminder of Sept. 11 terrorist attacks]</ref> According to Port Authority sergeant Antonio Scannella, "We wanted a place America could see this flag so they could see the rips in it, but it still flies."<ref>[Flag: An American Biography By Marc Leepson]</ref>

[[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush]] threw out the [[ceremonial first pitch]] before Game 3 at Yankee Stadium.<ref name="auto"/> Bush had been counseled by security officials to appear before Game 1 in Phoenix because they believed it would be more secure there, but Bush thought it would be better for the country to do it in New York.<ref name="911m">[https://www.911memorial.org/connect/blog/remembering-president-george-w-bushs-2001-world-series-pitch Remembering President George W. Bush's 2001 World Series Pitch]</ref> Security was extremely tight at Yankee Stadium before the game, with bomb sniffing dogs sweeping the property, snipers positioned around the stadium, and vendors screened by federal agents.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/31/nyregion/nation-challenged-security-precautions-turn-house-that-ruth-built-into-fortress.html A NATION CHALLENGED: SECURITY; Precautions Turn House That Ruth Built Into the Fortress That Bush Visited]</ref> A [[United States Secret Service|Secret Service]] agent dressed as an umpire and stood on the field with the other umpires before the game, briefly appearing on the TV broadcast.<ref>[https://www.nj.com/yankees/2021/09/remembering-how-the-yankees-helped-us-heal-after-911.html Remembering how the Yankees helped us heal after 9/11]</ref> Bush wore a bulletproof vest underneath an FDNY sweater. Having been counseled by Derek Jeter to throw from the rubber on top of the pitcher's mound rather than the base of the mound, Bush strode to the rubber, gave a thumbs up to the crowd, and fired a strike over home plate as the crowd chanted "U-S-A".<ref name="911m"/> Bush later reflected, "I had never had such an adrenaline rush as when I finally made it to the mound. I was saying to the crowd, 'I'm with you, the country's with you' ... And I wound up and fired the pitch. I've been to conventions and rallies and speeches: I've never felt anything so powerful and emotions so strong, and the collective will of the crowd so evident."<ref>[https://www.newsweek.com/why-george-bushs-2001-world-series-first-pitch-meant-more-just-play-ball-1531324 Why George Bush's 2001 World Series First Pitch Meant More Than Just 'Play Ball']</ref>