Associated Press

From Ruth to Ripken, Mays to McGwire and Cobb to Clemens, baseball's ultimate dream team was honored Sunday night in an emotional ceremony before Game 2 of the World Series that brought together several generations of greatness.

The 18 living members of the 30-player All-Century team -- the most glorious gathering of baseball talent ever assembled on one field -- stood on a podium at second base at Turner Field, where a sellout crowd roared its approval.

In the outfield, the oversized uniforms of all the players, living and dead, were unfurled as the names were announced in the lilting tones of Hall of Fame announcer Vin Scully.

Members of the New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves stood at the top steps of their dugouts and applauded the greatest players of the century. Yankees reliever Jason Grimsley videotaped the scene.

For a moment, the intensity of the World Series was set aside for a salute to baseball's rich history.

Perhaps the most poignant moment came when Mays and Griffey helped the 81-year-old Williams to a seat on the podium, with Aaron steadying the chair. Williams, weakened by a series of strokes, acknowledged the cheers with a wave of his Red Sox cap.

Aaron, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch, limbered up beforehand by playing catch with Schmidt across the mound. After Aaron delivered, Mays also tossed one over the plate for good measure -- with no catcher behind the plate.

But Rose stole the show.

The All-Century team, elected by the fans, is comprised entirely of Hall of Famers or those headed there. The exception is Rose, who is ineligible for Cooperstown after being banned from baseball in 1989 for gambling.

The biggest ovation went to Rose, suspended from baseball and making his first appearance at a major league field in 10 years. The crowd cheered baseball's all-time hits leader for 55 seconds as he repeatedly tipped his Cincinnati Reds cap. Other members of the All-Century team, some of them critical of Rose's behavior, also applauded.

"It was unbelievable. I thought I hit a grand slam to win the World Series in Game 7," a tearful Rose said after he came off the field. "I thought I broke the record all over again."

Snubbed in July when the 100 players on the ballot were introduced at the All-Star Game in Boston, Rose was still chosen. In an Associated Press poll conducted earlier this month, nearly eight out of 10 people asked said he should be here.

The basic 25-man roster, elected in a nationwide balloting, was supplemented with five players added by a special panel of baseball executives, media and historians. Rose, the all-time hit king with 4,256, was the last of nine outfielders chosen by the fans and appeared on a major league field for the first time since his suspension 10 years ago.

"I'm happy I'm one of the nine," Rose said before the ceremony. "It's fun to be back at the ballpark."

In a sharp interview on national TV after the ceremony, Rose turned combative when asked if he would simply admit to wrongdoing.

"I'm not going to admit to something that didn't happen," he said defiantly.

Joining Rose in the All-Century outfield were fan choices Aaron, Mays, Williams, Griffey, Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Ty Cobb. Stan Musial was added by the special panel.

Fan balloting chose six pitchers -- Nolan Ryan, Sandy Koufax, Cy Young, Roger Clemens, Bob Gibson and Walter Johnson. Lefty Grove, Warren Spahn and Christy Mathewson were added.

The remainder of the team had catchers Johnny Bench and Yogi Berra, first basemen Lou Gehrig and Mark McGwire, second basemen Jackie Robinson and Rogers Hornsby, shortstops Cal Ripken Jr., Ernie Banks and Honus Wagner, who was added, and third basemen Schmidt and Brooks Robinson.

Gehrig and Ruth, cornerstones of the New York Yankees Murderers Row teams in the 1920s and '30s, were the leading vote-getters. Gehrig had 1,207,992 and Ruth 1,158,044. Among the active players, Ripken received the most votes (669,033). Rose got 629,742.

Ripken, McGwire, Griffey and Clemens were the lone active players picked.

Bench and Gibson recalled playing with many of the All-Century picks.

"I called the pitch that Aaron hit for his 714th home run and shook his hand as he crossed the plate," Bench said.

Gibson is the man many say they would pick to pitch Game 7 of a World Series. "That would be my answer, too," Gibson said, confidently.

Gibson recalled the All-Star game ceremony and wondered if he belonged in this All-Century group. "Then I looked around," he said, "and most of the other guys I got out."

Spahn, who pitched before Gibson and Bench played, hesitated to compare generations.

"Who's better depends whose eyes you're looking through," he said.

Koufax was asked who he thought the best pitcher was and he picked Spahn, who won more games than any left-hander in history.

"Not only for what he did on the field," he said. "He'll kill me for doing this: He pitched in the whole damn century."

Bench caught Koufax's little joke and added to it.

"Making the All-Century team, that's great," he said. "Spahn made it for last century and this century. Now that's amazing."