Baseball’s championship series is the World Series. I have yet to make it to a World Series Game. Why? Well, my Angels just haven’t been in a long, long time—and only once in the franchise’s history. So, I am left wanting and writing about this incredible contest each year, just not witnessing. Below is a bit of a history lesson and some fun and not-so-known facts about the series. Enjoy.
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It features the champions from the American League (AL) and the National League (NL), the two primary professional baseball leagues in North America, which together form the MLB – Major League Baseball.
The MLB season is made up of 30 teams playing a regular season of nearly 2,500. Of the 30 teams, 12 teams make it to the playoffs in the postseason. Playoffs are comprised of 4 rounds leading to the final series – The World Series.
This championship series, dating back to 1903, is a best-of-seven playoff, culminating in the presentation of the Commissioner’s Trophy to the winning team.
The history of the Baseball World Series dates back to 1903, when it was first organized as a championship series between the champions of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL) in Major League Baseball (MLB).
When the American League was formed in 1901 as a competitor to the National League, it created a competition for both fans and players, creating a bitter rivalry. To regulate this competition, a formal agreement was made between the two leagues, the “National Agreement for the Government of Professional Baseball Clubs,” which thus started the idea of a league championship.
The inaugural World Series in 1903 featured the Boston Americans (now the Red Sox) against the Pittsburgh Pirates, with the Americans winning. With over 100,000 people attending, fan appreciation quickly established the World Series as an annual competition, even though the event was not played again until 1904 due to a dispute.
The 1904 World Series did not occur because John T. Brush, owner of the New York Giants, who had just won the 1904 National League Championship, refused to play against the Boston Americans, who had once again won the American League title. Brush believed that the newly established American League was inferior and that Boston was unworthy of competing in the series. However, public demand for the series persisted, and the following year, when the Giants won the National League Championship again, Brush was compelled to change his stance. The New York Giants faced the Philadelphia Athletics in the 1905 World Series, which the New York Giants won by four games to one. This game established the best-of-seven format used ever since, except for three instances.
The 1919 World Series played between the Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds was tainted by scandal,, coined the “Black Sox Scandal”. Several White Sox baseball players conspired with betting establishments and gamblers to deliberately lose the World Series games.
The controversy ensnared eight Chicago White Sox players, who found themselves accused of intentionally losing games to the Cincinnati Reds during the World Series, motivated by payouts from a gambling ring. The Reds clinched the series with five wins to three. The implicated players, known collectively as the “Black Sox,” faced trial but were ultimately exonerated in court. Despite their acquittal, they found themselves permanently barred from baseball by MLB Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis. Among these players was “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, celebrated as one of baseball’s foremost hitters. Jackson is still ineligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame induction.
This infamous “Black Sox Scandal” led to the establishment of the position of Commissioner of Baseball to uphold the game’s integrity.
Babe Ruth won three World Series championships with the Boston Red Sox. He was part of the Red Sox team that won the World Series in 1915, 1916, and 1918. Ruth played a significant role as a pitcher and also began to showcase his batting prowess during his time with the Red Sox. His performance, especially as a pitcher, helped the Red Sox achieve success in the early 20th century. After the 1919 season, Ruth was traded to the New York Yankees, where he continued his legendary career and further solidified his place in baseball history.
One of the most iconic moments in World Series history occurred in 1932 during a game between the New York Yankees and the Chicago Cubs. In the fifth inning of the third game, Babe Ruth, with two strikes against him, famously gestured towards center field as if predicting his next move. True to his gesture, Ruth hit the next pitch for a home run, sending it soaring approximately 500 feet, the longest home run ever recorded at Wrigley Field. This moment has since become a legendary part of baseball folklore, showcasing Ruth’s incredible talent and charisma on the field.
The World Series MVP Award was introduced in 1955. This added a new layer of recognition for standout individual performance instead of just team performance. Johnny Podres with the the Brooklyn Dodgers was the inaugural recipient of the World Series MVP Award.
There has been one perfect game, and it was also a no-hitter. One of the greatest pitching performances in World Series history occurred in 1956, when the pitcher for the New York Yankees, Don Larsen, threw a perfect game against the Brooklyn Dodgers. Larsen faced 27 batters and retired them all, making it the first perfect game in World Series history. To this day, it remains the only no-hitter ever pitched in postseason play, cementing Larsen’s place in baseball history.
World Series champions are awarded the Commissioner’s Trophy, and players receive World Series rings. Winning teams traditionally visit the White House to meet the President, a time-honored tradition.
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