A Classic World Series Rivalry Renewed: Yankees Vs Dodgers

This edition of the World Series will be the rebirth of the historic rivalry between the Yankees and Dodgers. This is the first time in 43 years that the two historic franchises will match up in the fall classic. It’ll mark the 12^th time a World Series has featured these two teams pitted against each other. This is a historic rivalry that goes back to when the Dodgers were playing in Brooklyn before moving to Los Angeles. This rivalry has no shortage of iconic moments. This Friday, the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers will renew their long-dormant championship rivalry.

A Rivalry Will Be Renewed For The First Time In 43 Years

For the first time in 43 years, the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers will face each other in the World Series. The Yankees and Dodgers rivalry goes way back to when both teams played in New York City. This is the 12^th time the two franchises have faced each other in a Fall Classic. This ties them for the most times two teams have met in a championship with the NBA’s Celtics and Lakers. The two franchises met seven times when the Dodgers played in Brooklyn. This is the fifth time the two teams have met in the World Series since the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles. The Yankees beat the Dodgers in the World Series in 1941, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1977, and 1978. The Dodgers would beat the Yankees in 1955 in Brooklyn and 1963 and 1981 in Los Angeles.

The Rivalry Has Always Had Star Power

If you think this upcoming World Series has a ton of star power with players like Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Shohei Ohtani, and Mookie Betts; this rivalry has a rich history of it. During the 1940s and 1950s when both teams played in New York, they often faced each other in the World Series. Stars like Joe DiMaggio, Duke Snider, Whitey Ford, Gil Hodges, Jackie Robinson, Don Newcombe, Pee Wee Reese, Yogi Berra, Roy Campanella, Elston Howard, and Mickey Mantle owned the stage. In the 1960s and 1970s, the stage belonged to Don Drysdale, Graig Nettles, Bucky Dent, Sandy Koufax, Ron Guidry, Reggie Jackson, Thurman Munson, Steve Garvey, and Don Sutton. There has never been a shortage of star power between both franchises. New York and Los Angeles would face each other just one other time in 1981 before the rivalry went dormant. They wouldn’t meet again in the World Series until this year.

Iconic Moments

A rivalry isn’t made without iconic moments and the Yankees and Dodgers have plenty of them. These moments cover the time both teams played in New York and since the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles. Iconic moments include Jackie Robinson stealing home in 1955, Don Larsen’s perfect game in 1956, Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax’s pitching prowess in 1963, Reggie Jackson’s 1977 magic, Graig Nettles’s fielding clinic in 1978, and George Steinbrenner apologizing for the Yankees losing in 1981. The 2024 edition of the World Series between the Yankees and Dodgers is bound to add more moments.

A World Series Bigger Then Baseball

The historic Yankees and Dodgers rivalry will be renewed this Friday for the first time in 43 years. Like in every World Series they’ve ever played against each other, there will be lots of star power. In a rivalry so rich in history, a new chapter in this historic Fall Classic rivalry will be opened between these two franchises. Nothing will be more exciting than a World Series between two teams with huge followings. This will be the most memorable World Series in recent memory as it will be much bigger than baseball.

For more on baseball, check out Belly Up Sports and follow Eric on Twitter/X. Featured images: Getty Images