7
WORLD SERIES
When?
It’s not called the “October Classic” for nothing, though some games have been played on the first few days of November.
Significance:
Major League Baseball has taken its number of hits lately, and not from a bat. However, come October, any controversies from the regular season wash away as the best of the National and American leagues come together to determine their world champion. Dubbed the “Fall Classic” or the “October Classic,” the World Series has become baseball’s showcase since its inception in 1903, excluding the 1904 and 1994 seasons.
The World Series is a best-of-seven playoff (the Series in 1903, 1919, 1920, and 1921 were best-of-nine). Televised coverage began in 1947 when the New York Yankees took on the neighboring Brooklyn Dodgers in a “Subway Series.” Today, the World Series is a sporting event that garners high ratings for any network owning the rights to broadcast the games. In front of that massive audience, the winning team makes history and each player takes home a World Series ring. Athletes have extended their careers and given up millions in contract restructurings just to have the chance at that coveted piece of jewelry.
Much to the chagrin of non-Yankee fans, the New York Yankees have taken home over a quarter of the championships from the over 100 World Series played. Dynasties such as the Yankees are created at the World Series. Superstars become legends. And, most recently, “curses” come to an end. In 2004, the Boston Red Sox finally won the big one after eighty-six years of coming up short, breaking the famous “Curse of the Bambino.”
Now, about those Cubs. . . .
Who attends?
This is an event for casual fans of all ages, as well as baseball fanatics who live for America’s National Pastime.
History
Since the 1860s, baseball has had various forms of championship play. In 1903, the modern World Series took shape when the American League’s Boston Americans (now Red Sox) defeated the National League’s Pittsburgh Pirates, five games to three in a best-of-nine series. The following year, the New York Giants of the National League refused to play the Americans, claiming inferiority and almost ending the modern-day World Series before it got a chance to start. In response to those actions, baseball officials deemed the “Professional Baseball Championship” as a permanent institution in 1905.
In 1969, the Pennant Race was born. Instead of the teams with the best records in their respective leagues, each league was reorganized into two divisions, East and West. The winners of those divisions would face off in a best-of-five matchup. The victors would go on to the World Series. By 1994, Major League Baseball expansion necessitated the establishment of a Central Division for both leagues. With an odd number of champions, the “wild card” system was born with the best non-divisional winner making the playoffs. Ironically, that would be the year that the player’s strike forced baseball fans to look for another October activity.
Notable World Series MVPs:
Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers
Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks (co-MVP)
Curt Schilling, Arizona Diamondbacks (co-MVP)
Manny Ramirez, Boston Red Sox
Reggie Jackson, Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees
Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
Bob Gibson, St. Louis Cardinals
Brooks Robinson, Baltimore Orioles
Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees
Johnny Bench, Cincinnati Reds
Records:
Most home runs in a World Series: Reggie Jackson, 1977, 5 in 6 games
Most runs scored in a World Series: Reggie Jackson (1977) and Paul Molitor (1993), 10 in 6 games
Most hits in a World Series: Marty Barrett (1986), Lou Brock (1968), and Bobby Richardson (1964), 13 in 7 games
Best slugging average in a World Series: Lou Gehrig, 1928, 1.727 in 4 games
Most strikeouts by a pitcher in a World Series: Bob Gibson, 1968, 35
Most World Series sweeps: New York Yankees, 8
Things to know before you go:
Team’s ace: A team’s best starting pitcher.
Alley: The section of the outfield between the outfielders. Also known as the “gap.”
Around the horn: A double play going from third base to second to first.
Backdoor slider: A pitch that appears to be out of the strike zone, but then breaks back over the plate.
Baltimore chop: A ground ball that hits in front of home plate and takes a large hop over the infielder’s head.
Basket catch: When a fielder catches a ball with his glove near belt level.
Beanball: A pitch that is intentionally thrown at a batter.
Closer: Team’s relief pitcher who finishes the game.
Cutter: A cut fastball (one with a late break to it).
Dinger: A home run.
Heat: A good fastball. Also “heater.”
High and tight: Referring to a pitch that’s up in the strike zone and inside on a hitter. Also known as “up and in.”
Homer: A home run. Other terms include: blast, dinger, dong, four-bagger, four-base knock, moon shot, tape-measure blast, and tater.
Meatball: An easy pitch to hit, usually right down the middle of the plate.
Painting the black: When a pitcher throws the ball over the edge of the plate.
Pick: A good defensive play by an infielder on a ground ball. Also a shortened version of “pick-off.”
Ribbie: Another way of saying RBI. Also “ribeye.”
Sweet Spot: The part of the bat just a few inches from the barrel.
Twin Killing: A double play.
Wheels: A ballplayer’s legs.
Whiff: Strikeout.
Yakker: Curve ball.
Tickets:
For primary ticket access information, consider the websites of the teams playing in the Series. Your best bet will be the secondary market as most tickets are made available only to season ticket holders.
For secondary ticket access, consider:
GoTickets, Inc.
2345 Waukegan Road, Suite 140
Bannockburn, IL 60015-1552
Toll-Free: 1-800-775-1617
Fax: (919) 481-9101
E-mail: sales@gotickets.com
www.gotickets.comTravel Packages:
If you are going to travel to this event, I would recommend using a reliable company to work with you on making the necessary arrangements. The suppliers listed in this book have solid references and are by far the most trusted in the business. Below are some of the organizations to try for this Top 100 Must See Sporting Event.
Premiere Corporate Events
14 Penn Plaza, Suite 925
New York, NY 10122
Phone: (212) 695-9480
Fax: (212) 564-8098
Toll-Free: 1-877-621-5243
E-mail: requests@tseworld.com
www.tseworld.comwww.pcevents.comPremiere Sports Travel
201 Shannon Oaks Circle, Suite 205
Cary, NC 27511
Phone: (919) 481-9511
Fax: (919) 481-1337
Toll-Free: 1-800-924-9993
E-mail: sales@sportstravel.com
www.sportstravel.comNotable Quotes:
“This is the type of thing that as a kid you dream about. Something I’ve done in my backyard a hundred times. And you never know if you’re going to get the opportunity to do it.”—SCOTT BROSIUS, New York Yankee and World Series MVP
“The best possible thing in baseball is winning the World Series. The second best thing is losing the World Series.”—TOMMY LASORDA, former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher and manager
Relevant Websites: