Sunday, April 5, 2009

Defending World Series Champions Opening Game Records

The 2008 defending World Champion Philadelphia Phillies take the field tonight against the Atlanta Braves to open the 2009 season. Though completely irrelevant to predicting how a season will play out, what have other defending champs done to open the next season? Do they come out exhibiting the same play and cohesiveness as the team that raised the Commissioner's Trophy in the fall? Or do they came out lethargic and with no desire? Good luck? Bad luck? Anything?

Again, this proves nothing but with the Phillies embarking on a title defense let's take a look anyway.

Year

World Series Winner

Next Season Opening Game Result

1903

Boston Americans

L

1904

Boycotted by the New York Giants (NL)

N/A

1905

New York Giants

W

1906

Chicago White Sox

L

1907

Chicago Cubs

W

1908

Chicago Cubs

W

1909

Pittsburgh Pirates

W

1910

Philadelphia Athletics

L

1911

Philadelphia Athletics

W

1912

Boston Red Sox

L

1913

Philadelphia Athletics

L

1914

Boston Braves

L

1915

Boston Red Sox

W

1916

Boston Red Sox

W

1917

Chicago White Sox

L

1918

Boston Red Sox

W

1919

Cincinnati Reds

W

1920

Cleveland Indians

L

1921

New York Giants

L

1922

New York Giants

W

1923

New York Yankees

W

1924

Washington Senators

L

1925

Pittsburgh Pirates

L

1926

St. Louis Cardinals

L

1927

New York Yankees

W

1928

New York Yankees

W

1929

Philadelphia Athletics

W

1930

Philadelphia Athletics

W

1931

St. Louis Cardinals

W

1932

New York Yankees

W

1933

New York Giants

W

1934

St. Louis Cardinals

L

1935

Detroit Tigers

W

1936

New York Yankees

L

1937

New York Yankees

L

1938

New York Yankees

W

1939

New York Yankees

L

1940

Cincinnati Reds

L

1941

New York Yankees

W

1942

St. Louis Cardinals

L

1943

New York Yankees

W

1944

St. Louis Cardinals

L

1945

Detroit Tigers

W

1946

St. Louis Cardinals

L

1947

New York Yankees

W

1948

Cleveland Indians

L

1949

New York Yankees

W

1950

New York Yankees

W

1951

New York Yankees

W

1952

New York Yankees

L

1953

New York Yankees

L

1954

New York Giants

L

1955

Brooklyn Dodgers

L

1956

New York Yankees

W

1957

Milwaukee Braves

L

1958

New York Yankees

W

1959

Los Angeles Dodgers

W

1960

Pittsburgh Pirates

W

1961

New York Yankees

W

1962

New York Yankees

W

1963

Los Angeles Dodgers

W

1964

St. Louis Cardinals

T

1965

Los Angeles Dodgers

W

1966

Baltimore Orioles

W

1967

St. Louis Cardinals

W

1968

Detroit Tigers

W

1969

New York Mets

W

1970

Baltimore Orioles

W

1971

Pittsburgh Pirates

L

1972

Oakland A's

L

1973

Oakland A's

W

1974

Oakland A's

W

1975

Cincinnati Reds

W

1976

Cincinnati Reds

W

1977

New York Yankees

L

1978

New York Yankees

L

1979

Pittsburgh Pirates

L

1980

Philadelphia Phillies

L

1981

Los Angeles Dodgers

W

1982

St. Louis Cardinals

L

1983

Baltimore Orioles

L

1984

Detroit Tigers

W

1985

Kansas City Royals

L

1986

New York Mets

W

1987

Minnesota Twins

L

1988

Los Angeles Dodgers

L

1989

Oakland Athletics

W

1990

Cincinnati Reds

W

1991

Minnesota Twins

W

1992

Toronto Blue Jays

L

1993

Toronto Blue Jays

W

1994

Cancelled due to player strike

N/A

1995

Atlanta Braves

W

1996

New York Yankees

L

1997

Florida Marlins

W

1998

New York Yankees

L

1999

New York Yankees

W

2000

New York Yankees

W

2001

Arizona Diamondbacks

W

2002

Anaheim Angels

L

2003

Florida Marlins

W

2004

Boston Red Sox

L

2005

Chicago White Sox

W

2006

St. Louis Cardinals

L

2007

Boston Red Sox

W

2008

Philadelphia Phillies

TBD


There have been 106 modern World Series. We do not have data for three of them. There was no Series after the 1904 and 1994 seasons and the 2008 defending champs don't play until tonight. What happened the other 103 times?

Defending World Series Champions boast a record of 43-59-1. OK, maybe boast isn't the best word. And yes, there was a tie (1965 St. Louis Cardinals vs Chicago Cubs, 10-10 in 11 innings). The longest winning streak by defending champs in the following seasons opening game is seven (128 through 1934). The longest losing streak is four games (1953 through 1956 and 1978 through 1981). The Phillies were the final team in that last losing streak. They lost their season opener in 1981 after winning their first World Series in 1980, falling to the Reds 3-2. The Red Sox won their opening game last year in Japan versus the A's in extra innings.

Let's hope the Phillies extend the defending champions streak to two tonight.

And that they get another opportunity to add to this list in 2010.

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