Played (almost) annually since 1903, the World Series is the best-of-seven contest between the winners of the American League and National League.
Nearly every team in Major League Baseball has played in the World Series, with the lone exception being the Seattle Mariners.
While baseball isn’t as popular today as it was in the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s, millions of Americans still take to the television to watch the Fall Classic—because there’s nothing quite like October baseball.
In this list, we’ll take a look at every team to hoist the Commissioner’s Trophy, breaking down some of the biggest moments along the way.
Introduction: The History of World Series Champions
Before we had the World Series, there were a handful of other ideas the league experimented with to declare a world champion.
In 1894, William Temple (the owner of Pittsburgh), offered a trophy to the winner of a best-of-seven series between the first place and second place teams in the NL. He also declared that the winner of the series would get 65% of the ticket sales, with 35% going to the loser.
This practice only lasted three years, but it laid the foundation for the postseason as we now know it.
In 1901, the AL was established—something that many in the NL did not take kindly to. Still, an agreement was made two years later and the first World Series was played in 1903. And every year since it has been an institution—oh, wait. Nevermind.
Just one year later, in 1904, the World Series wasn’t played because it was protested by Giants manager John McGraw. He didn’t view the AL as a legitimate league.
Thankfully, baseball got it figured out and we’ve had a World Series every year since (except for 1994 due to the player’s strike).
Full Year-by-Year List of World Series Winners Since 1903
Year
Winner
Loser
Games
1903
Boston Americans
Pittsburgh Pirates
5-3
1904
No World Series
1905
New York Giants
Philadelphia Athletics
4-1
1906
Chicago White Sox
Chicago Cubs
4-2
1907
Chicago Cubs
Detroit Tigers
4-0
1908
Chicago Cubs
Detroit Tigers
4-1
1909
Pittsburgh Pirates
Detroit Tigers
4-3
1910
Philadelphia Athletics
Chicago Cubs
4-1
1911
Philadelphia Athletics
New York Giants
4-2
1912
Boston Red Sox
New York Giants
4-3
1913
Philadelphia Athletics
New York Giants
4-1
1914
Boston Braves
Philadelphia Athletics
4-0
1915
Boston Red Sox
Philadelphia Athletics
4-1
1916
Boston Red Sox
Brooklyn Robins
4-1
1917
Chicago White Sox
New York Giants
4-2
1918
Boston Red Sox
Chicago Cubs
4-2
1919
Cincinnati Reds
Chicago White Sox
5-3
1920
Cleveland
Brooklyn Robins
5-2
1921
New York Giants
New York Yankees
5-3
1922
New York Giants
New York Yankees
4-0
1923
New York Yankees
New York Giants
4-2
1924
Washington Senators
New York Giants
4-3
1925
Pittsburgh Pirates
Washington Senators
4-3
1926
St. Louis Cardinals
New York Yankees
4-3
1927
New York Yankees
Pittsburgh Pirates
4-0
1928
New York Yankees
St. Louis Cardinals
4-0
1929
Philadelphia Athletics
Chicago Cubs
4-1
1930
Philadelphia Athletics
St. Louis Cardinals
4-2
1931
St. Louis Cardinals
Philadelphia Athletics
4-3
1932
New York Yankees
Chicago Cubs
4-0
1933
New York Giants
Washington Senators
4-1
1934
St. Louis Cardinals
Detroit Tigers
4-3
1935
Detroit Tigers
Chicago Cubs
4-2
1936
New York Yankees
New York Giants
4-2
1937
New York Yankees
New York Giants
4-1
1938
New York Yankees
Chicago Cubs
4-0
1939
New York Yankees
Cincinnati Reds
4-0
1940
Cincinnati Reds
Detroit Tigers
4-3
1941
New York Yankees
Brooklyn Dodgers
4-1
1942
St. Louis Cardinals
New York Yankees
4-1
1943
New York Yankees
St. Louis Cardinals
4-1
1944
St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Browns
4-2
1945
Detroit Tigers
Chicago Cubs
4-3
1946
St. Louis Cardinals
Boston Red Sox
4-3
1947
New York Yankees
Brooklyn Dodgers
4-3
1948
Cleveland
Boston Braves
4-2
1949
New York Yankees
Brooklyn Dodgers
4-1
1950
New York Yankees
Philadelphia Phillies
4-0
1951
New York Yankees
New York Giants
4-2
1952
New York Yankees
Brooklyn Dodgers
4-3
1953
New York Yankees
Brooklyn Dodgers
4-2
1954
New York Giants
Cleveland
4-0
1955
Brooklyn Dodgers
New York Yankees
4-3
1956
New York Yankees
Brooklyn Dodgers
4-3
1957
Milwaukee Braves
New York Yankees
4-3
1958
New York Yankees
Milwaukee Braves
4-3
1959
Los Angeles Dodgers
Chicago White Sox
4-2
1960
Pittsburgh Pirates
New York Yankees
4-3
1961
New York Yankees
Cincinnati Reds
4-1
1962
New York Yankees
San Francisco Giants
4-3
1963
Los Angeles Dodgers
New York Yankees
4-0
1964
St. Louis Cardinals
New York Yankees
4-3
1965
Los Angeles Dodgers
Minnesota Twins
4-3
1966
Baltimore Orioles
Los Angeles Dodgers
4-0
1967
St. Louis Cardinals
Boston Red Sox
4-3
1968
Detroit Tigers
St. Louis Cardinals
4-3
1969
New York Mets
Baltimore Orioles
4-1
1970
Baltimore Orioles
Cincinnati Reds
4-3
1971
Pittsburgh Pirates
Baltimore Orioles
4-3
1972
Oakland Athletics
Cincinnati Reds
4-3
1973
Oakland Athletics
New York Mets
4-3
1974
Oakland Athletics
Los Angeles Dodgers
4-1
1975
Cincinnati Reds
Boston Red Sox
4-3
1976
Cincinnati Reds
New York Yankees
4-0
1977
New York Yankees
Los Angeles Dodgers
4-2
1978
New York Yankees
Los Angeles Dodgers
4-2
1979
Pittsburgh Pirates
Baltimore Orioles
4-3
1980
Philadelphia Phillies
Kansas City Royals
4-2
1981
Los Angeles Dodgers
New York Yankees
4-2
1982
St. Louis Cardinals
Milwaukee Brewers
4-3
1983
Baltimore Orioles
Philadelphia Phillies
4-1
1984
Detroit Tigers
San Diego Padres
4-1
1985
Kansas City Royals
St. Louis Cardinals
4-3
1986
New York Mets
Boston Red Sox
4-3
1987
Minnesota Twins
St. Louis Cardinals
4-3
1988
Los Angeles Dodgers
Oakland Athletics
4-1
1989
Oakland Athletics
San Francisco Giants
4-0
1990
Cincinnati Reds
Oakland Athletics
4-0
1991
Minnesota Twins
Atlanta Braves
4-3
1992
Toronto Blue Jays
Atlanta Braves
4-2
1993
Toronto Blue Jays
Philadelphia Phillies
4-2
1994
No World Series
1995
Atlanta Braves
Cleveland
4-2
1996
New York Yankees
Atlanta Braves
4-2
1997
Florida Marlins
Cleveland
4-3
1998
New York Yankees
San Diego Padres
4-0
1999
New York Yankees
Atlanta Braves
4-0
2000
New York Yankees
New York Mets
4-1
2001
Arizona Diamondbacks
New York Yankees
4-3
2002
Anaheim Angels
San Francisco Giants
4-3
2003
Florida Marlins
New York Yankees
4-2
2004
Boston Red Sox
St. Louis Cardinals
4-0
2005
Chicago White Sox
Houston Astros
4-0
2006
St. Louis Cardinals
Detroit Tigers
4-1
2007
Boston Red Sox
Colorado Rockies
4-0
2008
Philadelphia Phillies
Tampa Bay Rays
4-1
2009
New York Yankees
Philadelphia Phillies
4-2
2010
San Francisco Giants
Texas Rangers
4-1
2011
St. Louis Cardinals
Texas Rangers
4-3
2012
San Francisco Giants
Detroit Tigers
4-0
2013
Boston Red Sox
St. Louis Cardinals
4-2
2014
San Francisco Giants
Kansas City Royals
4-3
2015
Kansas City Royals
New York Mets
4-1
2016
Chicago Cubs
Cleveland
4-3
2017
Houston Astros
Los Angeles Dodgers
4-3
2018
Boston Red Sox
Los Angeles Dodgers
4-1
2019
Washington Nationals
Houston Astros
4-3
2020
Los Angeles Dodgers
Tampa Bay Rays
4-2
2021
Atlanta Braves
Houston Astros
4-2
2022
Houston Astros
Philadelphia Phillies
4-2
2023
Texas Rangers
Arizona Diamondbacks
4-1
2024
Los Angeles Dodgers
New York Yankees
4-1
The Early Years of the World Series (1903-1919)
The rivalry between the AL and NL brought with it an edge and passion to the World Series, particularly in the event’s infancy. Most NL players, managers and executives believed the AL was so inferior that they shouldn’t even share a diamond, let alone play for a championship.
On the flipside, AL teams were determined to make an impact, and that’s precisely what they did, winning 10 of the first 15 World Series titles.
Boston, in particular, was exceptional early on. The Americans/Red Sox won five titles between 1903 and 1918. Led by players like Jimmy Collins, Tris Speaker and Babe Ruth, the Red Sox became one of the first dynasties in Major League Baseball.
The Yankees' Dominance in the World Series
The New York Yankees’ postseason success is unmatched across baseball. The Bronx Bombers have appeared in the World Series 41 times, winning 27 of them at the time of this writing. Both of those are MLB records.
It all started in the 1920s, where New York won three championships. While three titles in seven years is plenty good, the Yankees’ true impact on the sport happened during this era. Led by Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth, the Yankees changed the way Americans viewed the game.
It continued into the 1930s and ‘40s, where the Yankees dominated en route to six titles over an eight-year stretch. This saw the team transition from all-time greats Ruth and Gehrig and the rise of Joe DiMaggio.
It didn’t take long for New York to reestablish itself, either. By the late 1950s the Yankees and Mickey Mantle were the best team in baseball. Between 1956-64, New York appeared in six World Series and won four of them.
The Bronx Bombers put together another dynasty in the 1990s, with emerging stars like Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Petite and Jorge Posada. The Yankees won in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000.
Notable World Series Dynasties
Outside of those we’ve already discussed, there have been a handful of other franchises with plenty of success on baseball’s biggest stage.
St. Louis Cardinals: The Redbirds are second only to the Yankees in World Series championships with 11. St. Louis had an excellent run in the 1940s, winning in 1942, 1944 and 1946. Led by three-time MVP Stan Musial, the Cardinals won 95+ games seven times in the 1940s.
Oakland Athletics: In the 1970s, the A’s became just the second franchise to win three-straight World Series championships in 1972, 1973 and 1974. Oakland was led by Catfish Hunter, who won 67 games during that stretch.
San Francisco Giants: The Giants formed a modern dynasty by winning the World Series three times in five seasons—2010, 2012 and 2014. The team’s ace, Madison Bumgarner, was very good for San Francisco during those three runs, but was absolutely brilliant in 2014 to win World Series MVP.
Interruptions in World Series History: 1904 and 1994
Despite the success of the 1903 World Series, fans didn’t get to see one in 1904. That’s because the NL champion New York Giants refused to participate.
Manager John McGraw and owner John T. Brush didn’t recognize the AL as an equal league and hated AL president Ban Johnson. So, the team announced it would not play the AL champion Boston Americans.
In 1994, the story was much different. That August the MLB players’ strike began, which shutdown the remainder of the season.
The labor dispute was primarily focused on the proposed salary cap and revenue sharing and despite month-long negotiations, an agreement could not be reached.
As a result, MLB canceled the rest of the season—including the playoffs.
The Most Unexpected World Series Champions
St. Louis Cardinals (2011): That August the Redbirds had just a 0.3% chance of making the playoffs, let alone winning it all.
Boston Braves (1914): The Braves were in last place on the Fourth of July, but turned things around to not just make the postseason, but sweep the heavily favored Athletics.
Florida Marlins (2003): Florida was sub-.500 on the road in 2003, managed to eke out a wild card spot and went on to defeat a Yankees squad that were heavy favorites.
New York Mets (1969): The Mets, up until 1969, were a basement-dweller in baseball. Suddenly, a 100-win New York team ran through the postseason to take on a Baltimore Orioles team that everyone expected to win. The Amazin’ Mets defeated Baltimore in five games.
Boston Red Sox (2013): While the Red Sox’s incredible comeback in the ALCS against New York in 2004 also deserves to be mentioned, the 2013 Red Sox were a much bigger underdog. The team went from worst to first after the Boston Marathon bombing, rallied around the city and defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in six games.
Teams with the Most World Series Appearances
New York Yankees: 41
Los Angeles Dodgers: 26
San Francisco Giants: 23
St. Louis Cardinals: 19
Atlanta Braves: 18
Chicago Cubs: 17
Oakland Athletics: 15
Boston Red Sox: 14
Detroit Tigers: 11
Cincinnati Reds: 10
Longest World Series Title Droughts
Currently, the longest active drought belongs to the Cleveland Guardians. Having not won a championship since 1948, the club is going on 75 years without the Commissioner’s Trophy.
Cleveland had its chances too, squandering a 3-1 lead in the 2016 World Series. Which brings us to…
The Chicago Cubs had an infamous 107-year drought (highlighted, but certainly not limited to a black cat, Steve Bartman and a billy goat), going from 1909 to 2016. The Cubs won three-straight elimination games to break their curse.
The Boston Red Sox’s 86-year drought was also filled with heartbreak for fans. Dubbed the “Curse of the Bambino,” it was a superstition that the Sox were cursed from the moment they sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees.
Fittingly, Boston rallied from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS before sweeping St. Louis to win it all.
The Curse of the Black Sox (or the Curse of Shoeless Joe, depending on who you ask) hovered over the White Sox from 1919 until 2005.