The World Series has a history of dazzling moments, nail-biting turns of events, and games ending on walk-off home runs. This year was no different. The Houston Astros won their first World Series in seven years and ended a 26-year drought for the franchise, which was founded in 1962.
The Astros won the Series with a series-clinching win in Game 7, which was played just hours after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck near Santa Cruz. The seismic event was so strong that it caused the World Series to be delayed, and the first pitch of Game 7 was thrown just after 5 p.m.
Despite the late start, the game was a dramatic affair from the get-go. The Yankees jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, but the Dodgers rallied back with two runs in the bottom of the frame against a pair of tired New York relievers. Freddie Freeman’s 10th-inning grand slam was the icing on the cake for a thrilling series that was decided in six games.
Known as the “Summer Classic,” this World Series has been one of the most memorable in MLB history. The 1912 Series featured a conspiracy to fix the championship in favor of the Boston Red Sox, led by gambler Chick Gandil and Red Sox captain Bill Buckner. The infamous plot involved first baseman Eddie Cicotte, pitchers Lefty Williams and Bob Stanley, left fielder Swede Risberg, center fielder Happy Felsch, and outfielders Shoeless Joe Jackson and Happy Sullivan. The plan was to throw the Series and give the Sox a sweep.