NOTEBOOK

More than 45,000 fans sat in the Toronto SkyDome, hundreds of miles north of the action, watching big-screen TV as the Blue Jays beat the Atlanta Braves, 4-3, to win the World Series.

At the SkyDome, jubilant fans ran onto the field dancing, screaming and cheering. The infield was quickly filled with people waving Canadian flags.

“It was one hell of a game,” said Natasha Zirro, 17, of suburban Mississauga. “Canada is the greatest country on earth, I love you Jays!”

“Fantastic!” said Paul Jeppesen, 31, of Stoney Creek, Ontario, who watched the game with his brother in the SkyDome stands. “It was great to see so many different heroes in the postseason.”

Police were as ready for the victory and the celebration as the fans. Officers were out in force along Yonge Street, following a plan worked out earlier in the week.

Maybe you can buy a World Series title, after all.

David Cone, acquired by the Blue Jays with 5 1/2 weeks left in the season, showed why spending big bucks sometimes pays off. Throwing the heat that made him a hot commodity, Cone kept Atlanta to one run and four hits over six innings Saturday night, taking Toronto a long way to its victory over Atlanta in Game 6 that gave Canada its first World Series title.

“It beats sitting in Shea and not being in a big game at this time of the year,” Cone said after the deal.

He never could have thought by this much. Gillick acquired Cone from the New York Mets on Aug. 27 as a rent-a-pitcher. But that doesn’t matter to Toronto now. When Cone gets his World Series ring next spring, it won’t have one-sixth of a diamond.

“It gives us opportunity not only in our division, but hopefully in the playoffs and World Series,” Gillick said after making the trade.

On Saturday night, Gillick looked like the Amazing Kreskin. Cone went 4-3 down the stretch, then went 1-1 in the playoffs. It may not have been perfect, but who’s to say any alternatives wouldn’t have done much worse?

“When we did win the pennant, several players and Pat Gillick came up to me afterward and told me comments along the line of, ‘Thank you. We could have not made it here without you,’ ” Cone recalled earlier in the Series. “That made me feel really special. It made me feel a part of the team.”

“There is some responsibility management owes to the players to do everything possible to win and that’s what we’re trying to do,” Gillick said. “I think you don’t worry about the long-range right now, you focus on the short term.”

Sanders has an off day in both his sports today.

Sanders’ current two-sport fling ended Saturday night when Toronto eliminated the Braves.

He also has a day free from football as well because the Atlanta Falcons have a bye week. In fact, Sanders won’t return to practice with the Falcons until Wednesday, when the team begins preparations for next Sunday’s home game against the Rams.

Sanders was the Braves’ World Series star. He had a .533 batting average, with eight hits in 15 at bats and stole five bases.

In Game 6, Sanders doubled, stole third and scored in the third inning and singled and stole second in the fifth.

He also threw out Pat Borders at home in the second inning.