World Series - When baseball is king

For one week in October, something happens that grabs the attention of true sports fans:

The World Series.

Also known as the Fall Classic.

Forget Halloween. Forget pretty leaves. And forget being anywhere other than your favorite chair for roughly three hours (barring extra innings) for seven nights during this truly most wonderful time of the year.

We are in the midst of the 100th such series this week as we watch the underdog Florida Marlins take on the mighty New York Yankees.

We've seen so much already in these 2003 playoffs. The Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox came so close and then did what they always do: lose. We've seen two Game 7s, three dazzling pitching performances and more acrobatic plays than you'd get at the best circus.

Some say it's just a game. They are wrong. It's the ballet, gymnastics and the precision of the best German car all tightly wound in a beautiful, diamond-shaped package. It is a game. But it is other things. Just ask those who love it.

Baseball fans know that hidden somewhere in that split second between the time the ball leaves the pitcher's hand until the hitter swings the bat lies the secret of life.