Why do we call the final baseball series, the World Series?
by fred rosado
(the colony tx )
Sacrifice bunt, World Series 1954
Fred asked: We play the World Series in the USA but no teams we play are outside the United States. Also how did the World Series get it's name?
Rick answered: Fred, thank you for your question.
The following information is provided by: funtrivia.
In 1904, Reach Guide reported on the first official "World Championship Series", played in 1903, using a name first coined in 1886 by the Spalding(of athletic equipment fame) Baseball Guide, in reference to the post-season game between Chicago and St. Louis.
Spaldings editor noted that since both teams were already "Champions of the United States" in their respective leagues, the winner of the post-season games would be "world" champions, hence the "World Championship Series".
Spalding continued to refer to post-season games by this name, adding that as other nations embraced baseball, their winning teams would participate in the playoffs, turing the "World's Championship Series" into a reality.
Although this never happened, the name remained in use, becoming shorter as time passed. This was most evident in the Reach and Spalding Guides, both of which referred, over the years, to the "World's Series" and eventually the "World Series".
In the 1930's, these guides merged, ceasing publication in 1941, when they were replaced by The Sporting News Guide, who used "World's Series" from 1942 through 1963, switching to the "World Series" in 1964.
Yours in baseball,
Rick
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