The World Series is played between the champion clubs of the American and the National Leagues, which collectively includes 29 clubs based in the United States and one club from Canada. The "modern" World Series has been and annual event since 1903. Baseball has employed various championship formulas since the 1860's. When the term "World Series" is used by itself, it is usually understood to refer to the "modern" World Series exclusively.
The World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff. Best-of-seven has been the format of all the modern World Series except in 1903, 1919, 1920 and 1921 when the winner was determined through a best-of-nine playoff. The Series winner is awarded the World Series Trophy, as well as individual World Series rings. The Series winner also receives a larger proportion of the gate receipts than does the Series loser.
World Series Champions
1903-2009
Year |
World Series Champ |
Won |
Lost |
Opponent |
|
2009 |
New York Yankees |
4 |
2 |
Philadelphia Phillies |
2008 |
Philadelphia Phillies | 4 | 1 | Tampa Bay Rays |
| 2007 | Boston Red Sox | 4 | 0 |
Colorado Rockies |
2006 | Saint Louis Cardinals | 4 | 1 | Detroit Tigers |
2005 | Chicago White Sox | 4 | 0 | Houston Astros |
2004 | Boston Red Sox | 4 | 0 | Saint Louis Cardinals |
2003 | Florida Marlins | 4 | 2 | New York Yankees |
2002 | Anaheim Angels | 4 | 3 | San Francisco Giants |
2001 | Arizona Diamondbacks | 4 | 3 | New York Yankees |
2000 | New York Yankees | 4 | 1 | New York Mets |
1999 | New York Yankees | 4 | 0 | Atlanta Braves |
1998 | New York Yankees | 4 | 0 | San Diego Padres |
1997 | Florida Marlins | 4 | 3 | Cleveland Indians |
1996 | New York Yankees | 4 | 2 | Atlanta Braves |
1995 | Atlanta Braves | 4 | 1 | Cleveland Indians |
1994 | No World Series | - | - | Player’s Strike |
1993 | Toronto Blue Jays | 4 | 2 | Philadelphia Phillies |
1992 | Toronto Blue Jays | 4 | 2 | Atlanta Braves |
1991 | Minnesota Twins | 4 | 3 | Atlanta Braves |
1990 | Cincinnati Reds | 4 | 0 | Oakland Athletics |
1989 | Oakland Athletics | 4 | 0 | San Francisco Giants |
1988 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4 | 1 | Oakland Athletics |
1987 | Minnesota Twins | 4 | 3 | St. Louis Cardinals |
1986 | New York Mets | 4 | 3 | Boston Red Sox |
1985 | Kansas City Royals | 4 | 3 | St. Louis Cardinals |
1984 | Detroit Tigers | 4 | 1 | San Diego Padres |
1983 | Baltimore Orioles | 4 | 1 | Philadelphia Phillies |
1982 | St. Louis Cardinals | 4 | 3 | Milwaukee Brewers |
1981 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4 | 2 | New York Yankees |
1980 | Philadelphia Phillies | 4 | 2 | Kansas City Royals |
1979 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 4 | 3 | Baltimore Orioles |
1978 | New York Yankees | 4 | 2 | Los Angeles Dodgers |
1977 | New York Yankees | 4 | 2 | Los Angeles Dodgers |
1976 | Cincinnati Reds | 4 | 0 | New York Yankees |
1975 | Cincinnati Reds | 4 | 3 | Boston Red Sox |
1974 | Oakland Athletics | 4 | 1 | Los Angeles Dodgers |
1973 | Oakland Athletics | 4 | 3 | New York Mets |
1972 | Oakland Athletics | 4 | 3 | Cincinnati Reds |
1971 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 4 | 3 | Baltimore Orioles |
1970 | Baltimore Orioles | 4 | 1 | Cincinnati Reds |
1969 | New York Mets | 4 | 1 | Baltimore Orioles |
1968 | Detroit Tigers | 4 | 3 | St. Louis Cardinals |
1967 | St. Louis Cardinals | 4 | 3 | Boston Red Sox |
1966 | Baltimore Orioles | 4 | 0 | Los Angeles Dodgers |
1965 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4 | 3 | Minnesota Twins |
1964 | St. Louis Cardinals | 4 | 3 | New York Yankees |
1963 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4 | 0 | New York Yankees |
1962 | New York Yankees | 4 | 3 | San Francisco Giants |
1961 | New York Yankees | 4 | 1 | Cincinnati Reds |
1960 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 4 | 3 | New York Yankees |
1959 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4 | 2 | Chicago White Sox |
1958 | New York Yankees | 4 | 3 | Milwaukee Braves^^ |
1957 | Milwaukee Braves^^ | 4 | 3 | New York Yankees |
1956 | New York Yankees | 4 | 3 | Brooklyn Dodgers^* |
1955 | Brooklyn Dodgers^* | 4 | 3 | New York Yankees |
1954 | New York Giants** | 4 | 0 | Cleveland Indians |
1953 | New York Yankees | 4 | 2 | Brooklyn Dodgers^* |
1952 | New York Yankees | 4 | 3 | Brooklyn Dodgers^* |
1951 | New York Yankees | 4 | 2 | New York Giants** |
1950 | New York Yankees | 4 | 0 | Philadelphia Phillies |
1949 | New York Yankees | 4 | 1 | Brooklyn Dodgers^* |
1948 | Cleveland Indians | 4 | 2 | Boston Braves^^ |
1947 | New York Yankees | 4 | 3 | Brooklyn Dodgers^* |
1946 | St. Louis Cardinals | 4 | 3 | Boston Red Sox |
1945 | Detroit Tigers | 4 | 3 | Chicago Cubs |
1944 | St. Louis Cardinals | 4 | 2 | St. Louis Browns*** |
1943 | New York Yankees | 4 | 1 | St. Louis Cardinals |
1942 | St. Louis Cardinals | 4 | 1 | New York Yankees |
1941 | New York Yankees | 4 | 1 | Brooklyn Dodgers^* |
1940 | Cincinnati Reds | 4 | 3 | Detroit Tigers |
1939 | New York Yankees | 4 | 0 | Cincinnati Reds |
1938 | New York Yankees | 4 | 0 | Chicago Cubs |
1937 | New York Yankees | 4 | 1 | New York Giants** |
1936 | New York Yankees | 4 | 2 | New York Giants** |
1935 | Detroit Tigers | 4 | 2 | Chicago Cubs |
1934 | St. Louis Cardinals | 4 | 3 | Detroit Tigers |
1933 | New York Giants** | 4 | 1 | Washington Nationals*^ |
1932 | New York Yankees | 4 | 0 | Chicago Cubs |
1931 | St. Louis Cardinals | 4 | 3 | Philadelphia Athletics* |
1930 | Philadelphia Athletics* | 4 | 2 | St. Louis Cardinals |
1929 | Philadelphia Athletics* | 4 | 1 | Chicago Cubs |
1928 | New York Yankees | 4 | 0 | St. Louis Cardinals |
1927 | New York Yankees | 4 | 0 | Pittsburgh Pirates |
1926 | St. Louis Cardinals | 4 | 3 | New York Yankees |
1925 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 4 | 3 | Washington Nationals*^ |
1924 | Washington Nationals*^ | 4 | 3 | New York Giants** |
1923 | New York Yankees | 4 | 2 | New York Giants** |
1922 | New York Giants** | 4 | 0 | New York Yankees |
1921 | New York Giants** | 5 | 3 | New York Yankees |
1920 | Cleveland Indians | 5 | 2 | Brooklyn Robins^* |
1919 | Cincinnati Reds | 5 | 3 | Chicago White Sox |
1918 | Boston Red Sox | 4 | 2 | Chicago Cubs |
1917 | Chicago White Sox | 4 | 2 | New York Giants** |
1916 | Boston Red Sox | 4 | 1 | Brooklyn Robins^* |
1915 | Boston Red Sox | 4 | 1 | Philadelphia Phillies |
1914 | Boston Braves^^ | 4 | 0 | Philadelphia Athletics* |
1913 | Philadelphia Athletics* | 4 | 1 | New York Giants** |
1912 | Boston Red Sox | 4 | 3 | New York Giants** |
1911 | Philadelphia Athletics* | 4 | 2 | New York Giants** |
1910 | Philadelphia Athletics* | 4 | 1 | Chicago Cubs |
1909 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 4 | 3 | Detroit Tigers |
1908 | Chicago Cubs | 4 | 1 | Detroit Tigers |
1907 | Chicago Cubs | 4 | 0 | Detroit Tigers |
1906 | Chicago White Sox | 4 | 2 | Chicago Cubs |
1905 | New York Giants** | 4 | 1 | Philadelphia Athletics* |
1904 | No WS: John McGraw… | - | - | refused to play AL |
1903 | Boston Pilgrims^ | 5 | 3 | Pittsburgh Pirates |
^ The Boston Red Sox were called the Boston Pilgrims in 1903
* Moved to Kansas City in 1955, then moved to Oakland in 1968
** Moved to San Francisco in 1958
^^ Now known as the Atlanta Braves
^* Now known as the Los Angeles Dodgers
*^ Now known as the Minnesota Twins
*** The Baltimore Orioles were the Saint Louis Browns from 1902-1953
American League
| East | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Cent | West |
| y-New York Yankees | 103 | 59 | .636 | -- | 57-24 | 46-35 | 45-27 | 25-9 | 23-15 |
| x-Boston Red Sox | 95 | 67 | .586 | 8.0 | 56-25 | 39-42 | 45-27 | 26-12 | 13-21 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | 84 | 78 | .519 | 19.0 | 52-29 | 32-49 | 40-32 | 19-20 | 12-21 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 75 | 87 | .463 | 28.0 | 44-37 | 31-50 | 26-46 | 23-15 | 19-15 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 64 | 98 | .395 | 39.0 | 39-42 | 25-56 | 24-48 | 17-20 | 12-23 |
| Central | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Cent | West |
| y-Minnesota Twins* | 87 | 76 | .534 | -- | 49-33 | 38-43 | 10-22 | 46-27 | 19-21 |
| Detroit Tigers | 86 | 77 | .528 | 1.0 | 51-30 | 35-46 | 15-21 | 39-34 | 22-14 |
| Chicago White Sox | 79 | 83 | .488 | 7.0 | 43-38 | 36-45 | 18-21 | 34-38 | 15-18 |
| Kansas City Royals | 65 | 97 | .401 | 21.0 | 33-48 | 32-49 | 14-25 | 32-40 | 11-22 |
| Cleveland Indians | 65 | 97 | .401 | 21.0 | 35-46 | 30-51 | 19-21 | 30-42 | 11-21 |
| West | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Cent | West |
| y-Los Angeles Angels | 97 | 65 | .599 | -- | 49-32 | 48-33 | 26-17 | 27-17 | 30-27 |
| Texas Rangers | 87 | 75 | .537 | 10.0 | 48-33 | 39-42 | 27-20 | 21-19 | 30-27 |
| Seattle Mariners | 85 | 77 | .525 | 12.0 | 48-33 | 37-44 | 21-19 | 22-25 | 31-26 |
| Oakland Athletics | 75 | 87 | .463 | 22.0 | 40-41 | 35-46 | 21-23 | 26-17 | 23-34 |
*Minnesota won
tie-breaker game 6-5 in 12 innings to finish 87-76 and capture
AL Central title
National League
| East | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Cent | West |
| y-Philadelphia Phillies | 93 | 69 | .574 | -- | 45-36 | 48-33 | 44-28 | 23-16 | 20-13 |
| Florida Marlins | 87 | 75 | .537 | 6.0 | 43-38 | 44-37 | 42-30 | 18-21 | 17-16 |
| Atlanta Braves | 86 | 76 | .531 | 7.0 | 40-41 | 46-35 | 41-31 | 20-20 | 18-17 |
| New York Mets | 70 | 92 | .432 | 23.0 | 41-40 | 29-52 | 28-44 | 23-17 | 14-21 |
| Washington Nationals | 59 | 103 | .364 | 34.0 | 33-48 | 26-55 | 25-47 | 16-27 | 11-18 |
| Central | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Cent | West |
| y-St. Louis Cardinals | 91 | 71 | .562 | -- | 46-35 | 45-36 | 17-16 | 46-34 | 19-15 |
| Chicago Cubs | 83 | 78 | .516 | 7.5 | 46-34 | 37-44 | 15-17 | 47-32 | 15-20 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 80 | 82 | .494 | 11.0 | 40-41 | 40-41 | 19-15 | 42-37 | 14-20 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 78 | 84 | .481 | 13.0 | 40-41 | 38-43 | 16-19 | 46-34 | 10-22 |
| Houston Astros | 74 | 88 | .457 | 17.0 | 44-37 | 30-51 | 16-17 | 31-47 | 21-15 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 62 | 99 | .385 | 28.5 | 40-41 | 22-58 | 18-16 | 24-52 | 12-24 |
| West | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Cent | West |
| y-Los Angeles Dodgers | 95 | 67 | .586 | -- | 50-31 | 45-36 | 18-13 | 22-19 | 46-26 |
| x-Colorado Rockies | 92 | 70 | .568 | 3.0 | 51-30 | 41-40 | 17-16 | 31-11 | 33-39 |
| San Francisco Giants | 88 | 74 | .543 | 7.0 | 52-29 | 36-45 | 19-16 | 22-18 | 38-34 |
| San Diego Padres | 75 | 87 | .463 | 20.0 | 42-39 | 33-48 | 16-16 | 21-22 | 33-39 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 70 | 92 | .432 | 25.0 | 36-45 | 34-47 | 15-19 | 20-21 | 30-42 |
East American League
National League
|
Central American League
National League
|
West American League
|
#=Division Winner | &=Wild Card Winner | @=Playoff Berth
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2007 Final Standings
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Final Standings
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