The Fall Classic By ESPN Kids Writer

And so it all comes down to this. After 162 games and two rounds of playoffs series, there are only two baseball teams remaining. One is a historical champion, the most successful franchise in all of professional sports. The other is defending champ that just recently shed its legacy of losing. Now these two great teams will tangle on the diamond, competing for the title of World Series Champion.

The World Series: Since 1903, the champions of the American League and National League have met in the World Series. It is one of the most anticipated and most respected sporting events in the world, full of history and surrounded by mystique. They say that anything can happen in the best-of-seven series, and usually it does. Over the next nine days, these two teams will make history as the world watches. The players will compete to add their names to a great athletic legacy that is still growing, even after more than 100 years.

The New York Yankees: The American League Champion Yankees have reached the World Series 40 times, winning 26 of them. No team in any other sport has come close to the Yankees' dominance. Although they haven't won a World Series since 2000, most fans and experts are predicting the Yankees to win. They have a powerful lineup with great players like Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira and clutch pitchers like C.C. Sabathia and Mariano Rivera. The most successful team in the game, the Yankees will be very, very tough to beat.

The Philadelphia Phillies: If anybody can beat the Yankees, it's the National League Champion Phillies. With All-Star boppers Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, Philadelphia can slug it out with anybody. Star pitchers Cliff Lee and Brad Lidge will try to keep the Yankees off balance. The Phillies are also baseball's defending champs. They won the World Series last season, just the second championship in their long history. The Phillies and their fans would like nothing more than to take a third.

What It Means: There are images from World Series past that are timeless - Babe Ruth calling his shot in the 1932 World Series when the New York Yankees beat the Chicago Cubs; Carlton Fisk frantically waving his arms as his game-winning home run propelled the Boston Red Sox to a Game 6 win over the Cincinnati Reds in 1975. These images represent the history of the World Series, showing how it has been a beloved part of sports culture for many generations. For many, it is more than just a game. The World Series is a reward for months and years of hard work and dedication. Young players all over the world dream of someday playing in the World Series. It is a common goal that only a few lucky athletes achieve, an accomplishment showing that dreams can come true.

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