World Series

In baseball, the World Series is the championship series of Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada, played in October after the end of the regular season between the pennant winner of the American League and the pennant winner of the National League. The Series winner is determined through a best-of-seven playoff (except in 1903, 1919, 1920 and 1921 when the winner was determined through a best-of-nine playoff) and is awarded the World Series Trophy, as well as World Series rings. Baseball has employed various championship formulas since the 1850s. The modern World Series has been an annual event since 1903, with the exception of 1904 and 1994. The New York Yankees have the most World Series titles, with 26 championships through the 2004 season.

Precursors to the World Series (1857-1901)

The following are teams that played an earlier version of the "World's Championship Series" or otherwise claimed the national championship "Pennant".

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National Association of Baseball Players (Amateur -> Professional)

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• 1857 Brooklyn Atlantics
• 1858 New York Mutuals
• 1859 Brooklyn Atlantics
• 1860 Brooklyn Atlantics
• 1861 Brooklyn Atlantics
• 1862 Brooklyn Eckfords
• 1863 Brooklyn Eckfords
• 1864 Brooklyn Atlantics
• 1865 Brooklyn Atlantics
• 1866 Brooklyn Atlantics
• 1867 Morrisania Unions
• 1868 New York Mutuals
• 1869 Brooklyn Atlantics
• 1870 Chicago White Stockings

National Association of Professional Baseball Players

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• 1871 Philadelphia Athletics
• 1872 Boston Red Stockings
• 1873 Boston Red Stockings
• 1874 Boston Red Stockings
• 1875 Boston Red Stockings

National League

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• 1876 Chicago White Stockings
• 1877 Boston Red Caps
• 1878 Boston Red Caps
• 1879 Providence Grays
• 1880 Chicago White Stockings
• 1881 Chicago White Stockings

National League vs. American Association

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• 1882 Chicago White Stockings NL, Cincinnati Reds AA - 2 games Series, each won 1
• 1883 Boston Beaneaters NL, Philadelphia AA - no Series
• 1884 Providence Grays NL, Metropolitan AA - 3 game series, Providence won all 3, 60-game winner Old Hoss Radbourn pitched every inning
• 1885 Chicago White Stockings NL, St. Louis Browns AA - 6 game Series, disputed
• 1886 St. Louis Browns AA won 4, Chicago White Stockings NL won 2
• 1887 Detroit Wolverines NL won 10, St. Louis Browns AA won 5
• 1888 New York Giants NL won 6, St. Louis Browns AA won 2
• 1889 New York Giants NL won 6, Brooklyn Bridegrooms AA won 3
• 1890 Brooklyn Bridegrooms NL, Louisville Colonels AA - each won 3, no resolution
• 1891 Boston Beaneaters NL, Boston Reds AA - no Series

National League

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• 1892 Boston Beaneaters won 5, Cleveland Spiders won 0 - split-season championship
• 1893 Boston Beaneaters
• 1894 New York Giants won 4, Baltimore Orioles won 0 - Temple Cup Series
• 1895 Cleveland Spiders won 4, Baltimore Orioles won 1 - Temple Cup Series
• 1896 Baltimore Orioles won 4, Cleveland Spiders won 0 - Temple Cup Series
• 1897 Baltimore Orioles won 4, Boston Beaneaters won 1 - Temple Cup Series
• 1898 Boston Beaneaters
• 1899 Brooklyn Superbas
• 1900 Brooklyn Superbas won 4, Pittsburgh Pirates won 1, Chronicle-Telegraph Cup Series

National League - American League

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• 1901 Pittsburgh Pirates NL, Chicago White Sox AL - no Series
• 1902 Pittsburgh Pirates NL, Philadelphia Athletics AL - no Series