Buoyant bedlam in the Big Apple

Yankee fans celebrate a taste of the old glory

October 27, 1996
Web posted at: 12:00 p.m. EDT

From Correspondent Michael Okwu

NEW YORK (CNN) -- New York Yankees fans haven't celebrated a World Series title since 1978. So after the final out Saturday night -- and a fresh title for a team that snagged it so often in its glory days -- the fans erupted in a typically New York-styled celebration. (680 K / 15 sec QuickTime movie)

From the hallowed house that Ruth built -- Yankee Stadium -- to the neon heaven of Times Square, New Yorkers celebrated a win that seemed unthinkable less than a week ago when the Yanks soundly lost two games at home.

Fans said the comeback was "unbelievable," and old timers who remember better days for the Bronx Bombers said the 1996 championship was a sweet one.

Thousands poured into the streets, car horns honked wildly, and the least-inhibited cut up the tar with the Macarena. Just in case, the police brought out the heavy hitters, and made a few disorderly conduct arrests, but for the most part the city was on its best behavior.

"They're very loud and rowdy but very well behaved," said Kingdon Knowles, manager of the bar Mickey Mantle's. "It's a fun crowd. No one is getting out of hand."

Even in the stadium, as the players piled onto the field for their initial victory celebration, fans stayed in the stands. And as older Yankees fans recalled their hallowed history, the younger ones got a tantalizing taste of the lore and luster of the Yankee pinstripes.

These Yankees were only the third team in World Series history to take that title after dropping the first two games at home. And on the streets, the fans -- both old and young -- say it's Yankee destiny that brought the title home.

Related sites:

• Official New York Yankees Web site
• Atlanta Braves Official Site

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