October 26, 2021
From dramatic comebacks to home run specials, this is why we love October baseball.
The World Series begins on Tue., Oct. 26 at 8:09 PM ET on Fox, and this series is sure to offer thrilling moments that we might just cherish for years to come. To prepare for baseball's big event, here's a look back at some of the most exciting World Series moments from the past few decades:
The Cubs Clear the Curse (2016)
In 1945, a supposed “curse" was put on the Chicago Cubs for not letting a goat into the game (the animal belonged to the owner of the Billy Goat Tavern). William “Billy Goat" Sianis then declared the Cubs wouldn't win another game until a goat was allowed on the field.
Whether or not you buy into the curse, the Cubs didn't see another World Series game until 2016 when they faced the Cleveland Indians. In Game 7, the Cubs defeated the Indians 8-7 in 10 innings, to win the 2016 World Series — more than a century after claiming their last championship. A truly epic sports moment for fans of the underdog.
St. Louis Cardinals Pull Out a Dramatic Win (2011)
The St. Louis Cardinals needed to win Game 6 to stay in the series against the Texas Rangers. The Cardinals were down 7-5 in the 9th inning. David Freese of the Cardinals went up to bat with two outs and two runners on base. He hit a triple to tie the game and send it into extra innings.
Josh Hamilton of the Rangers hit a two-run homer in the 10th but the Cardinals got lucky again when Lance Berkman hit an RBI single to tie the game. Freese finished it off with a home run to win the game for the Cards, 10-9.
The Cardinals would go on to win the series in Game 7 (in a much less dramatic fashion).
Toronto Blue Jays Repeat as World Series Champs (1993)
In Game 6, the defending World Series champions Toronto Blue Jays were down 6-5 against the Philadelphia Phillies in the bottom of the 9th inning. That was until Toronto's Joe Carter hit a huge three-run home run to clinch the game and the championship for the second year in a row.
Minnesota Twins' Jack Morris Throws a Shutout (1991)
Game 7 of a World Series is high pressure, but you wouldn't have known it from Minnesota Twins pitcher Jack Morris. He threw all 10 innings against the Atlanta Braves with these incredible stats: seven hits, two walks, eight strikeouts, 122 pitches — and zero runs. The Twins won the game and the series, with Morris being named MVP.
Late Inning Home Runs Put Astros On Top (2017)
There's nothing quite like a game with a ton of home runs to keep fans on the edge of their seats. In Game 2 of this series between the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers, the teams scored eight home runs, with six of them in the 9th, 10th and 11th innings. Final score: Astros 8, Dodgers 7.
The Red Sox Beat the Curse of the Bambino (2004)
The series pitting the Boston Red Sox against the Cardinals was most notable because the Red Sox had not won a World Series since 1918. Many fans believed the team suffered from the "Curse of the Bambino," due to the Sox dealing the legendary Babe Ruth to the Yankees following the 1919 season.
The boys from Boston finally broke the curse after 86 years by sweeping the Cardinals. They have kept their winning streak going, with World Series wins again in 2007, 2013 and 2018.
The Diamondbacks Rally to Win (2001)
The New York Yankees had amassed quite a few World Series rings going into Game 7 of their series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, which had none. In a 9th inning rally, Arizona's Luis Gonzalez hit an RBI single off all-star pitcher Mariano Rivera (one of the greatest relievers of all time) to stun the Yankees.
The Diamondbacks became the first professional Arizona sports team to claim a major championship.
