Michele Orecklin

By I'll See That Taco and Raise a Bratwurst

Baseball--or at least betting on baseball--has been very good to New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani . This year he won a cowboy hat and 10 lbs. of barbecue from the mayor of Arlington, Texas; 10 lbs. of sausage and tickets to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, among other items, from the mayor of Cleveland, Ohio; and fish tacos, software and a surfboard from the mayor of San Diego. Here's a compendium of wagers that leaders have made over the years:

--Bulls vs. Jazz, 1998 NBA Finals: Chicago Mayor Daley put up Eli's cheesecake, Robinson's ribs and Billy Goat's cheeseburgers against Salt Lake City Mayor Corrandini's offer to take a bobsled ride at Snowbird.

Winner: Daley

--Redskins vs. Vikings, 1988 NFL Play-Off Game: D.C. Mayor Barry and St. Paul, Minn., Mayor Latimer promised that whoever lost would plow snow during the other city's first snowstorm.

Winner: Barry

--Braves vs. Indians, 1995 World Series: Cleveland Mayor White anted Lake Erie walleye and tickets to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Atlanta's Mayor Campbell put up Coca-Cola, peaches, ribs and Falcons tickets.

Winner: Campbell

--A's vs. Blue Jays, 1992 AL Championship Series: Toronto Mayor Rowlands offered a frozen turkey for every run the A's scored (if the A's won). Oakland Mayor Harris offered a live goose and an MC Hammer doll for every Blue Jay run.

Winner: Rowlands (Toronto scored 31 runs.)

--Packers vs. Patriots, 1997 Super Bowl: Marshfield, Mass., Mayor Francis put up a mug, book, lobsters and piece of a tree from the Daniel Webster estate. Marshfield, Wis., Mayor Daniels offered sawdust, mugs, bratwurst, 13 cow pies.

Winner: Daniels

--Bulls vs. Lakers, 1991 NBA Finals: Los Angeles Cardinal Mahony bet 25 boxes of fruit. Chicago Cardinal Bernardin bet 50 lbs. of hot dogs.

Winner: Bernardin

--By Michele Orecklin