It’s called the Fall Classic, but it’s not always a memorable affair.
Sometimes, we get treated to an epic, seven-game battle that has us on the edges of our seats. The 2019 and 2017 World Series were both like this. Dramatic home runs, clutch pitching performances, and an air of suspense throughout.
When the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians met in 2016, it was an instant classic. Cleveland raced out to a 3-1 lead, the Cubs made a comeback and it led to a Game 7 no baseball fan will soon forget.
As great as that series was, the 2011 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers is the best I’ve seen in my lifetime. Game 6 alone had more drama than just about any game I’ve witnessed. The Texas Rangers seemed poised, many times to finally win their first-ever Commissioner’s trophy. Alas, the Cards kept coming up with clutch hits and wouldn’t say die.
From the Mike Napoli pickoff play to unlikely hero David Freese’s walk-off homer, the contest was an emotional rollercoaster.
1 Of A Kind?
Could it be that all World Series ending in the number 1 are destined to be great? Well, after a considerable amount of research, my conclusion is yes!
2001 featured a grinding, grueling battle between the peak Derek Jeter-led New York Yankees and the surging Arizona Diamondbacks. It’s still hard for me to believe that the D-backs, with those god-awful jerseys, won. Not only that but they came back from down 3-2, and against none other than Mariano Rivera. Add in that they had been in existence for less than a decade. It’s truly one of the most impressive triumphs in baseball history.
Kirby Puckett’s walk-off homer in Game 6 and Jack Morris’ gem the next night sealed the 1991 Fall Classic’s place in history. It also marked the beginning of about a decade of heartache for Atlanta Braves fans. I love that Jack Buck called “We’ll see you tomorrow night!” after Puckett’s blast. His son, Joe made the same call on Freese’s bomb exactly 20 years later.
How Far Back Does It Go?
You have to go all the way back to 1981 to find a World Series ending in the number one that didn’t go seven games. That was also a weird, strike-shortened year. Still, the Dodgers ousted the Yankees in six games after dropping the first two. It marked the end of a trilogy as the two teams met in the 1977 and ‘78 series. The Yankees won both previous times.
That was also the year of Fernando-Mania, perhaps the most impressive debut season by a pitcher, ever. Fernando Valenzuela captured both the Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards and became a mega-star.
1971 featured two teams with great pitching, the Baltimore Orioles and the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was reflected in the box scores. In only one game did a team score more than five runs and every game was under three hours!
If you go back another decade, you’ll find the first break in the pattern. A walkover really. There was no beating the 1961 Yankees, they rolled the Reds in five games.
Bobby Thompson got the Brooklyn Dodgers to the World Series in 1951 with his “shot heard ‘round the world” home run. But his Giants couldn’t topple the mighty Yankees and lost in six games. It was the last “Subway Series” appearance for the Giants in Brooklyn.
One & Fun?
The Yankees and Giants met a decade before, in 1941. Both teams won over 100 games (and they only played 154 back then) and had star-studded lineups. The series is known for turning on Dodgers catcher Mickey Owen’s dropped third strike, which allowed a Yankees comeback. They would go on to win in five games. They didn’t really lose World Series games back then. Entering that year’s edition, they had won 28 of their previous 31 Fall Classic games.
1931 is the last example I will cite. It featured the 107-45 Philadelphia Athletics and the 101-53 St. Louis Cardinals. The two teams had faced off the year before with the A’s coming away victorious. Cardinals late-blooming rookie, Pepper Martin led the team in hits, RBI, and runs scored. It was the last World Series appearance by legendary Athletics Manager Connie Mack.
The possibilities for this year’s series are tantalizing for sure. Could we see another Dodgers-Yankees classic? How about two teams with young, forward-thinking Managers like the Rays and Giants? Whichever teams make it, don’t be surprised if we’re in for a treat this Fall.
