By Kevin Smith
Here we are. Starting Wednesday, the 109th and 2013 World Series will begin. It features two storied franchises: the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals.
These legendary organizations have won a combined 18 World Series titles.
A lot of history for these two teams when they square off in the grand daddy of Major League Baseball.
In fact, there is quite a factual history for both of these teams. This will be the fourth World Series matchup (1946, 1967, 2004 and now 2013) between these teams in major league history. Their three previous WS matchups have led to St. Louis winning two and Boston nabbing one.
The Cardinals won the matchups in 1946 and 1967 during the Curse of the Bambino era while the Red Sox won the matchup in 2004 to break their 86-year World Series drought. In the 1946 and 1967 World Series, both matchups went to Game 7. Boston swept St. Louis in four games in the 2004 matchup.
The last time these teams met in the World Series, it was the 100th WS in MLB history.
It is the first World Series since 1999 to pair the two teams with best regular season records in their respective leagues (Yankees and Braves in 1999 WS).
This year’s Fall Classic is only the third in history to have both teams with identical records. With that being said, this is fourth matchup since the introduction of the Division Series in 1995 that a team with the best regular season record went on to win the World Series that season. The previous years when that has occurred is 1998, 2007, and 2009 (Yankees won in 1998 & 2009, Red Sox won in 2007).
It is the first World Series since 2008 where the opposing managers of both teams make their first fall classic appearance as managers: Mike Matheny for the Cardinals and John Farrell for the Red Sox. (Joe Maddon for the Rays and Charlie Manuel for the Phillies in 2008 WS).
Since their matchup in 2004, the Cardinals and Red Sox have combined to go to the World Series three times (Cardinals twice in 2006 & 2011, Red Sox once in 2007), winning all three.
A handful of legendary hitters, pitchers, and managers turned Hall of Famers got to participate in the 1946 and 1967 Fall Classics.
The Cardinals Hall of Famers who got a taste of those World Series included Enos Slaughter and Stan Musial in the ’46 WS and Lou Brock, Orlando Cepeda, and Bob Gibson in the ’67 WS.
St. Louis second baseman and manager Red Scheondienst was the only hall of famer to take part in both World Series (Played 2B in 1946 and managed in 1967).
The Red Sox Hall of Famers included Bobby Doerr, Ted Williams, and Joe Cronin as manager in the ’46 WS and Carl Yaztrzemski in the ’67 WS.
On October 23, 2013, the St. Louis Cardinals will start their quest for a 12th World Series title, which will keep them for second most titles behind the New York Yankees (27). The Boston Red Sox will start their quest for an 8th World Series title, which is fifth most in major league history.
It will be the 19th and 12th Fall Classic appearance for the Cardinals and Red Sox, respectively.
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