TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

As we head into the World Series it certainly is not what what most expected.

Going into 2026, many thought the Dodgers had an excellent chance to three-peat. Certainly, with the signing of Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz, and the trade-deadline acquisition of Tarik Skubal. Only health would stand in the way of at least making the 2026 World Series. It wasn’t to be. It was the first time in MLB history that two teams rematched in the NLCS or ALCS where both teams swept. Milwaukee, I don’t believe, gets enough credit. This was their third NLCS since 2018, and they have made the playoffs in eight out of nine years, including 6 division titles. Take away the COVID year, and they have won 90+ 6 times, and 95+ 4 times. It's a remarkable run, and attendance has averaged over 2.6 million per season since 2011. (we can talk about the “Ticket” another time).

Here is the funny thing, and it is why I love baseball history so much. Since the advent of the Draft and Free Agency, only 2 teams have three-peated. In fact, only 2 Franchises have made three straight World Series since 1965.

The Oakland Athletics, twice: 72- 74, 88-90, and the New York Yankees, twice. 76-78 and 98-01 (4 times).

Pre-1965, the St. Louis Cardinals made three straight appearances, 42-44, winning 2. The Philadelphia Athletics 29-31. Winning 2.

The Giants 21-24, splitting them 2-2.

Before that, you have to go way back to the Tigers and Cubs 1906-1908 and 1907-1910.

Neither three-peated.

The Yankees 1921-1964 were a different animal altogether. They had one 5-game winning streak and one 4-game winning streak. Also appeared in 5 straight 60-64 and went 2-3. They also had another 4-game winning streak and went 2-2.

They also had 3 other separate 3-straight appearances. Nothing comparable exists in baseball history. In North American sports, the Montreal Canadiens, who won 23 Cups in 42 years (44-86) is the only thing comparable. The Boston Celtics (57-87) won 16 titles, lost 3, and appeared in the finals 50% of the time. The NFL has had dynasties in Pittsburgh, New England, and Green Bay (pre-Super Bowl), but most were built around a group of players or a single player (Tom Brady, Steel Curtain, Joe Montana, etc.). None have survived over a 30-40+ span going from player to player to date.

As playoffs have gotten longer and longer and talent has become more widespread, I am not sure we will see another three-peat in baseball. Hockey and the NBA remain the most likely to repeat.

How about them Oakland A’s!

October 22, 1972, at Riverfront Stadium The transplanted Oakland A’s, capturing their first championship in 42 years, become the first Bay Area team to win a world title when they defeat the Cincinnati Reds, 3-2, to win their first World Series since the franchise’s move to California. Gene Tenace, named the MVP of the Series, drives in two of Oakland’s runs.

However, it was Allan Lewis, pinch-running for Tenace who scored the 3rd Oakland run and the eventual winning run on a Sal Bando Double.

Future Hall of Famer Jim “Catfish” Hunter earns the victory in relief, and Rollie Fingers gets Pete Rose to fly out for the final out as the Oakland Athletics win Game 7 and the World Series.

The A’s won 3 games on the road at Riverfront Stadium. World Series MVP Tenace, who hit only five home runs in the regular season, connects for four round-trippers during the Fall Classic, including an unprecedented two homers in his first two at-bats in Game 1.

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Todays Podcast

Brought to you by: This Day In Baseball

This day in baseball has a deeper dive into every event from October 22

October 22, 1910 – After three straight defeats and trailing the Philadelphia Athletics, 3 – 2, in the 9th inning of Game 5, the Chicago Cubs tie the score, then win, 4 – 3, in 10 innings for their only victory in the World Series. Three Finger Brown, in relief, is the winning pitcher over Chief Bender, who throws a complete game. The A’s will easily take the Fall Classic in five games.

October 22, 1920 — Eight members of the Chicago White Sox are indicted for supposedly throwing the 1919 World Series. Although considered heavy favorites to win the Series, the White Sox lost to the Cincinnati Reds in eight games in what will become known as the Black Sox Scandal.

The infamous eight – Joe Jackson, Buck Weaver, Lefty Williams, Swede Risberg, Fred McMullin, Happy Felsch, Eddie Cicotte, and Chick Gandil.

October 22, 1960 — “But immortality is nontransferable. The papers said that the other players, and even the umpires on the field, begged him to come out and acknowledge us in some way, but he never had and did not now. Gods do not answer letters.” – JOHN UPDIKE, author of Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu published in the New Yorker, The New Yorker magazine publishes Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu, an article by 28 year-old John Updike which chronicles Ted Williams’ last game in the major leagues. The future Pulitzer Prize-winning author, among the 10,000 fans to watch the fabled game in Boston, ends the much-celebrated baseball essay with, “Gods do not answer letters,” as an explanation of why the 41 year-old superstar did not acknowledge the Fenway faithful after homering in his final major league at-bat.

October 22, 1967 — The A’s name Bay Area native Joe DiMaggio as the team’s executive vice president and consultant. Oakland owner Charlie Finley uses the ‘Yankee Clipper’ to be a part-time hitting coach and public relations advocate for the club, a job the former superstar will quickly become unhappy with, leaving the organization after just two years in the position.

October 22, 1975, the Cincinnati Reds finish off what some consider the greatest World Series ever by beating the Boston Red Sox, 4-3, in Game Seven. Future Hall of Famer Joe Morgan’s ninth-inning looping single scoring Ken Griffey proves to be the decisive hit.

October 22, 1985 — Pitcher Bret Saberhagen gives the Kansas City Royals their first World Series victory with a complete game 6 – 1 decision in Game 3. The St. Louis Cardinals had won the Series’ first two games, played in Kansas City.

The Royals got back into the series by riding ace Bret Saberhagen to a 6–1 victory against twenty-game winner Joaquín Andújar. Saberhagen flashed messages on the television screen to his pregnant wife who was due to give birth any day. She eventually gave birth on October 26 (in Game 6). The Royals went up 2–0 in the fourth on Lonnie Smith’s two-run double that scored Jim Sundberg and Buddy Biancalana, who had walked and singled, respectively. Royals second baseman Frank White made history by becoming the first second baseman in the history of the World Series to hit in the clean-up spot in the batting order. White came through with a two-run home run off of Andújar in the fifth after George Brett got on base. The Cardinals scored their only run of the game in the sixth off of Saberhagen on consecutive singles by Ozzie Smith, Tom Herr, and Jack Clark. The Royals padded their lead in the seventh off of Ricky Horton when Brett drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a balk, then scored on White’s double. Two outs later, White scored on Biancalana’s single to cap the scoring.

October 22, 1987 — The St. Louis Cardinals win their third straight home game, 4 – 2, against the Minnesota Twins, and take a 3-2 lead in the World Series. The Cardinals 6,7 and 8 hitters go 6-12 to lead St. Louis.

October 22, 1992, legendary broadcaster Red Barber dies at the age of 84. Barber announced games for the Cincinnati Reds, Brooklyn Dodgers, and New York Yankees. In 1978, Barber and Mel Allen received the Hall of Fame’s first Ford C. Frick Award.

October 22, 1997 — At Jacobs Field game-time temperature hovering at 35 degrees and snow flurries abound, the coldest start of any postseason game on record, the Indians’ bats come out smoking in Game 4 of the World Series, scoring three runs in the first two on an opposite-field home run by Manny Ramirez, and another trio of tallies in the third inning in their 10-3 rout of the Marlins.

The contest, which includes third baseman Matt Williams reaching base six times, marks the matchup of two rookie starters on the mound, 21-year-old right-hander Jaret Wright for Cleveland and 23-year-old southpaw Tony Saunders for Florida, making it only the sixth time in the history of the Fall Classic that two freshman hurlers have opposed one another.

October 22, 2002 — Joining Roberto Clemente and Thurman Munson, Darryl Kile will become the third player to appear on the Hall of Fame ballot before the mandatory five-year waiting period. The 33-year-old St. Louis Cardinals pitcher was found dead in his Chicago hotel room on June 22nd, felled by heart disease.

October 22, 2002 — Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games streak being broken by Cal Ripken, Jr. in 1995 is voted as baseball’s most memorable moment by the fans participating in a Major League Baseball and MasterCard promotion. Hank Aaron breaking Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record, Jackie Robinson becoming the first black to play in the major leagues, Mark McGwire breaking Roger Maris’ single-season home run record and Gehrig’s farewell speech were also in the top five events selected by the fans.

October 22, 2006, Detroit starter Kenny Rogers is embroiled in controversy when he pitches the first inning of Game Two of the World Series with a black smudge on his pitching hand. Television cameras zoom in on the spot, which Rogers claims is dirt, but which many felt was pine tar. The left-hander wipes off the substance and proceeds to pitch eight shutout innings as the Tigers defeat the Cardinals, 3-1. The outing runs Rogers’ post-season streak of shutout innings to 23, the fourth-longest stretch in history.

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