Despite a boycott of 1904, the World Series was played every year until 1994 (when it was canceled due to players’ strike). The best-of-seven series has produced some of baseball’s most memorable moments.
The Red Sox finally broke the Curse of the Bambino in 2004 after an 86-year drought, which was the longest in baseball history. In a series known for its thrilling lead changes and nail-biting turns of events, Game 6 of the 1975 World Series stands out as one of the most thrilling of all time. The Red Sox trailed by two runs in the bottom of the 10th inning, with two outs, but lost on a Bob Stanley wild pitch and an error by Bill Buckner. The collapse entered baseball lore as the most famous example of the Curse, and it is often cited as the reason for the Red Sox’s long-lasting championship drought.
In 2024, the Nationals returned to the World Series for the first time since their last title in 2020. They overcame a 2-0 deficit in Game 1, and led the series 3-1, including winning Games 4 and 5. Freddie Freeman became the first player to win consecutive World Series MVP awards, and Giancarlo Stanton was just the second player ever to hit two home runs in a Game 7 winner-take-all contest, matching Bill Mazeroski for the most homers in such a game.
The Washington Nationals overcame a 5-0 deficit in Game 5 with two improbable comebacks, the first of which started with a two-run single from Kike Hernandez off Tommy Kahnle. Then, after a disastrous inning in the sixth that saw the Yankees give up five unearned runs, catcher Juan Soto and outfielder Aaron Judge combined on back-to-back sacrifice flies to turn around a 5-0 deficit against the Dodgers’ bullpen.