The 2014 MLB season is over and the San Francisco Giants have won their third World Series in the last five years, congratulations to the Giants. I wanted the Kansas City Royals to win and they made it close, but no cigar for the Royals. The fact that the Royals did not win could be my fault because my World Series favorites always lose, I think the last team I cheered for in the World Series that won it all were the 1991 Minnesota Twins.
When the playoffs started lots of fans were jumping on the KC bandwagon because they had not been to a World Series in 29 years and everyone except maybe Yankee and Red Sox fans likes an underdog. So now that the Royals have been to a World Series again, what teams out there have not played in a World Series in a long time? The other day someone from the Twins called me to try to get me to sign up for Twins season tickets again and during the conversation the topic of “last to first” came up in the discussion. It was then that it dawned on my how long it has been since our Twins last played in a World Series, it was 1991, 23 seasons ago, wow, that is a long time. Everyone talks about those poor Cubbies whose last appearance in a World Series was in 1945, that was before I was born and many generations of Cub fans have been born and died and have never seen their team play in the Fall Classic. Is that crazy or what? Two teams, the Washington Nationals/Montreal Expos who began play in 1969 and the Seattle Mariners who began play in 1977 have never ever appeared in a World Series.
Last appearance in a World Series
| TEAM | LAST APPEARANCE IN WORLD SERIES | COMMENTS |
|---|---|---|
| Nationals/Expos | Never | started play in 1969 |
| Mariners | Never | Started play in 1977 |
| Cubs | 1945 | |
| Pirates | 1979 | |
| Brewers/Pilots | 1982 | Started play in 1969 |
| Orioles | 1983 | |
| Dodgers | 1988 | |
| A’s | 1990 | |
| Reds | 1990 | |
| Twins/Senators | 1991 | |
| Blue Jays | 1993 | Started play in 1977 |
| Indians | 1997 | |
| Padres | 1998 | Started play in 1969 |
| Braves | 1999 | |
| Mets | 2000 | Started play in 1962 |
| Diamondbacks | 2001 | Started play in 1998 |
| Angels | 2002 | Started play in 1961 |
| Marlins | 2003 | Started play in 1993 |
| Astros | 2005 | Started play in 1962 |
| White Sox | 2005 | |
| Rockies | 2007 | Started play in 1993 |
| Rays | 2008 | Started play in 1998 |
| Phillies | 2009 | |
| Yankees | 2009 | |
| Rangers/Senators | 2011 | Started play in 1961 |
| Tigers | 2012 | |
| Red Sox | 2013 | |
| Cardinals | 2013 | |
| Royals | 2014 | |
| Giants | 2014 |
Last time hoisted a World Championship flag
| TEAM | LAST WON A WORLD SERIES IN | COMMENTS |
|---|---|---|
| Rangers/Senators | Never | Started play in 1961 |
| Astros | Never | Started play in 1962 |
| Padres | Never | Started play in 1969 |
| Nationals/Expos | Never | Started play in 1969 |
| Brewers/Pilots | Never | Started play in 1969 |
| Mariners | Never | Started play in 1977 |
| Rockies | Never | Started play in 1993 |
| Rays | Never | Started play in 1998 |
| Cubs | 1908 | |
| Indians | 1948 | |
| Pirates | 1979 | |
| Orioles | 1983 | |
| Tigers | 1984 | |
| Royals | 1985 | Started play in 1969 |
| Mets | 1986 | Started play in 1962 |
| Dodgers | 1988 | |
| A’s | 1989 | |
| Reds | 1990 | |
| Twins/Senators | 1991 | |
| Blue Jays | 1993 | Started play in 1977 |
| Braves | 1995 | |
| Diamondbacks | 2001 | Started play in 1998 |
| Angels | 2002 | Started play in 1961 |
| Marlins | 2003 | Started play in 1993 |
| White Sox | 2005 | |
| Phillies | 2008 | |
| Yankees | 2009 | |
| Cardinals | 2011 | |
| Red Sox | 2013 | |
| Giants | 2014 |
Interactive Whiteboards by PolyVision
World Series appearances since 1961
| TEAM | WORLD SERIES APPEARANCES | COMMENTS |
|---|---|---|
| Yankees | 15 | |
| Cardinals | 10 | |
| Dodgers | 8 | |
| Orioles | 6 | |
| Red Sox | 6 | |
| Reds | 6 | |
| A’s | 6 | |
| Giants | 6 | |
| Braves | 5 | |
| Phillies | 5 | |
| Tigers | 4 | |
| Mets | 4 | Started play in 1962 |
| Royals | 3 | Started play in 1969 |
| Twins | 3 | |
| Indians | 2 | |
| Marlins | 2 | Started play in 1993 |
| Pirates | 2 | |
| Padres | 2 | Started play in 1969 |
| Rangers/Senators | 2 | Started play in 1961 |
| Blue Jays | 2 | Started play in 1977 |
| Diamondbacks | 1 | Started play in 1998 |
| White Sox | 1 | |
| Rockies | 1 | Started play 1993 |
| Astros | 1 | Started play in 1962 |
| Angels | 1 | Started play in 1961 |
| Brewers/Pilots | 1 | Started play in 1969 |
| Rays | 1 | Started play in 1998 |
| National/Expos | 0 | Started play in 1969 |
| Mariners | 0 | Started play in 1977 |
| Cubs | 0 | |
| TOTAL | 106 |
I guess it is tough being a baseball fan in the windy city…..