NEW YORK -- Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, ever seeking to buoy the city's spirit, played host at a pep rally Wednesday for the World Series-bound New York Yankees at City Hall, about five blocks from the World Trade Center disaster site.

He touched on a recurrent theme, that people should strive to get back to normal lives after the terrorist attacks.

"What's normal for October? The Yankees in the World Series," Giuliani told a cheering crowd of about 300 people.

But in a sign of what has also become normal, those attending the rally had to wait in line outside the park before passing through metal detectors and airport-style screening machines and getting into the plaza.

"I think it's a good thing," Elyse Jarvis, 34, said of the security. "It makes me feel good and very safe."

She had come to the rally from Long Island with her husband, brother, and child.

She said holding a rally was "great for the city. It gives them a boost."

The Yankees, winners of the last three World Series, won the American League title on Monday, defeating the Seattle Mariners 4 games to 1.

On Saturday, they play Game 1 against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix.

An hour after the rally was supposed to start, the mayor and the Yankees still had not shown. Fans enjoyed themselves nonetheless, dining on hot dogs, cheesecake, ice cream and cotton candy.

A sign said "Mayor Rudy Giuliani and the City of New York congratulate the New York Yankees: 2001 American League Champions" and a huge archway was assembled out of red, white and blue balloons.

When Giuliani arrived on City Hall steps, he was accompanied by Yankees manager Joe Torre and leftfielder Chuck Knoblauch, fire commissioner Thomas Von Essen, and Cardinal Edward Egan.

"You guys are the best," Torre told the crowd.

"This season, there was no question that we drew the strength from the city of New York, and the NY on our caps represented more than just baseball fans, it represented New York City and all of America because of what we're fighting back from," he said.

Knoblauch said the Yankees were hoping to give back some of what they had gotten from the city.

He said, "Hopefully we show our support and give it back to you with another world championship."