http://gothamist.com/2008/05/15/esb.php
Empire State Building Split for Subway Series
May 15, 2008
The Empire State Building will continue its tradition of equally supporting the Mets and Yankees (and whole-heartedly supporting Big City Rivalry) as the two teams enter the Subway Series.
Beginning on Friday, May 16, the north/south sides of the building will be lit in Yankees blue and white, while its east/west sides will be lit in Mets blue and orange. The team who wins the series will have its colors displayed on all four sides of the tower on Monday, May 19.
That's a lot of added pressure! James Connors, General Manager for the Empire State Building, said: “The lighting also gives the players an extra boost --
at the end of the ‘Subway Series,’ the winning team claims the entire crown of New York City’s greatest building.”
Last year the series was split, each team winning two games at home; this year is the last at both current stadiums.
Fun fact: in 1932, a searchlight beacon alerting people for 50 miles that Franklin D. Roosevelt had been elected president of the United States was the first light to shine on top of the Empire State Building. It wasn't until 1977 that the wider range of colors was added, and blue and white lights flashed to announce the Yankees won the World Series.