The World Series is the peak of America’s pastime. Although baseball has lost the title of America’s favorite sport to football, the World Series is the pinnacle of sports traditions. This year we saw two completely different teams in the seven game series.
The San Francisco Giants came in to the World Series having won two of the last four Championships, seeking to reach dynasty status by getting a third in five. The Royals were making their first playoff appearance since the Reagan administration and are in their second World Series ever.
Both teams had exceptional reasons to root for them, but that seems to be where the similarities ended. The Giants have always been a team full of characters, from Brian Wilson and his dyed black beard in 2010, to this year’s beer-chugging hero Madison Bumgarner.
The Royals on the other hand appeared to be a team of destiny. After suffering for almost three decades it appeared that they are ready to bask in championship glory once again. 1B/DH Billy Butler is in his seventh season and led the offense for Kansas City.
The Royals took a 2-1 Series lead after the dropping the first game to the constantly stellar Bumgarner. The Royals were able to regain home-field advantage once again thanks to stellar pitching late.
Game Four brought some controversy and the Giants didn’t pitch their ace Bumgarner down 2-1 in the series, but they got the win anyway. Bumgarner then shut Kansas City down in Game Five to give the Giants a 3-2 lead. The Royals, facing elimination, then came through one of the most dominant games in World Series history with a 10-0 shutout.
The final Game Seven was between Tim Hudson, the oldest Game Seven starter in the history of baseball and Jeremy Guthrie. Despite pitching in Game Five, rumors proved true as Madison Bumgarner came in for a relief appearance after the third inning and pitched a shutout for remainder of Game Seven. The go ahead run was scored by Pablo Sandoval in the top of the fourth, giving the Giants a 3-2 lead.
This victory gives the Giants their third World Series Championship in the last five years, marking one of the most successful championship runs in recent memory. Manager Bruce Bochy now joins a five-way tie for sixth all time in World Series Championships, where everyone ahead of him is in the Hall of Fame. The early 2010s Giants also go down as one of the great eras in any team’s history as one of only five baseball teams since 1903 to take home so many titles in such short order.
