118 Fun Facts About World Series

Which shortstop of tobacco-card fame lost the 1903 World Series?

Honus Wagner, that year's National League batting champion, hit just .222 in the 1903 Series; in 1909 he outhit Ty Cobb, .333 to .231, and his team won the title.

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?

The New York Giants' owner, John T. Brush, would not face a league he called inferior; stung by the criticism, he then drew up the rules that made the Series permanent, and his team won it in 1905.

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.

Which team led baseball when the 1994 strike hit?

The Montreal Expos were 74-40 when the strike began in August 1994; the season never resumed, and the franchise never reached a World Series before moving to Washington in 2005.

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

Best of nine was tried for three seasons after the First World War to cash in on booming interest in the game; the best-of-seven format returned for good in 1922.

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

The Cincinnati Reds had won more games that season than Chicago, 96 to 88, yet the White Sox began as heavy favorites; it was the Reds' first championship.

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

Arnold Rothstein, a New York gambler, was widely believed to have bankrolled the fix, but he told a grand jury he was innocent and was never charged; the story is told in 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.

Whose walk-off hits in two straight 2004 ALCS games helped end the Curse of the Bambino?

David Ortiz won Game 4 with an extra-inning homer and Game 5 with a 14th-inning single; Boston became the first MLB team to win a series after losing the first three games, then swept the World Series.

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

Bill Buckner's error capped a rally that began with two out and nobody on, after Boston had twice been one strike from the title; the Mets then won Game 7.

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

Ray Knight scored the winning run in Game 6 and homered in Game 7; unable to agree a new contract, he left the Mets 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 long drive was caught over the shoulder in deep 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?

Johnny Podres, who turned 23 during the Series, pitched a Game 7 shutout 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.

Which slugger known as 'Mr. October' hit three home runs in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series?

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?

Wrigley Field's fans and the Cubs bench had been riding Ruth all afternoon; he gestured back before homering to center, and whether he was calling the shot has been argued ever since.

Which Yankee homered right after Babe Ruth's 'called shot' in the 1932 World Series?

Lou Gehrig homered right behind Ruth, his second of the day as well, and hit .529 in the sweep; pitcher Charlie Root was pulled after that pitch.

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

A wild pitch by reliever Johnny Miljus let Earle Combs score in the ninth inning of Game 4, moments after Miljus had struck out two hitters in a row with the bases loaded.

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

The Baltimore Orioles won Game 1, then lost four straight to a Mets club that had never finished higher than ninth in its first seven seasons.

Who managed the 1969 Miracle Mets?

Gil Hodges, once Brooklyn's star first baseman, won a key call in the clinching game by showing the umpire a shoe-polish smudge on the ball to prove his batter had been hit.

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

The New York Yankees won all five under Casey Stengel; the run ended in 1954, when they won 103 games, more than in any of the five title years, and still finished second.

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

27 titles through 2025, yet none in the World Series' first two decades: the Yankees' first championship came in 1923.

Through 2025, which National League club had won the most World Series?

The St. Louis Cardinals' 11 titles led the National League through 2025; their first, in 1926, ended with Babe Ruth thrown out trying to steal second base.

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

The Seattle Mariners came closest in 2025, losing Game 7 of the ALCS, and their 116-win team of 2001 also fell one round short.

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

The San Diego Padres lost in five games in 1984, after rallying from two games down to beat the Cubs for the pennant, and were swept in 1998.

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

The Atlanta Braves lost in six games; the clincher was decided in the 11th inning by a two-run double from Dave Winfield.

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

Mitch Williams, the closer nicknamed 'Wild Thing', gave up the three-run homer; he had received death threats after losing Game 4, and Philadelphia traded him that December.

The highest-scoring World Series game through 2025, a 15–14 Toronto win in 1993, was played at which ballpark?

Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia saw Toronto erase a 14–9 deficit with six runs in the eighth inning; the 29 combined runs set a Series record.

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 in seven games and ended New York's run of three straight championships.

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 teammates 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 Houston Astros, then a National League club in their first World Series, lost all four games by a combined six runs.

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 won all three under manager Bruce Bochy, yet missed the playoffs altogether in the odd years between, 2011 and 2013.

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

108 years, from 1908 to 2016, was the longest title drought in North American pro sports; the Cubs ended it only after trailing Cleveland three games to one.

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?

Win back-to-back titles: after losing the 1906 Series to the crosstown White Sox despite 116 wins, the Cubs beat Detroit in both 1907 and 1908.

What was unprecedented about the 2019 World Series?

The visiting team won every game: Washington took Games 1, 2, 6 and 7 in Houston and lost all three at home, yet claimed the city's first title since 1924.

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

Stephen Strasburg won Games 2 and 6; 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 won World Series MVP awards with the Dodgers in 2020 and the Rangers in 2023?

Corey Seager became the fourth player to win the award twice; in 2023 his two-run homer in the ninth tied Game 1, which Texas won two innings later.

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

Cristian Javier threw six no-hit innings and three relievers finished the job, one night after Philadelphia had hit five home runs in Game 3.

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

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

The 2023 Texas Rangers went a record 11–0 in which kind of postseason game?

Road games: Texas won all 11 away from home, a postseason record, yet went only 2–4 in its own ballpark on the way to a first title.

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, then got the final eight outs of Game 7 one day after throwing 96 pitches.

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 with two out in the 11th inning; Miguel Rojas had tied it in the ninth with Toronto two outs from the title.

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 won in 1975 and 1976 with Cincinnati, which dismissed him after the 1978 season; his 1984 Tigers opened the year 35–5.

Who tied Game 6 of the 2011 World Series, then won it with a homer?

David Freese tied it with his team one strike from losing the Series; after Lance Berkman did the same in the 10th, Freese homered to lead off the 11th.

Who was MVP of the 2017 World Series after tying the record with five home runs?

George Springer's fifth homer came in Game 7; MLB later ruled that his club had illegally stolen opponents' signs during that season.

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

Cy Young lost the first World Series game ever played, then won twice as he and Bill Dinneen pitched their club back from a 3–1 deficit.

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 shared ballpark hosted every game of the 1921 World Series?

The Polo Grounds was home to both New York pennant winners, landlord and tenant, so every game was played there; Yankee Stadium did not open until 1923.

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' radio voice since their first game in 1977, made the call as Carter's three-run shot turned a 6–5 deficit into an 8–6 win.

Which first baseman nicknamed 'Pops' was MVP of the 1979 'We Are Family' World Series champions?

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