List Of World Series Champions
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) and concludes the MLB postseason. First played in 1903, the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and is a contest between the champions of baseball's National League (NL) and American League (AL). Often referred to as the "Fall Classic", the modern World Series has been played every year since 1903 except in 1904, when the NL champion New York Giants declined to play the AL champion Boston Americans, and 1994, when the series was canceled due to the MLB strike.
The best-of-seven style has been the format of all World Series except in 1903, 1919, 1920 and 1921, when the winner was determined through a best-of-nine playoff. The Series-winning team is awarded the Commissioner's Trophy. Players, coaches, and others associated with the team are generally given rings to commemorate their victory; however, they have received other items such as pocket watches and medallions in the past. The winner of the World Series is traditionally invited to the White House to meet the President of the United States.
108 Series have been contested, with the American League winning 62 and the National League winning 46. The New York Yankees of the American League have played in 40 of the 108 Series through 2012 and have won 27 World Series championships, the most of any Major League franchise. The Yankees have also lost more (13) than any other club. The St. Louis Cardinals, who represented the National League for an 18th time in 2011, have won 11 championships, which is the second-most among Major League teams. The Giants have appeared in the Series 19 times (14 in New York and five in San Francisco for the Giants), which is the most appearances of any National League team. However, the Giants have won the Series only seven times, with the 2012 World Series the most recent victory. The Chicago Cubs have the longest streak of not winning the World Series, with their last championship coming in 1908. The Seattle Mariners and the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals are the only current Major League franchises never to have appeared in the World Series; the Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies, Washington Senators/Texas Rangers, Tampa Bay Rays, and Seattle Pilots/Milwaukee Brewers have played in the Series but have never won it. The Toronto Blue Jays are the only franchise from outside the United States to appear in a World Series, winning in 1992 and 1993.
Read more about List Of World Series Champions: Winners
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