Final Random Notes from the World Series
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Published by Bill Lucey on October 31, 2007 10:12 am under Playoffs, Uncategorized
With the 103rd Fall Classic now history, I put together a few historical notes that might be of interest.
- The Boston Red Sox haven’t clinched a world series at home since September 11, 1918
- Prior to taking the field at Coors Field at first base during Game 3, David Ortiz only played first in seven games, all interleague games – without an error.
- Kevin Youkilis has fielded 1,586 straight errorless chances at first base, breaking the club record of first baseman Stuffy McInnis.' '
- Youkilis is the only first baseman in American League history to play an entire season without an error.
- In 2004, when the Red Sox last won a World Series, Trot Nixon was the only player to have come through the Sox farm system. The 2007 Sox, by comparison, had pitcher Jon Lester, a second round pick in 2002, Clay Buchholz, a supplemental pick after the first round in 2005, Jonathan Papelbon, a fourth-round pick in 2003, and Manny Delcarmen, a second- round pick in 2000.
- October 22, 1997: Game 4 of the World Series between the Florida Marlins and Cleveland Indians', was the coldest game in World Series history, 38 degrees — 18 degrees with wind chill. '
- Game 1 of the this year’s world series registered a 10.5 rating and a 17 audience share nationally, up 31 percent from last year’s game one between the Tigers and Cardinals.
- None of the 22 teams that lost the first three World Series games bounced back to take the series.
- Nineteen teams have swept the World Series.
- Denver is the 25th city to host a world series.
- At 5,280 feet, Denver set a record for the highest altitude for a World Series game.
- Boston’s seven consecutive world series wins is the most since the Yankees won 14 World Series games in a row, beginning with Game 2 of the 1996 Series through Game 2 in 2000.
- Aaron Cook started Game 4, his first appearance since August 10th due to injury. That is the longest layoff before a World Series start since Bob Grim started Game 5 for the 1955 Yankees. Grim last started on June 12th of that year.' '
- The Red Sox have won the third-most World Series, (six), next to the Yankees (26) and Cardinals (10),
- In the six seasons prior to the 1967 “Impossible Dream”, Boston fielded some woeful teams, drawing fewer than 1 million fans.
- Seven times since 1969, the team that dropped the first two games ended up being swept.
- After June 2, Colorado had a 42-17 record at home, including postseason play. The Sox, meanwhile, had the second-best road record in the majors at 46-36.
- Game 3 marked the third consecutive game started by a pitcher born outside the United States: Daisuke Matsuzaka (Japan ); Jeff Francis (Canada ); and Ubaldo Jimenez (Dominican Republic ).
- The Boston Red Sox and Colorado Rockies had a combined 17 players who were born outside the United States on their rosters.
- In 1903 , there was only one foreign-born player that appeared on a World Series roster.
- Lou Piniella of the New York Yankees was the first DH in World Series history on October 16, 1976' '
- 1918 was the last World Series without a home run.
- The Fall Classic was actually called the “World’s Series” until the 1920’s, when the possessive form faded out.
- Bill Wambsganns recorded the only unassisted triple play in World Series history for the Cleveland Indians during game 5 of 1920 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers.' '
- NBC televised the first World Series game in 1947.
- The first time lights were used during a World Series game was on October 9, 1949, when they were turned on in the top of the 9th inning (4:50 p.m.) at Ebbets Field.
- The first night game of a World Series was on October 13, 1971, between the Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates.
- The only World Series MVP from a losing team went to Bobby Richardson of the New York Yankees during the 1960 World Series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
