World Series History
World Series history is filled with dramatic moments and dynamic players. The stories of dominant pitching performances, clutch hits and defensive gems, year after year, are what have made baseball's championship so memorable.
Here in the Vault you can relive your favorite World Series moments, from the walk off home runs of Bill Mazeroski and Joe Carter to Don Larsen's perfect game.
You can even check out our ranking of the greatest years in World Series history.
The Fall Classic is just that. Classic. And this is why.
1900s
The upstart American League was finally able to establish its
legitimacy after two years when in 1903 the National League agreed to a
best-of-nine championship series. Though the NL champion New
York
Giants declined to play the next year, the tradition
was established
and has become the standard by which American sports championships are
measured.
The first few years saw two teams, the Chicago Cubs
and
the Detroit Tigers, make back-to-back-to-back appearances.
But
the West Side Chicago fans couldn't have known that their early
dynasty, featuring the famous Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance infield, would
be short-lived and followed by more than a century of disappointment.
1903
AL
Boston Americans
(91-47)
NL
Pittsburgh Pirates
(91-49)
def.
Pittsburgh Pirates
(5-3)
1904
AL
Boston Americans
(95-59)
NL
New York Giants
(106-47)
No World Series
1905
AL
Philadelphia Athletics
(92-56)
NL
New York Giants
(105-48)
def.
Philadelphia Athletics
(4-1)
1906
AL
Chicago White Sox
(93-58)
NL
Chicago Cubs
(116-36)
def.
Chicago Cubs
(4-2)
1907
AL
Detroit Tigers
(92-58)
NL
Chicago Cubs
(107-45)
def.
Detroit Tigers
(4-0)
1908
AL
Detroit Tigers
(90-63)
NL
Chicago Cubs
(99-55)
def.
Detroit Tigers
(4-1)
1909
AL
Detroit Tigers
(98-54)
NL
Pittsburgh Pirates
(110-42)
def.
Detroit Tigers
(4-3)
1910s
Connie Mack's young Philadelphia Athletics team began the decade with
an impressive World Series title over the Chicago Cubs,
shifting
baseball's dynasty over to the American League. The A's would
rule the first half of the decade, but the second half would see a
young Boston Red Sox pitcher explode on the scene with one of the most
impressive streaks in World Series history: 29 consecutive
scoreless innings. That pitcher's name was Babe Ruth.
The decade closed with the infamous Black Sox scandal that threatened
to halt the momentum baseball had gained coming out of the "Great War."
Would baseball survive? Well, 1919 also saw a young
hitter
for the financially struggling Red Sox set a new Major League record
with 29 home runs. That hitter's name was Babe Ruth.
1910
AL
Philadelphia Athletics
(102-48)
NL
Chicago Cubs
(104-50)
def.
Chicago Cubs
(4-1)
1911
AL
Philadelphia Athletics
(101-50)
NL
New York Giants
(99-54)
def.
New York Giants
(4-2)
1912
AL
Boston Red Sox
(105-47)
NL
New York Giants
(103-48)
def.
New York Giants
(4-3)
1913
AL
Philadelphia Athletics
(96-57)
NL
New York Giants
(101-51)
def.
New York Giants
(4-1)
1914
AL
Philadelphia Athletics
(99-53)
NL
Boston Braves
(94-59)
def.
Philadelphia Athletics
(4-0)
1915
AL
Boston Red Sox
(101-50)
NL
Philadelphia Phillies
(90-62)
def.
Philadelphia Phillies
(4-1)
1916
AL
Boston Red Sox
(91-63)
NL
Brooklyn Robins
(94-60)
def.
Brooklyn Robins
(4-1)
1917
AL
Chicago White Sox
(100-54)
NL
New York Giants
(98-56)
def.
New York Giants
(4-2)
1918
AL
Boston Red Sox
(75-51)
NL
Chicago Cubs
(84-45)
def.
Chicago Cubs
(4-2)
1919
AL
Chicago White Sox
(88-52)
NL
Cincinnati Reds
(96-44)
def.
Chicago White Sox
(5-3)
1920s
The "Roaring Twenties" would not only see the country as a whole
flourish, but baseball also roared back from the gambling scandal of
1919 as a team from New York began what would become a string of
dynasties. Early in the decade it looked as though the New
Yorkers from the NL would become that team as they won back-to-back
championships. But the "Sultan of Swat" and the upstart
Yankees
had other plans. By 1930 they had appeared in six World
Series in
nine years, won three of them, and were already grooming an Iron Horse
to continue their winning ways.
1920
AL
Cleveland Indians
(98-56)
NL
Brooklyn Robins
(93-61)
def.
Brooklyn Robins
(5-2)
1921
AL
New York Yankees
(98-55)
NL
New York Giants
(94-59)
def.
New York Yankees
(5-3)
1922
AL
New York Yankees
(94-60)
NL
New York Giants
(93-61)
def.
New York Yankees
(4-0)
1923
AL
New York Yankees
(98-54)
NL
New York Giants
(95-58)
def.
New York Giants
(4-2)
1924
AL
Washington Senators
(92-62)
NL
New York Giants
(93-60)
def.
New York Giants
(4-3)
1925
AL
Washington Senators
(96-55)
NL
Pittsburgh Pirates
(95-58)
def.
Washington Senators
(4-3)
1926
AL
New York Yankees
(91-63)
NL
St. Louis Cardinals
(89-65)
def.
New York Yankees
(4-3)
1927
AL
New York Yankees
(110-44)
NL
Pittsburgh Pirates
(94-60)
def.
Pittsburgh Pirates
(4-0)
1928
AL
New York Yankees
(101-53)
NL
St. Louis Cardinals
(95-59)
def.
St. Louis Cardinals
(4-0)
1929
AL
Philadelphia Athletics
(104-46)
NL
Chicago Cubs
(98-54)
def.
Chicago Cubs
(4-1)
1930s
As the decade rolled over and the country was heading into the depths
of the Great Depression, Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics were
enjoying a resurgence, winning their second consecutive World Series
title on the arm of Lefty Grove and the bat of Jimmie Foxx.
In
1932, Babe Ruth hit the "called shot," one of the most
controversial and famous moments in World Series history, and as his
career came to a close the thought was that the Yankee dominance of the
1920's would come to an end as well. But Lou Gehrig and a
young
outfielder named Joe DiMaggio instead finished the decade with an
unprecedented four consecutive titles for the "Bronx Bombers."
1930
AL
Philadelphia Athletics
(102-52)
NL
St. Louis Cardinals
(92-62)
def.
St. Louis Cardinals
(4-2)
1931
AL
Philadelphia Athletics
(107-45)
NL
St. Louis Cardinals
(101-53)
def.
Philadelphia Athletics
(4-3)
1932
AL
New York Yankees
(107-47)
NL
Chicago Cubs
(90-64)
def.
Chicago Cubs
(4-0)
1933
AL
Washington Senators
(99-53)
NL
New York Giants
(91-61)
def.
Washington Senators
(4-1)
1934
AL
Detroit Tigers
(101-53)
NL
St. Louis Cardinals
(95-58)
def.
Detroit Tigers
(4-3)
1935
AL
Detroit Tigers
(93-58)
NL
Chicago Cubs
(100-54)
def.
Chicago Cubs
(4-2)
1936
AL
New York Yankees
(102-51)
NL
New York Giants
(92-62)
def.
New York Giants
(4-2)
1937
AL
New York Yankees
(102-52)
NL
New York Giants
(95-57)
def.
New York Giants
(4-1)
1938
AL
New York Yankees
(99-53)
NL
Chicago Cubs
(89-63)
def.
Chicago Cubs
(4-0)
1939
AL
New York Yankees
(106-45)
NL
Cincinnati Reds
(97-57)
def.
Cincinnati Reds
(4-0)
1940s
The United States found itself engulfed in World War II during the
first half of the 1940's, and baseball saw many of its stars called
from the game to serve their country. But baseball and its
championship series played on, providing an escape from the harsh
realities of war.
The decade also saw the rise of
a worthy NL rival to the mighty second-generation Yankees.
Stan
"The Man" Musial led the St. Louis Cardinals to the World Series four
out of five years, winning three titles. But after the
soldiers
returned to the diamond and Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier,
the boys in pinstripes got back to their winning ways and began the
greatest run in World Series history in 1949 under a new skipper, Casey
Stengel.
1940
AL
Detroit Tigers
(90-64)
NL
Cincinnati Reds
(100-53)
def.
Detroit Tigers
(4-3)
1941
AL
New York Yankees
(101-53)
NL
Brooklyn Dodgers
(100-54)
def.
Brooklyn Dodgers
(4-1)
1942
AL
New York Yankees
(103-51)
NL
St. Louis Cardinals
(106-48)
def.
New York Yankees
(4-1)
1943
AL
New York Yankees
(98-56)
NL
St. Louis Cardinals
(105-49)
def.
St. Louis Cardinals
(4-1)
1944
AL
St. Louis Browns
(89-65)
NL
St. Louis Cardinals
(105-49)
def.
St. Louis Browns
(4-2)
1945
AL
Detroit Tigers
(88-65)
NL
Chicago Cubs
(98-56)
def.
Chicago Cubs
(4-3)
1946
AL
Boston Red Sox
(104-50)
NL
St. Louis Cardinals
(98-58)
def.
Boston Red Sox
(4-3)
1947
AL
New York Yankees
(97-57)
NL
Brooklyn Dodgers
(94-60)
def.
Brooklyn Dodgers
(4-3)
1948
AL
Cleveland Indians
(97-58)
NL
Boston Braves
(91-62)
def.
Boston Braves
(4-2)
1949
AL
New York Yankees
(97-57)
NL
Brooklyn Dodgers
(97-57)
def.
Brooklyn Dodgers
(4-1)
1950s
The 1950's saw another passing of the Yankee dynasty torch as rookie
Mickey Mantle joined Joe DiMaggio for his final season in 1951.
The team then finished a run of five consecutive titles that
began in 1949, played in eight of the decade's World Series, and won
six of them.
The Brooklyn Dodgers finally won their
first
title in 1955 after seven unsuccessful trips to the Fall Classic, Don
Larsen threw the only perfect game in World Series history in 1956,
and
Hank Aaron displayed his power in winning his only World Series
championship in 1957.
1950
AL
New York Yankees
(98-56)
NL
Philadelphia Phillies
(91-63)
def.
Philadelphia Philles
(4-0)
1951
AL
New York Yankees
(98-56)
NL
New York Giants
(98-59)
def.
New York Giants
(4-2)
1952
AL
New York Yankees
(95-59)
NL
Brooklyn Dodgers
(96-57)
def.
Brooklyn Dodgers
(4-3)
1953
AL
New York Yankees
(99-52)
NL
Brooklyn Dodgers
(105-49)
def.
Brooklyn Dodgers
(4-2)
1954
AL
Cleveland Indians
(111-43)
NL
New York Giants
(97-57)
def.
Cleveland Indians
(4-0)
1955
AL
New York Yankees
(96-58)
NL
Brooklyn Dodgers
(98-55)
def.
New York Yankees
(4-3)
1956
AL
New York Yankees
(97-57)
NL
Brooklyn Dodgers
(93-61)
def.
Brooklyn Dodgers
(4-3)
1957
AL
New York Yankees
(98-56)
NL
Milwaukee Braves
(95-59)
def.
New York Yankees
(4-3)
1958
AL
New York Yankees
(92-62)
NL
Milwaukee Braves
(92-62)
def.
Milwaukee Braves
(4-3)
1959
AL
Chicago White Sox
(94-60)
NL
Los Angeles Dodgers
(88-68)
def.
Chicago White Sox
(4-2)
1960s
Bill Mazeroski started of the 1960's in dramatic fashion with the first
series-clenching walk-off home run in World Series history.
But
the Yankees picked right back up again during the magical season of
1961 and finished the first half of the decade having appeared in
fifteen of the last eighteen World Series, taking home ten titles
during
that stretch.
But a couple of future Hall of Fame pitchers in
the
National League helped turn the focus away from the AL and lead their
teams to two titles
in three appearances each from 1963 to 1968. The St. Louis
Cardinals' Bob Gibson posted a 7-2 Series record while Sandy Koufax
went 4-2, including 2 shutouts in games 5 and 7 to take the 1965 title.
The decade finished with the Miracle Mets becoming the first
expansion team to claim a World Series title.
1960
AL
New York Yankees
(97-57)
NL
Pittsburgh Pirates
(95-59)
def.
New York Yankees
(4-3)
1961
AL
New York Yankees
(109-53)
NL
Cincinnati Reds
(93-61)
def.
Cincinnati Reds
(4-1)
1962
AL
New York Yankees
(96-66)
NL
San Francisco Giants
(103-62)
def.
San Francisco Giants
(4-3)
1963
AL
New York Yankees
(104-57)
NL
Los Angeles Dodgers
(99-63)
def.
New York Yankees
(4-0)
1964
AL
New York Yankees
(99-63)
NL
St. Louis Cardinals
(93-69)
def.
New York Yankees
(4-3)
1965
AL
Minnesota Twins
(102-60)
NL
Los Angeles Dodgers
(97-65)
def.
Minnesota Twins
(4-3)
1966
AL
Baltimore Orioles
(97-63)
NL
Los Angeles Dodgers
(95-67)
def.
Los Angeles Dodgers
(4-0)
1967
AL
Boston Red Sox
(92-70)
NL
St. Louis Cardinals
(101-60)
def.
Boston Red Sox
(4-3)
1968
AL
Detroit Tigers
(103-59)
NL
St. Louis Cardinals
(97-65)
def.
St. Louis Cardinals
(4-3)
1969
AL
Baltimore Orioles
(109-53)
NL
New York Mets
(100-62)
def.
Baltimore Orioles
(4-1)
1970s
The 1970's began to see more franchises develop their own personalities
and put together dominant stretches, with five different teams reaching
the World Series in consecutive years.
The Athletics returned
to
glory with back-to-back-to-back titles despite clubhouse fighting and
front office chaos. In Cincinnati, they built the "Big Red
Machine" and became the first team from the Senior Circuit to win
consecutive titles in more than fifty years. And after an
eleven-year drought, the Yankees once again started collecting pennants
and crowns on the back of "Mr. October," one of the greatest individual
performers in World Series history.
1970
AL
Baltimore Orioles
(108-54)
NL
Cincinnati Reds
(102-60)
def.
Cincinnati Reds
(4-1)
1971
AL
Baltimore Orioles
(101-57)
NL
Pittsburgh Pirates
(97-65)
def.
Baltimore Orioles
(4-3)
1972
AL
Oakland Athletics
(93-62)
NL
Cincinnati Reds
(95-59)
def.
Cincinnati Reds
(4-3)
1973
AL
Oakland Athletics
(94-68)
NL
New York Mets
(82-79)
def.
New York Mets
(4-3)
1974
AL
Oakland Athletics
(90-72)
NL
Los Angeles Dodgers
(102-60)
def.
Los Angeles Dodgers
(4-1)
1975
AL
Boston Red Sox
(95-65)
NL
Cincinnati Reds
(108-54)
def.
Boston Red Sox
(4-3)
1976
AL
New York Yankees
(97-62)
NL
Cincinnati Reds
(102-60)
def.
New York Yankees
(4-0)
1977
AL
New York Yankees
(100-62)
NL
Los Angeles Dodgers
(98-64)
def.
Los Angeles Dodgers
(4-2)
1978
AL
New York Yankees
(100-63)
NL
Los Angeles Dodgers
(95-67)
def.
Los Angeles Dodgers
(4-2)
1979
AL
Baltimore Orioles
(102-57)
NL
Pittsburgh Pirates
(98-64)
def.
Baltimore Orioles
(4-3)
1980s
After more than seven decades of dynasties and dominance, the 1980's
saw nine different World Series champions crowned in ten years and
three franchises (Royals, Brewers, Padres) make their first appearances
in the Fall Classic.
The decade started with the Philadelphia Phillies
becoming the last of the original 16 franchises to win the World Series
on the pitching of their ace, Steve Carlton, and the bat of their MVP,
Mike
Schmidt.
The 80's also provided some of the most memorable
moments in World Series history. No one will ever forget the
ground ball that rolled between Bill Buckner's legs to end Game 6 in
1986, Kirk Gibson's improbable Game 1 walk-off home run in
1988,
or the devastating earthquake that hit the Bay Area just before Game 3
in 1989.
1980
AL
Kansas City Royals
(97-65)
NL
Philadelphia Phillies
(91-71)
def.
Kansas City Royals
(4-2)
1981
AL
New York Yankees
(59-48)
NL
Los Angeles Dodgers
(63-47)
def.
New York Yankees
(4-2)
1982
AL
Milwaukee Brewers
(95-67)
NL
St. Louis Cardinals
(92-70)
def.
Milwaukee Brewers
(4-3)
1983
AL
Baltimore Orioles
(98-64)
NL
Philadelphia Phillies
(90-72)
def.
Philadelphia Phillies
(4-1)
1984
AL
Detroit Tigers
(104-58)
NL
San Diego Padres
(92-70)
def.
San Diego Padres
(4-1)
1985
AL
Kansas City Royals
(91-71)
NL
St. Louis Cardinals
(101-61)
def.
St. Louis Cardinals
(4-3)
1986
AL
Boston Red Sox
(95-66)
NL
New York Mets
(108-54)
def.
Boston Red Sox
(4-3)
1987
AL
Minnesota Twins
(85-77)
NL
St. Louis Cardinals
(95-67)
def.
St. Louis Cardinals
(4-3)
1988
AL
Oakland Athletics
(104-58)
NL
Los Angeles Dodgers
(94-67)
def.
Oakland Athletics
(4-1)
1989
AL
Oakland Athletics
(99-63)
NL
San Francisco Giants
(92-70)
def.
San Francisco Giants
(4-0)
1990s
The 1990's provided some of the highest and lowest points in World
Series history. In an unlikely match-up of "worst to first"
pennant winners, the 1991 World Series between the Minnesota Twins and
Atlanta Braves was one of the all-time greats. In 1993, Joe
Carter hit the second series-winning walk-off home run in World Series
history to finish off back-to-back championships for the Toronto Blue
Jays, the first titles to be won outside the United States.
But the next year would bring baseball
to its lowest point since the Black Sox scandal of 1919. The
strike of 1994 canceled the last six weeks of the season, the
playoffs, and the World Series--the first time in 90 years without a
Fall Classic.
The Braves made five World
Series appearances and were finally able to bring the Commissioner's
Trophy to Atlanta on the strength of a pitching staff that featured
Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz. And the Yankees
returned to prominence as the decade came to a close, winning three of
four championships as baseball prepared for the 21st century.
1990
AL
Oakland Athletics
(103-59)
NL
Cincinnati Reds
(91-71)
def.
Oakland Athletics
(4-0)
1991
AL
Minnesota Twins
(95-67)
NL
Atlanta Braves
(94-68)
def.
Atlanta Braves
(4-3)
1992
AL
Toronto Blue Jays
(96-66)
NL
Atlanta Braves
(98-64)
def.
Atlanta Braves
(4-2)
1993
AL
Toronto Blue Jays
(95-67)
NL
Philadelphia Phillies
(97-65)
def.
Philadelphia Phillies
(4-2)
1994
AL
No Pennant
NL
No Pennant
No World Series
1995
AL
Cleveland Indians
(100-44)
NL
Atlanta Braves
(90-54)
def.
Cleveland Indians
(4-2)
1996
AL
New York Yankees
(92-70)
NL
Atlanta Braves
(96-66)
def.
Atlanta Braves
(4-2)
1997
AL
Cleveland Indians
(86-75)
NL
Florida Marlins
(92-70)
def.
Cleveland Indians
(4-3)
1998
AL
New York Yankees
(114-48)
NL
San Diego Padres
(98-64)
def.
San Diego Padres
(4-0)
1999
AL
New York Yankees
(98-64)
NL
Atlanta Braves
(103-59)
def.
Atlanta Braves
(4-0)
2000s
It looked as though the Yankees were on
their way to another ten years of power after winning the "Subway
Series" of 2000 against the Mets. But the Arizona
Diamondbacks, the first of five teams to make their World Series debuts
during the decade, won their first title by beating the "unbeatable"
Yankees and Mariano Rivera in one of the most dramatic finishes in
World Series history.
The "Curse of the Bambino" finally wore off in 2004 after the
Red Sox came from down 0-3 to the Yankees in the playoffs and rode that
momentum all the way to a sweep of the Cardinals in the World Series.
The 2000's ended the way they began as the Yankees took home
another title despite the Phillies' Chase Utley tying Reggie Jackson's
World Series record with five home runs.
2000
AL
New York Yankees
(87-74)
NL
New York Mets
(94-68)
def.
New York Mets
(4-1)
2001
AL
New York Yankees
(95-65)
NL
Arizona Diamondbacks
(92-70)
def.
New York Yankees
(4-3)
2002
AL
Anaheim Angels
(99-63)
NL
San Francisco Giants
(95-66)
def.
San Francisco Giants
(4-3)
2003
AL
New York Yankees
(101-61)
NL
Florida Marlins
(91-71)
def.
New York Yankees
(4-2)
2004
AL
Boston Red Sox
(98-64)
NL
St. Louis Cardinals
(105-57)
def.
St. Louis Cardinals
(4-0)
2005
AL
Chicago White Sox
(99-63)
NL
Houston Astros
(89-73)
def.
Houston Astros
(4-0)
2006
AL
Detroit Tigers
(95-67)
NL
St. Louis Cardinals
(83-78)
def.
Detroit Tigers
(4-1)
2007
AL
Boston Red Sox
(96-66)
NL
Colorado Rockies
(90-73)
def.
Colorado Rockies
(4-0)
2008
AL
Tampa Bay Rays
(97-65)
NL
Philadelphia Phillies
(92-70)
def.
Tampa Bay Rays
(4-1)
2009
AL
New York Yankees
(103-59)
NL
Philadelphia Phillies
(93-69)
def.
Philadelphia Phillies
(4-2)
2010s
The 2010's opened with the stellar pitching of two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum and the San Francisco Giants taking down the colossal offense of the Texas Rangers and bringing the first World Series title to San Francisco since the Giants relocated there from New York in 1958. The next year the Rangers came within one strike of their first championship twice in Game 6, but the Cardinals pulled off one of the great miracles in World Series history and claimed the franchise's eleventh World Series crown.
2010
AL
Texas Rangers
(90-72)
NL
San Francisco Giants
(92-70)
def.
Texas Rangers
(4-1)
2011
AL
Texas Rangers
(96-66)
NL
St. Louis Cardinals
(90-72)
def.
Texas Rangers
(4-3)
World Series history continues to be written, decade after decade, in new and unexpected ways.
Records will continue to be broken, and more dramatic moments will be etched forever into our memories.
That's precisely why they call it the "Fall Classic."