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The 2004 World Series was played from October 23 until October 27, between the National League champion St. Louis Cardinals and the American League champion the Boston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox is a Major League Baseball team located in Boston, Massachusetts. They are in the American League East Division. Founded 1893, as the Toledo, Ohio franchise in the minor Western League. Moved to Boston when that league became the Americ. The Red Sox won the series four games to none, earning their first World Series Championship in 86 years 46 days, since 1918.
The first two games of the series are played in one team's home ballpark, the next three in the other team's ballpark, and the final two, if necessary, back in the first team's ballpark. Until 20032003 is a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar), and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Summary Perhaps the defining global event of the year 2003 was the Invasion of Iraq launched by the U, the team given the home-field advantage was switched every year between the American League and the National League. Starting in 2003, however, the league that wins the All-Star GameThe Major League Baseball All-Star Game is an annual exhibition baseball game between the best players from the National League and the American League. The All-Star Game usually occurs in mid-July and marks the middle of the Major League Baseball season. is given the home field advantage in the World Series.
A portion of the gate receipts from the World Series - and, from 1969For other uses, see Number 1969. For the movie, see 1969 (movie). Events January January 1 Australian media baron Rupert Murdoch purchases the largest selling British Sunday newspaper The News Of The World January 5 The Derry Riots leave over 100 people i onward, the other rounds of postseason play preceding it - is used to fund a Players' Pool, from which descending shares are distributed to the World Series winner, the World Series loser, all the other teams qualifying for the playoffs which did not reach the World Series, and certain other teams which did not qualify for the playoffs, the criteria for the latter changing at various times. Prior to 1969For other uses, see Number 1969. For the movie, see 1969 (movie). Events January January 1 Australian media baron Rupert Murdoch purchases the largest selling British Sunday newspaper The News Of The World January 5 The Derry Riots leave over 100 people i, teams finishing in the first divisionFirst division is a term that has had various meanings, at various times, in the sport of baseball: Prior to 1961, the two major baseball leagues the National League and the American League contained eight teams each, and a team in first through fourth pl, or top half of the leagues' standings, received such shares; today only the teams finishing in second place in their division but not earning a wild cardIn playing card terms, a wild card is a card that can be assigned any value its holder desires. A wild card can be a pre-assigned card, such as any 2 (deuce) or the jack of spades, for example, or a special card, usually one of the jokers. See also Wild c receive them.
The "World" appellation has stuck despite the fact that only teams in the United StatesThe United States of America also referred to as the United States U. America ¹ or the States is a federal republic in central North America, stretching from the Atlantic in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west. It shares land borders with Canada in and CanadaCanada historically the Dominion of Canada is the second-largest, and northernmost, country in the world. It is a decentralized federation of 10 provinces and 3 territories, governed as a constitutional monarchy, and formed in 1867 through an act of Confe participate. While some would contend that there is no reason to believe that the World Series winner is a significantly better team than any club team outside Major League Baseball, no challenges have been made by other leagues. Attempts to pit the North American champions against champions in the Japanese or Latin American leagues have, so far, not succeeded.
A persistent myth is that the "World" in "World Series" came about because the New York World newspaper sponsored it. Baseball researcher Doug Pappas refutes that claim, demonstrating a linear progression from the phrase "World's Championship Series" (used to describe the 1903 series) to "World's Series" to "World Series". Furthermore, investigation of the New York World for the relevant years revealed no evidence of the supposed sponsorship. (For details, see Mr. Pappas's web page on the subject).
Baseball tournaments between international teams do occur, notably at the world championships and at the Olympic Games. To the Summer Olympics, the US has always sent a team of minor-league players, since the MLB hasn't been willing to stop playing and thus free its players during the Olympics until now. The US team won the gold medal in 2000, suggesting that a major-league team could defeat any non-American national team. Of course, major league teams do not consist entirely of US nationals; for example, about 10% of MLB players are from the Dominican Republic. Not all of the US nationals in MLB are eligible for Team USA; a significant minority are from Puerto Rico, which fields its own teams in international sports competitions. The famed Cuban national team (which was beaten by the Americans in 2000) has defeated Major League teams in some confrontations. At the 2004 Summer Olympics the USA was not represented, since its minor-leaguer team did not survive qualifying. The International Baseball Federation ( IBAF ) has tried to lobby MLB into suspending play during the Summer Olympics, so that MLB players could compete for their respective national teams. The IBAF is of the opininon that if this does not happen at the 2008 Olympics, Baseball is likely to be removed from the Olympics to make room for Rugby. The IBAF has agreed to shortening the Olympic tournament if the MLB agrees to freeing its players. According to the IBAF chairman, such a move would do more for popularizing Baseball around the world than any amount of money spent by the MLB for its current worldwide marketing.
Currently, Major League Baseball, in cooperation with the IBAF, is trying to institute a World Cup of Baseball, to be held at least quadrennially during the Northern Hemisphere winter at a warm-weather site, to serve as a true world championship of national baseball teams. The winter scheduling would allow players from the North American and Japanese professional leagues to participate. The first such World Cup is tentatively scheduled to follow the 2005 season. The IBAF has already organized thirty-five editions of the Baseball World Cup since 1938.
The term World Series has since been appropriated by other championships, such as the World Series of Poker, the College World Series, the World Series of Birding and the World Series of Martial Arts . World Series Cricket was a short-lived but influential cricket competition.