The Pecan Park Eagle

Remember when Gillette Razor Blades was the company we most identified with the World Series on television? (Look sharp. Feel sharp. Be sharp.)

It comes up almost every year. It’s probably impossible, or possibly improbable, that it could not come up. The chance for two famous franchises meeting again in a World Series is out there on the line, for now, but,with two of the qualifying league playoff series now at 2-0 in the 3-win series tier of things, chances are shrinking fast.

As of this Monday morning, October 8, 2012, they are all till out there – and here’s what they are as match ups between clubs that have met before as franchises – even if the present clubs, in some instances, are now at home in different cities and/or playing by different mascot names these days.

Possibilities:

(1) Cardinals-Yankees (5 times). Cardinals won in 1926, 1942, and 1964; Yankees won in 1928 and 1943.

(2.) Cardinals-Athletics (2 times). Cardinals won in 1931; Athletics won in 1930. Athletics were located in Philadelphia during each of these previous meetings.

(3) Cardinals-Tigers (3 times). Cardinals won in 1934 and 2006; Tigers won in 1968.

(4.) Cardinals-Orioles (1 time). Cardinals won in 1944 when the Orioles franchise was still located in St. Louis also and known as the Browns.

(5) Yankees-Giants (7 times). Yankees won in 1923, 1936, 1937, 1951, and 1962; Giants won in 1921 and 1922. (The Giants moved from New York to San Francisco in 1958).

(6) Yankees-Reds (3 times). Yankees won in 1939 and 1961; Reds won in 1976.

(7) Reds-Tigers (1 time). Reds won in 1940.

(8) Reds-A’s (2 times). Reds won in 1990; A’s won in 1972. A’s were located in Oakland each time.

(9) Reds-Orioles (1 time). Orioles won in 1970.

(10) Giants- A’s (4 times). Giants won in 1905, when the franchise was still in New York; the A’s won in 1911 and 1913, when the club was still in Philadelphia – and again in 1989, when the club had moved to their current home in Oakland.

(11) Washington-Giants (2 times). A “City of Washington” club known as the Senators defeated the New York Giants in 1924; the same NY Giants, in turn, defeated the same “Washington Senators” in 1933. The current Washington Nationals club (formerly the Montreal Expos) would be making its first appearance in a World Series, if it advances that far.

At any rate, what are your preferences for a mach-up, if any? If it helps, here are the W/L records in the World Series for all four of our remaining clubs, arranged in descending order from most to least previous appearances in the World Series. Interesting to note that the top three appearance clubs have also won the last three World Series played through 2011:

(1) (40 apps) New York Yankees (won 27, lost 13, WP: .675) last won in 2009.

(2t) (18 apps) St. Louis Cardinals (won 11, lost 7, WP: .611) last won in 2011.

(2t) (18 apps) San Francisco Giants (won 6, lost 12, WP: .333) last won in 2010.

(4) (14 apps) Oakland Athletics (won 9, lost 5, WP: .642) last won in 1989.

(5) (10 apps) Detroit Tigers (won 4, lost 6 WP: .440) last won in 1984).

(6) (9 apps) Cincinnati Reds (won 5, lost 4, WP: .556) last won in 1990).

(7) (6 apps) Baltimore Orioles (won 3, lost 3, WP: .500) last won in 1983).

(8) (0 apps) Washington Nationals (won 0, lost 0, WP: .000) never played).

I only had this morning to work on this display, but I don’t work with the benefit of an endless clock or a fact-checker. I think my data is correct, but if it is not, just let me know where I’ve made errors and I will correct them in the copy.

Hope to see you Houston people at SABR tonight. Astros TV broadcaster Bill Brown is our featured speaker. The meeting at the downtown Inn at the Ballpark starts at 7 PM, but come as early as 6 PM and join some of us for a light evening meal in the hotel dining area prior to the program.