2009 World Series facts for kids

The 2009 World Series was the exciting championship event for Major League Baseball (MLB) in 2009. It was a big baseball tournament where the two best teams from the American League and National League played against each other. The New York Yankees from the American League played against the Philadelphia Phillies from the National League. The Yankees won the series, beating the Phillies 4 games to 2. This made the Yankees the 2009 World Series champions! A special player named Hideki Matsui from the Yankees was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for his amazing performance. He was the first Japanese-born player ever to win this important award in the World Series.

What is the World Series?

The World Series is the final championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in North America. It happens every year in October. Two teams play against each other: the champion from the American League (AL) and the champion from the National League (NL). They play a "best-of-seven" series, which means the first team to win four games becomes the champion. Winning the World Series is one of the biggest achievements in baseball.

The Teams: Yankees vs. Phillies

The 2009 World Series brought together two very strong teams. The New York Yankees are one of the most famous teams in baseball history. They had a great season, winning many games to become the American League champions. The Philadelphia Phillies were also a powerful team. They were the defending World Series champions from 2008, so they wanted to win again! This made the series very exciting, as both teams were eager to prove they were the best.

How the Yankees Won

The New York Yankees won the 2009 World Series by winning four games to the Phillies' two games. Here's a quick look at how the games went:

• Game 1: The Phillies won the first game, showing they were ready to fight.
• Game 2: The Yankees came back strong and won the second game.
• Game 3: The Yankees won again, taking the lead in the series.
• Game 4: The Yankees kept their momentum and won this game too.
• Game 5: The Phillies fought hard and won this game, keeping their hopes alive.
• Game 6: The Yankees played a fantastic final game and won, securing their championship title!

The Yankees' victory was their 27th World Series championship. This is more than any other team in baseball history!

Hideki Matsui: The MVP

Hideki Matsui was a designated hitter for the New York Yankees. A designated hitter is a player who only bats and does not play a defensive position. Matsui had an incredible performance in the 2009 World Series. He hit many important home runs and helped his team score a lot of runs. His amazing hitting earned him the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for the series. It was a historic moment because he was the first player from Japan to win this special award.

Celebrating the Victory

After winning the World Series, the New York Yankees had a huge celebration. They had a ticker-tape parade in New York City, where thousands of fans cheered for them. The players also got to visit the White House and meet the President of the United States, Barack Obama. It was a very special time for the team and their fans, celebrating a great season and a big championship win.

Images for kids

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  The Yankees celebrate Derek Jeter breaking their franchise career hits record.

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  Phillies starting pitcher Cliff Lee, pictured in the 2009 regular season, became the first pitcher to ever throw a postseason series opener complete game against the Yankees without allowing an earned run.

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  Ceremonial first pitch of the World Series with Michelle Obama, Jill Biden, and Yogi Berra watching

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  Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, pictured during the 2007 regular season, pitched two scoreless innings in Game 2 for the save.

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  Phillies closer Brad Lidge, pictured during the 2008 regular season, allowed three runs in the ninth inning of a tied Game 4 and took the loss.

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  Phillies second baseman Chase Utley, pictured during spring training in 2007, tied a World Series record with five home runs in the series.

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  Yankees designated hitter Hideki Matsui, pictured here in the 2007 regular season, tied a World Series record for most RBIs in a single game and won the World Series MVP award.

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  The Yankees celebrate their 7–3 win and the franchise's 27th World Series championship.

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  CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira during the victory parade

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  Ticker-tape parade at New York City Hall

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  President Barack Obama meets with the 2009 World Series champion New York Yankees at the White House.

See also

In Spanish: Serie Mundial de 2009 para niños