A best-of-seven-game series played between the pennant
winner of the A.L. and N.L. teams;
The winner is awarded the World Series Trophy;
In 1903, 1919, 1920, and 1921, the World Series was a
best-of-nine-game series;
The World Series was not played in 1904 and 1994. In
1904, the owner of the NY Giants refused to allow his players
to compete in the World Series. John Brush anticipated
that his team would play against the NY Highlanders. On
the last day of the regular season, the Boston Americans
won the pennant and would have competed in the World Series
had it not been for the smugness of John T. Brush. In 1994,
the World Series was cancelled because of a player's strike.
Since 1924, the first two games of the seven are hosted
in the home park of the team awarded home-field advantage.
The next three games, if necessary, are played in the other
team's stadium.
The 1949 World series was the first to be played under
lights;
During WWII, travel was limited and the World Series
was played in one ballpark;
Don Larsen is credited with pitching the only perfect
game in World Series history. It happened during Game 5,
on October 8, 1956;
In 1960, Bobby Richardson became the first and so far
the only player from the losing team to win the series
MVP award;
The 1970 World Series was the first to be played on artificial
turf;
In 1973, Darold Knowles became the first pitcher in World
Series history to make an appearance in each of the seven
games;
The 1976 World Series was the first to use the designated
hitter rule;
In 1993, for the first time in the history of professional
baseball, the World Series was held in Canada. The Toronto
Blue Jays went on the win the title, on a home run in Game
6 by Joe Carter.
In 2003, the team that won the All-Star Game was deemed
the one with the home-field advantage for the World Series.
The 2004 World Series ended the longtime "Curse of the
Bambino". The Red Sox won their first title since 1918.
The 2005 World Series ended a longstanding curse for
the Chicago White Sox. They last won in 1917.
The New York Yankees have won the most World Series titles - 26;
To date, the Chicago Cubs have gone the longest without
winning a second World Series title. They last won in 1908.
Several teams have never won a World Series title: the
Colorado Rockies, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, San
Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Texas
Rangers, and Washington Nationals (formerly the Montreal
Expos).
