For nearly 80 years, by way of gratitude to the baby-faced colossus who made its occupants the most fabled team in sport, Yankee Stadium has been enshrined as The House That Ruth Built.

To the 55,863 punters privileged to have been in the Bronx cathedral as the clock struck midnight and October turned to November, it will henceforth be known as The House That Jeter Brought Down.

Derek Jeter, pride of the modern Yankees and at various times squire to Madonna and Mariah Carey, rewarded their patience at the bottom of the 10th inning, drilling the home run that capped a breath-swiping fightback against the Arizona Diamondbacks to give the Yankees a 4-3 victory and level the best-of-seven World Series at 2-2. Here, indubitably, was sport as catharsis.

That the decisive blow should creep over the wall in the right-field corner seemed wholly apt.

When the stadium was built, its outer dimensions were designed specifically to accommodate Babe Ruth, a left-hander. Two of the game's previous three homers, indeed, had disappeared in that same irresistible direction. Jeter's contribution in the Series up to that juncture - one hit in 15 at-bats - had prompted one reporter to hail the MVP (most valuable player) of last year's Series as this one's LVP, as in "least visible player".

When the crowd eventually filed out in high-fiving, back-slapping jubilation, they were serenaded by Frank Sinatra's New York, New York, a ritual here when the Yankees prevail.