WORLD SERIES HISTORY

Every World Series in Major League Baseball History | Baseball Almanac

Each year, the primary focus in any professional sport is the race for a championship. Every sport has their pinnacle trophy, but none is as coveted as baseball's World Series; a best of seven contest that celebrates our national pastime. An event as important as any holiday on the calendar, it is as traditional as Thanksgiving, as patriotic as the Fourth of July and as anticipated as Christmas morning. Over the last century, the World Series has been woven into the fabric of America's culture evolving far beyond a mere baseball tournament. It has become the game of all games and has continued to provide us with an endless highlight reel of magical moments evoking childhood memories of agony and ecstasy.

How would one define the World Series? It's Willie Mays catching what can't be caught and Don Larsen being perfect where perfection is simply not possible. It's Babe Ruth telling the fans and media where he is going to deposit the next pitch and a heavily outscored team of Pirates beating the unbeatable Yankees off a ninth inning Bill Mazeroski blast. The World Series is the crushing blow of Fred Snodgrass dropping a routine fly ball and Willie McCovey hitting the final out straight to Bobby Richardson. It's the Curse of the Bambino, when loyal Red Sox fans live their entire lives without witnessing a championship and when Yankees fans witness four in five years...

Although the World Series as we know it didn't begin until 1905, Major League Baseball had several versions of a post-season championship series before that. In 1884, the Providence Grays of the National League outplayed the New York Metropolitan Club of the American Association in a three game series for what was originally called "The Championship of the United States." Several newspapers penned the Grays as "World Champions" and the new title stuck. Over the next six years, different variations took place between the National League and American Association pennant-winners, ranging in length from six to fifteen games. The American Association folded unexpectedly after the 1891 season forcing a suspension of the series. The following year, the National League absorbed four of the American Association's former franchises and expanded to twelve teams in an effort to promote the growth of baseball and maintain the public's interest. They played a split season in which the first-half winner played the second-half winner for the league championship. Many fans did not support the new system and the split season was promptly dropped in 1893.

In 1894, Pittsburgh's owner William C. Temple offered a championship trophy to the winner of a best-of-seven-game series between the National League's first and second-place teams. In addition, he stated that the winning franchise would receive 65% of all ticket sales and the losing team would pocket 35%. Temple's novel idea would last for the next three years and helped to build the foundation for baseball's post-season popularity. More changes were on the horizon and in 1901, the American League was established much to the dismay of the senior circuit. Suddenly, baseball found itself engaged in a "civil war" as both rival leagues competed separately for the fan's loyalty and attention. Two years later a truce, previously known as the "National Agreement", was redefined outlining baseball's employment, salary and travel requirements. The 1903 compromise produced the business blueprint for major-league baseball and resulted in a merger that has lasted to this day. Boston and Pittsburgh, the top American and National League teams, found themselves competing against one another in an attempt at a "World Series" in 1903, but neither league was done "discussing" the postseason format, causing the 1904 contest to be cancelled (details below).

Finally, in 1905, the first official World Series was played, and only once since then has the Fall Classic not been played. A history of every World Series, as researched by Baseball Almanac, appears below, and includes every box score from every World Series game, World Series rosters, World Series stats, and more.

Baseball Almanac Top Quote

"World Series week indicates that baseball is one of America's major disturbances." - Syndicated Columnist Arthur "Bugs" Baer in The Greatest World Series Games: Baseball Historians Choose 26 Classics (Warren W. Wilbert, McFarland & Company Publishing, 06/07/2005, Page 2)

A Comprehensive World Series History | Postseason Picture

1903 World Series
  8 Game Series
Pittsburgh Pirates
[0 - 1 in Series Play]
3 Boston Americans
[1 - 0 in Series Play]
5
1904 World Series
  x Game Series
No Series (See Fact #1)
  [x - x in Series Play]
x No Series (See Fact #1)
  [x - x in Series Play]
x
1905 World Series
  5 Game Series
New York Giants
[1 - 0 in Series Play]
4 Philadelphia Athletics
[0 - 1 in Series Play]
1
1906 World Series
  6 Game Series
Chicago Cubs
[0 - 1 in Series Play]
2 Chicago White Sox
[1 - 0 in Series Play]
4
1907 World Series
  5 Game Series | 1 Tie
Chicago Cubs
[1 - 1 in Series Play]
4 Detroit Tigers
[0 - 1 in Series Play]
0
1908 World Series
  5 Game Series
Chicago Cubs
[2 - 1 in Series Play]
4 Detroit Tigers
[0 - 2 in Series Play]
1
1909 World Series
  7 Game Series
Pittsburgh Pirates
[1 - 1 in Series Play]
4 Detroit Tigers
[0 - 3 in Series Play]
3
1910 World Series
  5 Game Series
Chicago Cubs
[2 - 2 in Series Play]
1 Philadelphia Athletics
[1 - 1 in Series Play]
4
1911 World Series
  6 Game Series
New York Giants
[1 - 1 in Series Play]
2 Philadelphia Athletics
[2 - 1 in Series Play]
4
1912 World Series
  8 Game Series | 1 Tie
New York Giants
[1 - 2 in Series Play]
3 Boston Red Sox
[2 - 0 in Series Play]
4
1913 World Series
  5 Game Series
New York Giants
  [1 - 3 in Series Play]
1 Philadelphia Athletics
  [3 - 1 in Series Play]
4
1914 World Series
  4 Game Series
Boston Braves
[1 - 0 in Series Play]
4 Philadelphia Athletics
[3 - 2 in Series Play]
0
1915 World Series
  5 Game Series
Philadelphia Phillies
[0 - 1 in Series Play]
1 Boston Red Sox
[3 - 0 in Series Play]
4
1916 World Series
  5 Game Series
Brooklyn Robins
[0 - 1 in Series Play]
1 Boston Red Sox
[4 - 0 in Series Play]
4
1917 World Series
  6 Game Series
New York Giants
[1 - 4 in Series Play]
2 Chicago White Sox
[2 - 0 in Series Play]
4
1918 World Series
  6 Game Series
Chicago Cubs
[2 - 3 in Series Play]
2 Boston Red Sox
[5 - 0 in Series Play]
4
1919 World Series
  8 Game Series
Cincinnati Reds
[1 - 0 in Series Play]
5 Chicago White Sox
[2 - 1 in Series Play]
3
1920 World Series
  7 Game Series
Brooklyn Robins
[0 - 2 in Series Play]
2 Cleveland Indians
[1 - 0 in Series Play]
5
1921 World Series
  8 Game Series
New York Giants
[2 - 4 in Series Play]
5 New York Yankees
[0 - 1 in Series Play]
3
1922 World Series
  5 Game Series | 1 Tie
New York Giants
[3 - 4 in Series Play]
4 New York Yankees
[0 - 2 in Series Play]
0
1923 World Series
  6 Game Series
New York Giants
[3 - 5 in Series Play]
2 New York Yankees
[1 - 2 in Series Play]
4
1924 World Series
  7 Game Series
New York Giants
[3 - 6 in Series Play]
3 Washington Senators
[1 - 0 in Series Play]
4
1925 World Series
  7 Game Series
Pittsburgh Pirates
[2 - 1 in Series Play]
4 Washington Senators
[1 - 1 in Series Play]
3
1926 World Series
  7 Game Series
St. Louis Cardinals
[1 - 0 in Series Play]
4 New York Yankees
[1 - 3 in Series Play]
3
1927 World Series
  4 Game Series
Pittsburgh Pirates
[2 - 2 in Series Play]
0 New York Yankees
[2 - 3 in Series Play]
4
1928 World Series
  4 Game Series
St. Louis Cardinals
[1 - 1 in Series Play]
0 New York Yankees
[3 - 3 in Series Play]
4
1929 World Series
  5 Game Series
Chicago Cubs
[2 - 4 in Series Play]
1 Philadelphia Athletics
[4 - 2 in Series Play]
4
1930 World Series
  6 Game Series
St. Louis Cardinals
[1 - 2 in Series Play]
2 Philadelphia Athletics
[5 - 2 in Series Play]
4
1931 World Series
  7 Game Series
St. Louis Cardinals
[2 - 2 in Series Play]
4 Philadelphia Athletics
[5 - 3 in Series Play]
3
1932 World Series
  4 Game Series
Chicago Cubs
[2 - 5 in Series Play]
0 New York Yankees
[4 - 3 in Series Play]
4
1933 World Series
  5 Game Series
New York Giants
[4 - 6 in Series Play]
4 Washington Senators
[1 - 2 in Series Play]
1
1934 World Series
  7 Game Series
St. Louis Cardinals
[3 - 2 in Series Play]
4 Detroit Tigers
[0 - 4 in Series Play]
3
1935 World Series
  6 Game Series
Chicago Cubs
[2 - 6 in Series Play]
2 Detroit Tigers
[1 - 4 in Series Play]
4
1936 World Series
  6 Game Series
New York Giants
[4 - 7 in Series Play]
2 New York Yankees
[5 - 3 in Series Play]
4
1937 World Series
  5 Game Series
New York Giants
[4 - 8 in Series Play]
1 New York Yankees
[6 - 3 in Series Play]
4
1938 World Series
  4 Game Series
Chicago Cubs
[2 - 7 in Series Play]
0 New York Yankees
[7 - 3 in Series Play]
4
1939 World Series
  4 Game Series
Cincinnati Reds
[1 - 1 in Series Play]
0 New York Yankees
[8 - 3 in Series Play]
4
1940 World Series
  7 Game Series
Cincinnati Reds
[2 - 1 in Series Play]
4 Detroit Tigers
[1 - 5 in Series Play]
3
1941 World Series
  5 Game Series
Brooklyn Dodgers
[0 - 3 in Series Play]
1 New York Yankees
[9 - 3 in Series Play]
4
1942 World Series
  5 Game Series
St. Louis Cardinals
[4 - 2 in Series Play]
4 New York Yankees
[9 - 4 in Series Play]
1
1943 World Series
  5 Game Series
St. Louis Cardinals
[4 - 3 in Series Play]
1 New York Yankees
[10 - 4 in Series Play]
4
1944 World Series
  6 Game Series
St. Louis Cardinals
[5 - 3 in Series Play]
4 St. Louis Browns
[0 - 1 in Series Play]
2
1945 World Series
  7 Game Series
Chicago Cubs
[2 - 8 in Series Play]
3 Detroit Tigers
[2 - 5 in Series Play]
4
1946 World Series
  7 Game Series
St. Louis Cardinals
[6 - 3 in Series Play]
4 Boston Red Sox
[5 - 1 in Series Play]
3
1947 World Series
  7 Game Series
Brooklyn Dodgers
[0 - 4 in Series Play]
3 New York Yankees
[11 - 4 in Series Play]
4
1948 World Series
  6 Game Series
Boston Braves
[1 - 1 in Series Play]
2 Cleveland Indians
[2 - 0 in Series Play]
4
1949 World Series
  5 Game Series
Brooklyn Dodgers
[0 - 5 in Series Play]
1 New York Yankees
[12 - 4 in Series Play]
4
1950 World Series
  4 Game Series
Philadelphia Phillies
[0 - 2 in Series Play]
0 New York Yankees
[13 - 4 in Series Play]
4
1951 World Series
  6 Game Series
New York Giants
[4 - 9 in Series Play]
2 New York Yankees
[14 - 4 in Series Play]
4
1952 World Series
  7 Game Series
Brooklyn Dodgers
[0 - 6 in Series Play]
3 New York Yankees
[15 - 4 in Series Play]
4
1953 World Series
  6 Game Series
Brooklyn Dodgers
[0 - 7 in Series Play]
2 New York Yankees
[16 - 4 in Series Play]
4
1954 World Series
  4 Game Series
New York Giants
[5 - 9 in Series Play]
4 Cleveland Indians
[2 - 1 in Series Play]
0
1955 World Series
  7 Game Series
Brooklyn Dodgers
[1 - 7 in Series Play]
4 New York Yankees
[16 - 5 in Series Play]
3
1956 World Series
  7 Game Series
Brooklyn Dodgers
[1 - 8 in Series Play]
3 New York Yankees
[17 - 5 in Series Play]
4
1957 World Series
  7 Game Series
Milwaukee Braves
[2 - 1 in Series Play]
4 New York Yankees
[17 - 6 in Series Play]
3
1958 World Series
  7 Game Series
Milwaukee Braves
[2 - 2 in Series Play]
3 New York Yankees
[18 - 6 in Series Play]
4
1959 World Series
  6 Game Series
Los Angeles Dodgers
[2 - 8 in Series Play]
4 Chicago White Sox
[2 - 2 in Series Play]
2
1960 World Series
  7 Game Series
Pittsburgh Pirates
[3 - 2 in Series Play]
4 New York Yankees
[18 - 7 in Series Play]
3
1961 World Series
  5 Game Series
Cincinnati Reds
[2 - 2 in Series Play]
1 New York Yankees
[19 - 7 in Series Play]
4
1962 World Series
  7 Game Series
San Francisco Giants
[5 - 10 in Series Play]
3 New York Yankees
[20 - 7 in Series Play]
4
1963 World Series
  4 Game Series
Los Angeles Dodgers
[3 - 8 in Series Play]
4 New York Yankees
[20 - 8 in Series Play]
0
1964 World Series
  7 Game Series
St. Louis Cardinals
[7 - 3 in Series Play]
4 New York Yankees
[20 - 9 in Series Play]
3
1965 World Series
  7 Game Series
Los Angeles Dodgers
[4 - 8 in Series Play]
4 Minnesota Twins
[1 - 3 in Series Play]
3
1966 World Series
  4 Game Series
Los Angeles Dodgers
[4 - 9 in Series Play]
0 Baltimore Orioles
[1 - 1 in Series Play]
4
1967 World Series
  7 Game Series
St. Louis Cardinals
[8 - 3 in Series Play]
4 Boston Red Sox
[5 - 2 in Series Play]
3
1968 World Series
  7 Game Series
St. Louis Cardinals
[8 - 4 in Series Play]
3 Detroit Tigers
[3 - 5 in Series Play]
4
1969 World Series
  5 Game Series
New York Mets
[1 - 0 in Series Play]
4 Baltimore Orioles
[1 - 2 in Series Play]
1
1970 World Series
  5 Game Series
Cincinnati Reds
[2 - 3 in Series Play]
1 Baltimore Orioles
[2 - 2 in Series Play]
4
1971 World Series
  7 Game Series
Pittsburgh Pirates
[4 - 2 in Series Play]
4 Baltimore Orioles
[2 - 3 in Series Play]
3
1972 World Series
  7 Game Series
Cincinnati Reds
[2 - 4 in Series Play]
3 Oakland Athletics
[6 - 3 in Series Play]
4
1973 World Series
  7 Game Series
New York Mets
[1 - 1 in Series Play]
3 Oakland Athletics
[7 - 3 in Series Play]
4
1974 World Series
  5 Game Series
Los Angeles Dodgers
[4 - 10 in Series Play]
1 Oakland Athletics
[8 - 3 in Series Play]
4
1975 World Series
  7 Game Series
Cincinnati Reds
[3 - 4 in Series Play]
4 Boston Red Sox
[5 - 3 in Series Play]
3
1976 World Series
  4 Game Series
Cincinnati Reds
[4 - 4 in Series Play]
4 New York Yankees
[20 - 10 in Series Play]
0
1977 World Series
  6 Game Series
Los Angeles Dodgers
[4 - 11 in Series Play]
2 New York Yankees
[21 - 10 in Series Play]
4
1978 World Series
  6 Game Series
Los Angeles Dodgers
[4 - 12 in Series Play]
2 New York Yankees
[22 - 10 in Series Play]
4
1979 World Series
  7 Game Series
Pittsburgh Pirates
[5 - 2 in Series Play]
4 Baltimore Orioles
[2 - 4 in Series Play]
3
1980 World Series
  6 Game Series
Philadelphia Phillies
[1 - 2 in Series Play]
4 Kansas City Royals
[0 - 1 in Series Play]
2
1981 World Series
  6 Game Series
Los Angeles Dodgers
[5 - 12 in Series Play]
4 New York Yankees
[22 - 11 in Series Play]
2
1982 World Series
  7 Game Series
St. Louis Cardinals
[9 - 4 in Series Play]
4 Milwaukee Brewers
[0 - 1 in Series Play]
3
1983 World Series
  5 Game Series
Philadelphia Phillies
[1 - 3 in Series Play]
1 Baltimore Orioles
[3 - 4 in Series Play]
4
1984 World Series
  5 Game Series
San Diego Padres
[0 - 1 in Series Play]
1 Detroit Tigers
[4 - 5 in Series Play]
4
1985 World Series
  7 Game Series
St. Louis Cardinals
[9 - 5 in Series Play]
3 Kansas City Royals
[1 - 1 in Series Play]
4
1986 World Series
  7 Game Series
New York Mets
[2 - 1 in Series Play]
4 Boston Red Sox
[5 - 4 in Series Play]
3
1987 World Series
  7 Game Series
St. Louis Cardinals
[9 - 6 in Series Play]
3 Minnesota Twins
[2 - 3 in Series Play]
4
1988 World Series
  5 Game Series
Los Angeles Dodgers
[6 - 12 in Series Play]
4 Oakland Athletics
[8 - 4 in Series Play]
1
1989 World Series
  4 Game Series
San Francisco Giants
[5 - 11 in Series Play]
0 Oakland Athletics
[9 - 4 in Series Play]
4
1990 World Series
  4 Game Series
Cincinnati Reds
[5 - 4 in Series Play]
4 Oakland Athletics
[9 - 5 in Series Play]
0
1991 World Series
  7 Game Series
Atlanta Braves
[2 - 3 in Series Play]
3 Minnesota Twins
[3 - 3 in Series Play]
4
1992 World Series
  6 Game Series
Atlanta Braves
[2 - 4 in Series Play]
2 Toronto Blue Jays
[1 - 0 in Series Play]
4
1993 World Series
  6 Game Series
Philadelphia Phillies
[1 - 4 in Series Play]
2 Toronto Blue Jays
[2 - 0 in Series Play]
4
1994 World Series
  x Game Series
No Series (Strike Year)
  [x - x in Series Play]
-- No Series (Strike Year)
  [x - x in Series Play]
--
1995 World Series
  6 Game Series
Atlanta Braves
[3 - 4 in Series Play]
4 Cleveland Indians
[2 - 2 in Series Play]
2
1996 World Series
  6 Game Series
Atlanta Braves
[3 - 5 in Series Play]
2 New York Yankees
[23 - 11 in Series Play]
4
1997 World Series
  7 Game Series
Florida Marlins
[1 - 0 in Series Play]
4 Cleveland Indians
[2 - 3 in Series Play]
3
1998 World Series
  4 Game Series
San Diego Padres
[0 - 2 in Series Play]
0 New York Yankees
[24 - 11 in Series Play]
4
1999 World Series
  4 Game Series
Atlanta Braves
[3 - 6 in Series Play]
0 New York Yankees
[25 - 11 in Series Play]
4
2000 World Series
  5 Game Series
New York Mets
[2 - 2 in Series Play]
1 New York Yankees
[26 - 11 in Series Play]
4
2001 World Series
  7 Game Series
Arizona Diamondbacks
[1 - 0 in Series Play]
4 New York Yankees
[26 - 12 in Series Play]
3
2002 World Series
  7 Game Series
San Francisco Giants
[5 - 12 in Series Play]
3 Anaheim Angels
[1 - 0 in Series Play]
4
2003 World Series
  6 Game Series
Florida Marlins
[2 - 0 in Series Play]
4 New York Yankees
[26 - 13 in Series Play]
2
2004 World Series
  4 Game Series
St. Louis Cardinals
[9 - 7 in Series Play]
0 Boston Red Sox
[6 - 4 in Series Play]
4
2005 World Series
  4 Game Series
Houston Astros
[0 - 1 in Series Play]
0 Chicago White Sox
[3 - 2 in Series Play]
4
2006 World Series
  5 Game Series
St. Louis Cardinals
[10 - 7 in Series Play]
4 Detroit Tigers
[4 - 6 in Series Play]
1
2007 World Series
  4 Game Series
Colorado Rockies
[0 - 1 in Series Play]
0 Boston Red Sox
[7 - 4 in Series Play]
4
2008 World Series
  5 Game Series
Philadelphia Phillies
[2 - 4 in Series Play]
4 Tampa Bay Rays
[0 - 1 in Series Play]
1
2009 World Series
  6 Game Series
Philadelphia Phillies
[2 - 5 in Series Play]
2 New York Yankees
[27 - 13 in Series Play]
4
2010 World Series
  5 Game Series
San Francisco Giants
[6 - 12 in Series Play]
4 Texas Rangers
[0 - 1 in Series Play]
1
2011 World Series
  7 Game Series
St. Louis Cardinals
[11 - 7 in Series Play]
4 Texas Rangers
[0 - 2 in Series Play]
3
2012 World Series
  4 Game Series
San Francisco Giants
[7 - 12 in Series Play]
4 Detroit Tigers
[4 - 7 in Series Play]
0
2013 World Series
  6 Game Series
St. Louis Cardinals
[11 - 8 in Series Play]
2 Boston Red Sox
[8 - 4 in Series Play]
4
2014 World Series
  7 Game Series
San Francisco Giants
[8 - 12 in Series Play]
4 Kansas City Royals
[1 - 2 in Series Play]
3
2015 World Series
  5 Game Series
New York Mets
[2 - 3 in Series Play]
1 Kansas City Royals
[2 - 2 in Series Play]
4
2016 World Series
  7 Game Series
Chicago Cubs
[3 - 8 in Series Play]
4 Cleveland Indians
[2 - 4 in Series Play]
3
2017 World Series
  7 Game Series
Los Angeles Dodgers
[6 - 13 in Series Play]
3 Houston Astros
[1 - 1 in Series Play]
4
2018 World Series
  5 Game Series
Los Angeles Dodgers
[6 - 14 in Series Play]
1 Boston Red Sox
[9 - 4 in Series Play]
4
2019 World Series
  7 Game Series
Washington Nationals
[1 - 0 in Series Play]
4 Houston Astros
[1 - 2 in Series Play]
3
2020 World Series
  6 Game Series
Los Angeles Dodgers
[7 - 14 in Series Play]
4 Tampa Bay Rays
[0 - 2 in Series Play]
2
2021 World Series
  6 Game Series
Atlanta Braves
[4 - 6 in Series Play]
4 Houston Astros
[1 - 3 in Series Play]
2
2022 World Series
  6 Game Series
Philadelphia Phillies
[2 - 6 in Series Play]
2 Houston Astros
[2 - 3 in Series Play]
4
2023 World Series
  5 Game Series
Arizona Diamondbacks
[1 - 1 in Series Play]
1 Texas Rangers
[1- 2 in Series Play]
4
2024 World Series
  x Game Series
To Be Determined
[x- x in Series Play]
x To Be Determined
[x - x in Series Play]
x
World Series History | Research by Baseball Almanac

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baseball almanac fast facts

What happened to the 1904 World Series? The 1903 contest was a resounding success and represented the first step in healing the bruised egos of both the veteran National and fledgling American Leagues. Pittsburgh and Boston went head-to-head for eight games proving that great baseball between the two leagues was possible and that a merger would benefit the growth of the sport. Unfortunately, some owners still disagreed with the concept and in 1904, it was prematurely cancelled. John T. Brush, president of the National League champion New York Giants, refused to play the returning American League champion Boston Americans. He was quoted as stating that he refused to compete with a "representative of the inferior American League". Surprisingly, Brush regretted the decision and later that year proposed to continue with the series as originally conceived. His about-face spawned the "Brush Rules," a set of guidelines relating to the on-field play and off-field finances of the World Series which exists to this day.

On October 10, 1920 (1920 World Series, Game 5), during the fifth inning, Bill Wambsganss caught a line drive hit by Clarence Mitchell. He then stepped on second to putout Pete Kilduff and personally tagged Otto Miller who was coming from first. This unassisted triple play is probably the most amazing fielding feat to ever take place during any series game.

Did you know that through completion of the 2023 World Series, the American League has won sixty-eight World Championships, and the National League has won fifty-eight World Championships? There have been three tie games, one-hundred nineteen shutouts, one perfect game and eleven instances where a team lost the first two games yet rallied to win the World Championship.