World Series facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
World Series

Commissioner's Trophy
Tournament information
Sport	Baseball
Month played	Late October–early November
Established	1903
Administrator(s)	Major League Baseball
Format	Best-of-seven series
Teams	2
Most recent tournament
2024 World Series

The World Series is the final championship series for Major League Baseball (MLB) each year. Since 1903, it has featured the champion teams from the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The teams play a best-of-seven playoff, which means the first team to win four games becomes the champion. The winning team receives the Commissioner's Trophy.

The series usually happens in October. Because it takes place during the autumn season in North America, it is often called the Fall Classic. Sometimes, games have even stretched into early November.

To get to the World Series, teams must first win their league's championship. Before 1969, the team with the best record in each league went straight to the World Series. Now, teams have to win playoff series like the Division Series and the League Championship Series to advance.

The team that gets to play more games at their home stadium has what is called home-field advantage. From 2003 to 2016, the league that won the All-Star Game got this advantage. Since 2017, it goes to the team with the better regular-season record. Through the 2024 season, the World Series has been played 120 times. The AL has won 68 times, and the NL has won 52 times.

How the World Series Began

Before the modern World Series, baseball had other championship games. From 1884 to 1890, the champions of the National League and another league called the American Association played each other. These early series were not as organized as today's World Series. The team owners would decide the rules and number of games each year.

These early championships were sometimes called the "World's Championship Series." However, Major League Baseball does not officially count these 19th-century games as part of World Series history. They see them as a warm-up to the modern era of baseball.

After the American Association ended in 1891, the National League was the only major league for a while. In 1901, the American League was formed, creating a rival. After two years of competition, the two leagues decided to have their champions play each other.

The First Modern World Series

A huge crowd watches Game 3 of the 1903 World Series at the Huntington Avenue Grounds in Boston.

The first official World Series took place in 1903. The Pittsburgh Pirates from the NL played against the Boston Americans (now the Boston Red Sox) from the AL. The owners of both teams had agreed to the series ahead of time.

Boston won the series five games to three. They had great pitching from stars like Cy Young and Bill Dinneen. Their fans, called the Royal Rooters, cheered them on loudly.

However, the next year, the 1904 Series was canceled. The owner of the NL champion New York Giants refused to play. He felt the American League was not a "real major league." This led to new rules being created to make sure the World Series would be played every year.

Famous Moments and Big Changes

Since 1905, the World Series has been played every year except for 1994, when a players' strike canceled it. Over the years, many things have changed, and many memorable moments have happened.

The Black Sox Scandal of 1919

The 1919 Chicago White Sox team.

One of the biggest scandals in sports history happened in the 1919 World Series. Eight players from the Chicago White Sox were accused of taking money to purposely lose the series to the Cincinnati Reds. This event became known as the Black Sox Scandal.

The White Sox were the favorites to win, but they lost the series. After the scandal came out, a new Commissioner of Baseball, Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, was appointed. He banned all eight players from baseball for life, even though they were found not guilty in court. The White Sox did not win another World Series until 2005.

The New York Yankees Dynasty

Bill Mazeroski hit a walk-off home run to win the 1960 World Series for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

From the 1920s to the 1960s, the New York Yankees became the most dominant team in baseball. After buying superstar Babe Ruth from the Red Sox, the Yankees started winning championships. Between 1920 and 1964, they played in 29 World Series and won 20 of them.

From 1949 to 1953, the Yankees won five championships in a row, a record that still stands. During this time, New York City was the center of the baseball world. The World Series often featured the Yankees playing against one of the other New York teams, the Brooklyn Dodgers or the New York Giants.

Expansion and Playoffs

In 1958, the Dodgers and Giants moved to California, bringing major league baseball to the West Coast. The Los Angeles Dodgers won the 1959 Series, the first for a West Coast team.

In 1969, both leagues split into East and West divisions. This created a new round of playoffs called the League Championship Series (LCS). The winners of the LCS in each league would then advance to the World Series. This made the path to the championship even more exciting.

Memorable Games and Players

Carlton Fisk is famous for his game-winning home run in the 1975 World Series.

The 1970s saw several teams win back-to-back titles, including the Oakland Athletics and Cincinnati Reds. Game 6 of the 1975 World Series is often called one of the greatest games ever. Carlton Fisk of the Boston Red Sox hit a dramatic home run in the 12th inning to win the game.

In the 1977 World Series, Reggie Jackson of the Yankees hit three home runs in the final game. This amazing performance earned him the nickname "Mr. October."

In 1988, an injured Kirk Gibson of the Dodgers hit a pinch-hit, walk-off home run to win Game 1. The Dodgers went on to win the series, and Gibson's homer became an iconic moment in baseball history.

The Earthquake Series of 1989

The 1989 World Series featured two teams from the San Francisco Bay Area: the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco Giants. Just before Game 3 was about to start, a powerful earthquake struck the area.

The earthquake caused major damage and the game was postponed. The series resumed 10 days later, and Oakland went on to win. It was a scary moment that showed how real-world events can impact sports.

The Modern Era

The 1990s and 2000s brought more changes and unforgettable moments to the World Series.

Back-to-Back Canadian Champions

Fireworks go off in the SkyDome after Joe Carter's home run won the 1993 World Series.

In 1992 and 1993, the Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series, becoming the first and only team from outside the United States to win. The 1993 series ended in dramatic fashion when Joe Carter hit a walk-off home run to win Game 6. It was only the second time a World Series had ended on a home run.

Ending Long Curses

The Chicago Cubs celebrate after winning the 2016 World Series, their first title in 108 years.

For many years, some teams seemed to have a "curse" that kept them from winning. In 2004, the Boston Red Sox finally broke the 86-year-long "Curse of the Bambino" by winning the World Series. The next year, the Chicago White Sox ended their own 88-year drought.

The longest curse belonged to the Chicago Cubs, who had not won a championship in 108 years. They finally broke it in the 2016 World Series by defeating the Cleveland Indians in a thrilling seven-game series.

Recent Champions

The 21st century has seen many different teams win the championship.

• The Houston Astros won their first title in 2017.
• The Washington Nationals won their first championship in 2019.
• The Los Angeles Dodgers won in 2020 during a season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The Texas Rangers won their first-ever title in 2023.
• The Los Angeles Dodgers won again in 2024, defeating the New York Yankees.

World Series Records

This table shows how many times each team has won and played in the World Series since 1903.

Images for kids

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  Christy Mathewson threw 3 shutouts in the 1905 World Series.

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  The 1959 World Series at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

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  A program and tickets from the 1968 World Series.

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  Reggie Jackson was called "Mr. October" for his amazing hitting in the 1977 World Series.

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  President Ronald Reagan with the 1988 champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

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  Kirby Puckett made a famous catch and hit a game-winning home run in the 1991 World Series.

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  President George W. Bush with Derek Jeter before a game in the 2001 World Series.

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  Game 1 of the 2008 World Series between the Phillies and the Rays.

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  David Freese was the hero of the 2011 World Series for the St. Louis Cardinals.

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  Dusty Baker became the oldest manager to win a World Series in 2022.

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  A game during the 1906 World Series in Chicago.

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  Bill Wambsganss makes an unassisted triple play in the 1920 World Series.

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  Bucky Harris of Washington scores a home run in Game 7 of the 1924 World Series.

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  The Chicago Cubs celebrate winning the 2016 World Series.

See also

In Spanish: Serie Mundial para niños