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ORIGIN OF THE WORLD SERIES
World Series (1903-present) on
Baseball-Almanac.com
"People recognize me wherever I go,
where it used to be just New York. I guess people
who aren't even baseball fans watch the World
Series. I was driving down the freeway in Los
Angeles over the winter and a guy pulled up next to
me and gave me the finger." - Graig
Nettles (Yankee 1973-1983)
Although the "Fall Classic" as we
know it didn't begin until 1903, Major League
Baseball had several versions of a postseason
championship series before that. In 1884, the
Providence Grays of the National League outplayed
the New York Metropolitan Club of the American
Association in a three-game series for what was
originally called "The Championship of the United
States." Several newspapers penned the Grays as
"World Champions" and the new title stuck.
Over the next six years, different
variations took place between the National League
and American Association pennant winners, ranging
in length from six to fifteen games. The American
Association folded unexpectedly after the 1891
season forcing a suspension of the series. The
following year, the National League absorbed four
of the American Association's former franchises and
expanded to twelve teams in an effort to promote
the growth of baseball and maintain the public
interest. They played a split season in which the
first-half winner played the second-half winner for
the league championship. Many fans did not support
the new system and the split season was dropped in
1893.
In 1894, Pittsburgh's owner,
William C. Temple, offered a championship trophy to
the winner of a best-of-seven-game series between
the National League's first and second-place teams.
In addition, he stated that the winning franchise
would receive 65% of all ticket sales and the
losing team would pocket 35%. Temple's novel idea
would last for the next three years and helped to
build the foundation for baseball's postseason
popularity.
More changes were on the horizon
and in 1901 the American League was established,
much to the dismay of the senior circuit. Suddenly
baseball found itself engaged in a "civil war," as
both rival leagues competed separately for the
fans' loyalty and attention. Two years later a
truce, previously known as the "National
Agreement," was redefined, outlining baseball's
employment, salary and travel requirements. The
1903 compromise produced the business blueprint for
major-league baseball and resulted in a merger that
has lasted to this day.
No team in the history of Major
League Baseball has ever conquered the World Series
like the New York Yankees and their storied
franchise currently leads all professional sports
teams in championships won with a 26-13 record (to
date.) Additionally, players in pinstripes have
historically dominated the Fall Classic record
books for appearances and performances on both
sides of the plate. Without a doubt, the Bronx
Bombers' best seasons are their postseasons, and
their legacy for winning championships continues to
grow year after year.
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