119 Fun Facts About World Series

In which year was the first modern World Series played?

The first modern World Series was played in 1903, two years after the American League declared itself a major league and began raiding National League rosters.

Which team won the first modern World Series?

The Boston Americans came back from a 3–1 deficit to win five games to three; the franchise was later renamed the Red Sox.

The 1904 World Series was never played because the owner of which club refused to take part?

Owner John T. Brush snubbed the upstart American League; the Giants relented and played (and won) in 1905 under new rules.

What is the prize handed to the World Series winner?

The Commissioner's Trophy is made new each year and kept by the champion, unlike hockey's single travelling Stanley Cup; its flags represent the 30 MLB clubs.

A players' strike wiped out the World Series in which year?

The 1994 strike cancelled the Series for the first time since 1904; the Montreal Expos owned baseball's best record when play stopped in August.

From 1919 to 1921, the World Series used which format?

The Series went best of nine for those three postwar years; the experiment was then dropped and the best-of-seven format returned in 1922.

Which team beat the scandal-tainted Chicago White Sox in the 1919 World Series?

Cincinnati took the series 5–3, and the result has been an asterisk in the record book ever since.

Which gambler allegedly led the fix of the 1919 World Series?

Arnold Rothstein, the New York gambler, bankrolled the fix; first baseman Chick Gandil handled the players' side, a story told in the book and film Eight Men Out.

Who banned the eight 'Black Sox' players from baseball for life?

Kenesaw Mountain Landis, the former federal judge who became baseball's first commissioner, banned the eight for life even though a jury had acquitted them.

The Red Sox drought blamed on the Curse of the Bambino ran from 1918 until which year?

Boston ended the curse in 2004, becoming the only MLB team to win a seven-game series after losing the first three games, then sweeping the World Series.

Whose error let Mookie Wilson's grounder roll through his legs in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series?

Bill Buckner, Boston's first baseman, let the grounder through after a Bob Stanley wild pitch had tied the game; the Mets won Game 6 and then the Series.

Who was named MVP of the 1986 World Series after leading the Mets with nine hits?

Knight scored the winning run in Game 6 and homered in Game 7; the Mets then let him leave as a free agent that winter.

Who pitched the only perfect game in World Series history, in Game 5 of 1956?

Don Larsen, knocked out in the second inning of Game 2 three days earlier, used a no-windup delivery to retire all 27 Dodgers.

Which catcher leaped into the pitcher's arms after the final out of the 1956 perfect game?

Yogi Berra jumped into the pitcher's arms after a called third strike on pinch-hitter Dale Mitchell; the photo became one of baseball's most famous images.

Bill Mazeroski's ninth-inning home run in Game 7 of 1960 won the title for which team?

Mazeroski's blast gave the Pittsburgh Pirates the title in the only World Series Game 7 ever ended by a home run, against a New York team that outscored them 55–27.

Who is the only World Series MVP ever chosen from the losing team?

Bobby Richardson, the New York second baseman, drove in 12 runs in 1960 even though his team lost Game 7 on a walk-off homer.

'The Catch' in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series robbed which Cleveland hitter?

Vic Wertz's deep drive was caught over the shoulder in the Polo Grounds' vast center field, and Cleveland, winners of 111 games that year, was swept in four.

In 2017 the World Series MVP award was renamed in honor of which player?

Willie Mays never won the award himself; it was created in 1955, the year after his famous catch in the 1954 Series.

The first World Series MVP award, in 1955, went to which Brooklyn pitcher?

Podres shut out the Yankees in Game 7 to give Brooklyn its only championship before the move to Los Angeles.

Which pitcher won the World Series MVP award twice, in 1964 and 1967?

Bob Gibson took the award in 1964 and 1967, winning the deciding Game 7 each time; he went 7–2 with a 1.89 ERA in World Series play.

Whose three home runs in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series earned him the nickname 'Mr. October'?

Reggie Jackson hit three homers on three swings off three different pitchers in Game 6, the first three-homer Series game since Babe Ruth 49 years earlier.

Babe Ruth's 'called shot' in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series was hit at which ballpark?

The called shot came at Wrigley Field in Ruth's tenth and last World Series; Lou Gehrig quietly hit .529 with three homers in the same sweep.

Which Cubs pitcher threw the pitch that Babe Ruth supposedly called in 1932?

Root insisted to the end of his life that Ruth never pointed at the bleachers, saying he would have knocked him down if he had.

The 1927 World Series is the only one to end with the winning run scoring on what?

Game 4 of 1927 ended on a wild pitch by Johnny Miljus that scored Earle Combs, completing a sweep by the 110–44 'Murderers' Row' team that featured Ruth's 60 homers.

The 1969 'Miracle Mets' upset which 109-win team in five games?

The Mets, in their eighth season, became the first expansion team to win a division, a pennant and a World Series.

Who managed the 1969 Miracle Mets?

Hodges had been a star first baseman on the Brooklyn Dodgers; he died of a heart attack less than three years later, at 47.

Which team won five World Series in a row from 1949 to 1953?

The New York Yankees won five straight from 1949 to 1953 under Casey Stengel, after the same franchise had taken four in a row from 1936 to 1939.

How many World Series titles had the Yankees won by the end of the 2025 season?

The Yankees' 27 titles through 2025 came from 41 World Series appearances, the last championship in 2009 over Philadelphia.

Which National League club has won the most World Series?

The St. Louis Cardinals own 11 titles, the most of any National League club; their first came in 1926 and their 1940s teams added three more.

Which MLB franchise had never appeared in a World Series through the 2025 season?

Seattle reached the ALCS several times, including after a 116-win season in 2001 and again in 2025, but never the Series.

Through 2025, which of these teams had played in a World Series but never won one?

The San Diego Padres lost both of their World Series, in five games in 1984 and in a four-game sweep in 1998.

In 1992 the Toronto Blue Jays became the first team outside the US to win the Series, beating whom?

Toronto beat the Atlanta Braves in six games in 1992, then repeated in 1993 against Philadelphia, the only expansion club with back-to-back titles.

Joe Carter's Series-ending home run in 1993 came off which Phillies reliever?

Mitch Williams, the Phillies' closer nicknamed 'Wild Thing', gave up the homer; it was only the second Series ever ended by a home run, 33 years after Mazeroski's.

What was the final score of Game 4 of the 1993 World Series, the highest-scoring Series game ever?

Toronto won 15–14 after Philadelphia led 14–9 in the eighth; the 29 combined runs set a Series record, and at 4 hours 14 minutes it was then the longest game too.

Jack Morris's ten-inning shutout in Game 7 of 1991 won the title for which team?

Jack Morris's 1–0, ten-inning win gave the Minnesota Twins the 1991 title; both pennant winners had finished last in 1990, a first for league champions.

Whose 11th-inning walk-off home run in Game 6 of 1991 forced a Game 7?

Kirby Puckett, who had also robbed Ron Gant with a leaping catch earlier in Game 6, homered off Charlie Leibrandt in the 11th to force Game 7.

Whose 11th-inning single won Game 7 of the 1997 World Series for the Florida Marlins?

Édgar Rentería's single off Charles Nagy scored Craig Counsell; the Marlins were the first wild-card champion, and owner Wayne Huizenga sold off the roster within months.

Which team won the 2001 World Series in only its fourth season of existence?

The Arizona Diamondbacks, who began play in 1998, won a seven-game Series in 2001, the only championship by a Phoenix team in the four major men's leagues.

Whose bloop single off Mariano Rivera won Game 7 of the 2001 World Series?

Luis Gonzalez's bloop over the drawn-in infield scored Jay Bell; the Series had been pushed into November by the delay after the September 11 attacks.

Which two pitchers shared the 2001 World Series MVP award?

Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling accounted for all four of their team's wins, Johnson taking Game 7 in relief; it was the first shared award since 1981.

The 2005 Chicago White Sox ended an 88-year drought by sweeping which team?

The White Sox swept the Houston Astros, who were in their first World Series, and finished the 2005 postseason 11–1.

From 2003 to 2016, what decided home-field advantage in the World Series?

The winner of the All-Star Game earned home field from 2003 to 2016, a reaction to the tied 2002 game; from 2017 the better regular-season record decided it.

Which team won the World Series in 2010, 2012 and 2014?

The San Francisco Giants' 2010 title was the franchise's first since 1954 and its first since leaving New York; 2012 and 2014 followed in even years.

How many years had the Chicago Cubs gone without a title when they won in 2016?

The Cubs' 108-year wait, from 1908 to 2016, was the longest title drought in North American pro sports; it ended with a ten-inning Game 7 in Cleveland.

Who was named MVP of the 2016 World Series?

Ben Zobrist's go-ahead double came in the tenth inning of Game 7, right after a 17-minute rain delay; he hit .357 for the Series.

The 1908 Cubs were the first team in World Series history to do what?

The Cubs' 1908 win made them the first to win back-to-back titles; Game 5 drew a record-low 6,210 fans and lasted 1 hour 25 minutes, the fastest Series game ever.

What was unprecedented about the 2019 World Series between the Nationals and Astros?

Washington won Games 1, 2, 6 and 7 in Houston and lost all three at home; it was the city's first title since the 1924 Senators.

Which pitcher was MVP of the 2019 World Series after two wins for Washington?

Stephen Strasburg won Games 2 and 6 with a 2.51 ERA; Howie Kendrick's two-run homer off the foul pole in Game 7 then gave Washington the lead for good.

The entire 2020 World Series was played at which neutral-site ballpark?

Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, hosted every game with attendance capped at about 11,500; Justin Turner was pulled from Game 6 after a positive COVID test.

Who is the only player to win World Series MVP in both leagues (2020 and 2023)?

Corey Seager was MVP with the Dodgers in 2020 and the Rangers in 2023, the latter the first title in Texas franchise history.

Which starter opened the combined no-hitter in Game 4 of the 2022 World Series?

Cristian Javier threw six no-hit innings before three relievers finished the first combined no-hitter in postseason history, only the second no-hitter of any kind in a World Series.

Who, at 73, became the oldest manager to win a World Series in 2022?

Dusty Baker, 73, won in his 25th season as a manager, after losing the Series with San Francisco in 2002 and Houston in 2021.

How many road games did the Texas Rangers lose during their 2023 postseason run?

Texas lost 0 road games, going 11–0 away from home, a postseason record; it was the franchise's first title since it began as the expansion Washington Senators in 1961.

Who hit the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history, in Game 1 of 2024?

Freddie Freeman, playing on a sprained ankle, then homered in each of the first four games and drove in 12 runs, tying the Series record.

Which pitcher was MVP of the 2025 World Series with three wins and a 1.02 ERA?

Yoshinobu Yamamoto won Games 2 and 6 as a starter and then Game 7 in relief on no rest, as the Dodgers became the first repeat champion since 2000.

Who hit the go-ahead home run in the 11th inning of Game 7 of the 2025 World Series?

Will Smith homered off Shane Bieber in the 11th; Miguel Rojas had tied it with one out in the ninth, and Smith's was the first extra-inning homer in any Game 7.

In which year was the first scheduled World Series night game played?

The first scheduled night game was Game 4 of 1971 at Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Stadium; the last daytime Series game came in 1987 at the Metrodome.

Which injured Dodger hit a two-out, ninth-inning walk-off home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series?

Kirk Gibson, hobbled by injuries to both legs, homered off Dennis Eckersley in his only plate appearance of the Series; Los Angeles beat Oakland in five.

What interrupted the 1989 World Series between the A's and Giants?

An earthquake, the 6.9-magnitude Loma Prieta quake, struck at 5:04 pm before Game 3 as broadcasters were on air; Oakland completed a sweep when play resumed ten days later.

Which umpire's blown safe call at first base in Game 6 of the 1985 World Series became infamous?

Don Denkinger called Jorge Orta safe in the ninth though replays showed him out; Kansas City rallied to win that game and took Game 7 by 11–0 in the all-Missouri 'I-70 Series'.

Who in 1984 became the first manager to win a World Series in both leagues?

Sparky Anderson, who won with Cincinnati in 1975 and 1976, then led the 1984 Tigers wire to wire, only the third team ever to do so.

David Freese's game-tying triple and walk-off homer came in Game 6 of which World Series?

St. Louis was down to its last strike twice that night; two games earlier Albert Pujols had hit three homers in a game.

George Springer's 2017 MVP performance tied the record with how many home runs in one Series?

George Springer's 5 homers tied the single-Series record; the two teams combined for 25, smashing the old record of 21, and MLB later found Houston had stolen signs all season.

Which pitcher won two games alongside Bill Dinneen in the first modern World Series?

Cy Young, then 36, went 2–1 with a 1.85 ERA in the Series while Bill Dinneen won three games, cheered on by the fans known as the Royal Rooters.

What was the name of the 1894-97 postseason series between the National League champion and runner-up?

The Temple Cup, donated by club owner William Chase Temple, was played from 1894 to 1897 after the 1884–90 NL–American Association championship series ended.

Which World Series was the first to be broadcast on radio?

The 1921 Series, the first carried on radio, was also the Yankees' first appearance, two seasons after they bought Babe Ruth's contract from Boston.

The Giants' 2010 title ended a drought nicknamed after which New York landmark?

The 'Curse of Coogan's Bluff', named for the hill above the Polo Grounds, was broken in 2010, the Giants' first title since 1954 and the first since moving west in 1958.

Which Blue Jays radio announcer shouted 'Touch 'em all, Joe!' after Joe Carter's 1993 walk-off homer?

Tom Cheek, the Blue Jays' original radio voice, made the call as Carter's three-run shot turned a 6–5 deficit into an 8–6 win, the first come-from-behind Series-ending homer.

Which 39-year-old first baseman was MVP of the 1979 'We Are Family' World Series champions?

Willie Stargell, 'Pops', hit .400 with three homers in the 1979 Series, including the go-ahead shot in Game 7, after sharing the NL MVP that year.

Which catcher waved his 12th-inning home run fair to win Game 6 of the 1975 World Series?

Carlton Fisk hit it off the left-field foul pole at Fenway Park, which was officially named the Fisk Foul Pole 30 years later.

Which shortstop was dubbed 'Mr. November' after his walk-off homer in Game 4 of the 2001 World Series?

Derek Jeter's extra-inning homer came after the stadium clock had passed midnight, in the first major-league game that counted ever played in November.

Which ace declined to pitch Game 1 of the 1965 World Series because it fell on Yom Kippur?

Sandy Koufax lost Game 2 on his return, then threw shutouts in Games 5 and 7 with only two days of rest between them.

Which animal was asked to leave a Cubs home game during the 1945 World Series, inspiring a famous curse?

A billy goat named Murphy belonged to tavern owner William Sianis, and the Cubs did not play in another World Series for 71 years.

Which song did a Navy band play in the seventh-inning stretch of Game 1 of the 1918 World Series?

The Star-Spangled Banner was played because the United States was at war; it did not officially become the national anthem until 1931.

What did President George W. Bush wear under his FDNY fleece to throw the first pitch at the 2001 World Series?

A bulletproof vest sat under the fleece as he threw a strike from the full pitching distance before Game 3 in the Bronx, weeks after the September 11 attacks.

Which slugger drew 13 walks and hit four home runs in the 2002 World Series yet finished on the losing side?

Barry Bonds batted .471 in the only World Series of his 22-year career, and seven of those walks were intentional.

Which ballpark opened in 1923, the same season its home team won a first World Series title?

Yankee Stadium staged its first World Series that October; for the two previous Series the club had shared the Polo Grounds with its opponent.

Which Yankees slugger hit a record 18 home runs across the 12 World Series he played in?

Mickey Mantle also holds the World Series records for runs scored and runs batted in, and he finished on the winning side seven times.

What halted Game 7 of the 2016 World Series for 17 minutes just before the tenth inning began?

A rain delay gave Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward time to gather his teammates in a weight room, and the Cubs then scored twice in the tenth to win 8–7.

Which pitcher threw five scoreless relief innings on two days' rest to finish Game 7 of the 2014 World Series?

Madison Bumgarner had thrown a complete-game shutout in Game 5, a feat no pitcher had managed in a World Series since 2003.

Which pitcher, fresh off a record 59 straight scoreless innings, was named MVP of the 1988 World Series?

Orel Hershiser threw a shutout in Game 2, collecting three hits himself, then went the distance again to clinch the title in Game 5.

Which team reached its first World Series in 2008, the year it dropped 'Devil' from its name?

The Tampa Bay Rays had never managed a winning season under the old name, then won the American League pennant at the first attempt without it.

Which right fielder batted .414 in the 1971 World Series, becoming the first Spanish-speaking player named its MVP?

Roberto Clemente hit safely in all seven games and homered in the deciding 2–1 victory, in what proved to be his final World Series.

Which slugger hit three home runs in Game 3 of the 2011 World Series, a feat first achieved by Babe Ruth?

Albert Pujols went 5-for-6 with six runs batted in during a 16–7 rout, the first three-homer World Series game since 1977.

Which Yankees designated hitter was named MVP of the 2009 World Series despite starting only three of its games?

Hideki Matsui could start only the home games because the designated hitter was not used in the National League park, yet he became the first Japanese player to win the award.

Which ballpark staged the first World Series games ever played indoors, in October 1987?

The Metrodome's home team won all four games played under its roof, in the first World Series where the home side won every game.

Which National League club won 21 of 22 games to reach the 2007 World Series, then was swept in four?

The Colorado Rockies' charge was nicknamed Rocktober, and it ended after an eight-day layoff, at the time the longest in postseason history.

Which Yankees left-hander won a record ten World Series games and broke Babe Ruth's scoreless-innings streak?

Whitey Ford passed Ruth's mark in 1961 and stretched the streak to 33 innings a year later; his 22 starts and 94 strikeouts are also World Series records.

Which pitcher threw three complete-game shutouts in a span of six days during the 1905 World Series?

Christy Mathewson gave up only 14 hits in those 27 innings, in the only World Series in which every game ended as a shutout.

Which runner scored from first base on a hit to left-center to decide Game 7 of the 1946 World Series?

Enos Slaughter was running on the pitch with two out in the eighth inning, and the play has been known as the Mad Dash ever since.

Which Cardinals outfielder stole a record seven bases in the 1967 World Series and 14 in his Series career?

Lou Brock hit .414 in that 1967 Series, and his .391 career average is the highest of anyone with more than 20 World Series games.

The 1944 World Series was played entirely in one ballpark because both clubs called which city home?

St. Louis watched its Cardinals beat the Browns in six games at Sportsman's Park, in the only season the Browns ever won a pennant there.

Which pitcher won three complete games in the 1968 World Series, overshadowing his 31-win teammate Denny McLain?

Mickey Lolich won the deciding Game 7 on two days' rest, and in Game 2 he hit the only home run of his 16-year career.

Which veteran batted .500 with two doubles, two triples and two homers to win the 1993 World Series MVP award?

Paul Molitor had joined Toronto as a free agent that year after 15 seasons with the Brewers, and his 12 hits came in only six games.

Which second baseman turned the only unassisted triple play in World Series history, in Game 5 of 1920?

Bill Wambsganss caught a line drive, stepped on second and tagged the runner coming from first, in a game that also produced the first World Series grand slam.

Which Yankees rookie did Grover Cleveland Alexander strike out with the bases loaded in Game 7 of the 1926 World Series?

Tony Lazzeri had driven in 114 runs that season, and he got some revenge with a key double off Alexander in the 1928 World Series.

Which player, later banned from baseball for betting on games, was named MVP of the 1975 World Series?

Pete Rose batted .370 with ten hits across the seven games while playing third base, a position he had taken up only that season.

Which Brooklyn catcher dropped a game-ending third strike in Game 4 of the 1941 World Series, letting the Yankees rally?

Mickey Owen had set a league record for errorless chances by a catcher that season, yet his miss with two out in the ninth let the Yankees score four runs and win 7–4.

Which team won the 2020 World Series in six games, with Clayton Kershaw winning two of them?

The Los Angeles Dodgers ended a 32-year wait at a neutral site, after a regular season cut to 60 games by the pandemic.

Which team won the 2018 World Series in five games after a franchise-record 108 regular-season wins?

The Boston Red Sox broke a club record of 105 wins that had stood since 1912, and no team had won as many games since 2001.

Which team opened 1984 with a 35–5 record and went on to win that year's World Series in five games?

The Detroit Tigers led their division from the first day of the season to the last and finished with a franchise-record 104 wins.

Which team won the 2015 World Series in five games for its first championship in 30 years?

The Kansas City Royals were the first team since 1989 to win the World Series a year after losing it.

Which team won its first World Series in 2002, cheered on by a scoreboard mascot called the Rally Monkey?

The Anaheim Angels trailed 5–0 in the seventh inning of Game 6, one defeat from losing the Series, and came back to win it 6–5.

Which team, owned by Charlie Finley, won three straight World Series from 1972 to 1974?

The Oakland Athletics wore mustaches because Finley had offered each player $300 to grow one, which is how reliever Rollie Fingers came by his famous handlebar.

Which National League team won its first World Series in 1980, led by Series MVP Mike Schmidt?

The Phillies needed six games, and Schmidt delivered the game-winning hits in Game 2 and in the clincher.

Which wild-card team won the 2003 World Series, clinching in the Bronx on Josh Beckett's shutout?

The Florida Marlins were in only their 11th season and became the second wild-card entrant in a row to take the title.

Which team won the 1948 World Series with Larry Doby and Satchel Paige on its roster?

The Cleveland Indians won in six games even though their ace, Bob Feller, failed to win either of his two starts.

Which team, nicknamed the 'Hitless Wonders', upset its 116-win crosstown rival in the 1906 World Series?

The Chicago White Sox had the worst batting average in their league at .230, then piled up 26 hits in the last two games.

Which team won the 1924 World Series on a bad-hop grounder in the 12th inning of Game 7?

The Washington Senators won when Earl McNeely's grounder hopped over the third baseman, just as another had done to tie the game in the eighth.

Hank Aaron's Braves won the 1957 World Series while based in which city?

Milwaukee had taken the Braves from Boston only four years earlier, and Lew Burdette beat the Yankees three times to win the Series.

Which nickname was given to the 1927 Yankees lineup that swept the World Series behind Ruth and Gehrig?

Murderers' Row was first applied to the Yankees in 1918, two years before Ruth even joined the team.

Which nickname belonged to the Joe Morgan and Johnny Bench lineup that won the 1975 and 1976 World Series?

Big Red Machine is generally credited to a Cincinnati Enquirer sportswriter who used it in 1969, six years before the club won the first of its two straight titles.

Which manager guided the Yankees to four World Series titles in five seasons from 1996 to 2000?

Joe Torre took the club to the postseason in all twelve of his seasons in charge, winning six American League pennants.

Which manager, known for wearing a business suit in the dugout, won five World Series between 1910 and 1930?

Connie Mack was the first manager to win the World Series three times, and as a part-owner he ran the same club for its first 50 seasons.

Which manager won three titles with one National League club before guiding the Texas Rangers to their first in 2023?

Bruce Bochy had come out of retirement to take the job and won the championship in his first season with the club.

Which manager won World Series titles in 1981 and 1988 during 20 years in charge of one National League club?

Tommy Lasorda later came out of retirement to lead the United States to Olympic gold in 2000, the first manager to pair that with a World Series title.

Which Venezuelan-born skipper became the first Latino manager to win a World Series, in 2005?

Ozzie Guillén had spent most of his playing career as the same club's shortstop, winning Rookie of the Year honors there in 1985.

Which Yankees star won nine World Series titles in a 13-season career interrupted by military service?

Joe DiMaggio reached the World Series in ten of his 13 seasons and was an All-Star in every one of them.

Which third baseman, nicknamed 'Kung Fu Panda', hit three home runs in Game 1 of the 2012 World Series?

Pablo Sandoval went four-for-four that night, hit two of the three off the opposing ace, and was named the Series MVP.