It is the reason why they play the game, with the ultimate goal to win the World Series, get the ring and hold the trophy. There have been 105 teams which declared themselves champions, not by a poll of writers voting them champions, but by beating every challenger on the diamond.
Many times teams theans were invincible, like the 1927 Yankees, who dominated the American League season, winning the league by a then-record 19 games. They put on a hitting display in batting practice before the first game and completely intimidated the Pittsburgh Pirates before dismantling them four games to none.
All teams since that time have tried to live up to that Murderer's Row. The dynasty of the Yankees from 1936-1941 included some of the best teams ever, ushering in the brilliant Joe DiMaggio but also waving goodbye to their fallen hero Lou Gehrig.
After a brief respite, the Yankee dynasty took hold again, winning five consecutive World Series titles from 1949-1953. The Yankees also won several titles in the 1960's before they crumbled for a dozen years, only to be resurrected in the late 1990's by Joe Torre, a former New York Giant fan who grew up in Brooklyn.
Go figure that one out!
The Oakland A's won three straight titles from 1972-1974, proving that the players did not have to all get along in order to achieve greatness.
How to achieve greatness as a team? Great pitching, timely hitting and key players who can take over a game or entire series. Most of all stay healthy, although the 1973 A's still won the World Series without their MVP Reggie Jackson.
This list is ranking of the top 25 World Series teams over the last 26 years, as the 1994 World Series was cancelled. (If it was played it would have been the New York Yankees vs. the Montreal Expos).
That worked out perfectly as one of my favorite teams, the 1984 Detroit Tigers, was now eligible.
The teams were ranked based upon domination during the regular season, ease of which they moved through the post season and dominant players involved.
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