NEW YORK — The World Series has been played 105 times in 107 years, missing once in 1904 when animosity involving New York Giants President John Brush and manager John McGraw and American League President Ban Johnson prevented what would have been the second World Series from being played. The continuity was broken again in 1994 when animosity between all the players and all the owners prevented that Series from getting off the ground.

But in all those years, the World Series hasn't featured many matchups like the Game 6 pitching pairing tonight at Yankee Stadium.

Pedro Martinez, 38, has 219 regular-season victories. He now works for the Philadelphia Phillies, two wins from retaining their world championship. Andy Pettitte, 37, has 229 wins and is in his second tour with the New York Yankees, one win away from their 27th world title.

Unofficially, according to Post-Dispatch research, a matchup of 200-victory pitchers (at the time) hasn't occurred since 1913 when New York Giants Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson, who had 337 regular-season victories at that point, beat Hall of Famer Eddie Plank of the Philadelphia Athletics (269 wins) 3-1 in Game 2 of the World Series. If it has happened since, it hasn't happened very often.

Martinez, long of Boston, and Pettitte, whose first stint with the Yankees began in 1995, certainly are no strangers. They first hooked up on May 31, 1998 at the previous Yankee Stadium, and neither was particularly dazzling. Martinez and Boston won 13-7, with Pettitte especially awful, allowing eight runs in 2 2/3 innings.

Notable that day was a three-run homer cracked off Martinez by the Yankees' backup catcher, one Joe Girardi. Girardi is the team's manager now.

Despite the score that day, Girardi said on Tuesday's off-day, "They were two guys ... you knew could be around a long time. Would you assume that they were going to match up in 2009 in the World Series? I don't think any one of us could have assumed that.

"But I figured both guys were going to be around a long time."

Pettitte, an unabashed admirer of Martinez, said, "When I look at him and see what he's been able to do in his career, I mean he was the best pitcher (in baseball) for a lot of years when I was over here with the Yankees — the best pitcher that I had ever seen for a stretch with the velocity he was throwing with and the command he was throwing with.

"He knows how to pitch. His changeup that used to be like 87, 88 (miles an hour) is 75 now, but it's still just as effective."

Martinez, who thanked God for keeping Pettitte and himself healthy long enough to enjoy this moment, joked about "two old goats out there doing the best they can and having fun with it." But, more seriously, he said, "I don't have enough words to describe how excited I am about being here.

"Two months ago, I was sitting at home, not doing anything. None of you were asking me questions and today I am here probably pitching one of the biggest games ever in the World Series."

Martinez called his pitching philosophy a combination of "experience and survival. And in baseball, I am a survivor. I'm someone that wasn't meant to be here and here I am on one big stage. I have a lot of you paying attention to me right now. That's a great joy."

Much of the story behind tonight's game centers on Pettitte working on three days' rest for the first time since 2006 when he was with Houston. Overall, Pettitte is 4-6 with a 4.15 earned run average for 14 regular-season starts on three days' rest, although he pitched a strong game on three days' rest in Game 2 of the 2003 Series when he and the Yankees defeated Florida 6-1.

"You know, I really don't think there's that big of a difference, I really don't," Pettitte said. "I know I felt terrible the other night and I was on six days' rest."

Pettitte was the Game 3 winner this year but staggered to an 8-5 victory, giving up four runs in six innings, including two solo homers by Jayson Werth. "I need to make better pitches to Werth," Pettitte said.

"The last couple games I made some mistakes to him, balls that I left right in the middle of the plate. If you leave balls in the heart of the plate to these guys, they're going to hurt you. You know, that's why they're where they are."

Martinez, who elicits about as much emotion from the Yankee Stadium fans as any opposing player, pitched capably in Game 2, fanning eight in six innings. He has become a favorite of manager Charlie Manuel in just a few months.

"The one thing I like about Pedro," said Manuel, smiling, "is he'll come over and talk to you and he doesn't listen when you tell him how to pitch somebody. He'll tell you how he's going to pitch somebody."

Pettitte, who started the Yankees' clinching wins in their first two playoff series this year, talked Tuesday of bringing that 27th world championship to New York (the Cardinals lead the National League with 10). "It's what we set out to do," Pettitte said.

Martinez, out of baseball because of shoulder problems until the Phillies signed him this summer, talked (when prodded) about legacy.

"I'm pretty sure my name will be mentioned," Martinez said. "I don't know in which way.

"Normally when you die, people tend to give you props about the good things. But that's after you die."

Martinez then laughed and said, "So I'm hoping to get it before I die. I don't want to die and then hear everybody say, 'Oh, there goes one of the best players ever.' If you're going to give me props, just give them to me right now."