Throughout the history of modern baseball, there have been 111 World Series played, not including the different version played prior to the start of the 20th century. The New York Yankees have won 27, followed by the St. Louis Cardinals with 11 and the Philadelphia/ Oakland Athletics with nine. The Boston Americans/ Red Sox and New York/ San Francisco Giants have won eight, while the Brooklyn/ Los Angeles Dodgers have won six. The Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds have won five each and the Detroit Tigers have won four. The teams that have won three include the Washington Senators/ Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox and the Boston/ Milwaukee/ Atlanta Braves. The New York Mets, Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays, Florida Marlins, Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs have all won two World Series with the Anaheim Angels and the Arizona Diamondbacks each winning one. That leaves eight teams who have yet to win a World Series. The Texas Rangers have been to two but not won and the Colorado Rockies, Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros and the San Diego Padres have all been to and lost a Fall Classic. The other two teams, the Montreal Expos/ Washington Nationals and the Seattle Mariners, have never been to a World Series.
There is no reason to figure out exactly how many managers have led these franchises over the course of their history. Many get a certain time frame to deliver a World Series Championship and many leaves without fulfilling that goal. WIlbert Robinson, Al Lopez, Clark Griffith, Jimmie Dykes, Dusty Baker and Gene Mauch had all won over 1399 games as a big league manager without winning a World Series. Some, however, have been lucky enough to win in their first season behind a big league bench.
Bucky Harris won in his first season as player/ manager for the Washington Senators in 1924. Harris is among a small list of just four to win in their first season ever, later joined by the Cardinals Eddie Dyer (1946), Yankees Ralph Houk (1961) and Diamondbacks Bob Brenly (2001).
The next group of six took over during the season the year before. In other words, they replaced the incumbent manager the season before and won a World Series in their first full season. The first to do it was Tris Speaker, who took over as a player/ manager for the Indians in 1919 and won the World Series the following season. Rogers Hornsby did the same in St. Louis in 1925 before leading them to a championship in 1926. The others are Bill Terry (Giants 1933), Frankie Frisch (Cardinals 1934), Dallas Green (Phillies 1980) and Tom Kelly (Twins 1987).
Finally, there are the managers who did not win a World Series in their first stop, but ended up winning one in their first season somewhere else. The first to do that was Red Sox manager Jake Stahl in 1912. Stahl had previously managed the Washington Senators in 1905 and 1906. Ed Barrow won a World Series in 1918 with the Red Sox in his first season after managing the Tigers from 1903-1907. Pat Moran won the controversial Series of 1919 in his first season with the Reds, having previously been behind the bench for the Phillies from 1915-1918. Joe Altobelli won in 1983 with the Orioles after managing the San Francisco Giants from 1977-1979. Jim Leyland picked up his ring in 1997 during his first season with the Florida Marlins after his 11 year run with the Pirates from 1986-1996. Terry Francona managed the Phillies from 1997-2000, then won a World Series in his first season with the Red Sox in 2004. Finally, John Farrell did the same in 2013 in Boston after managing the Toronto Blue Jays in 2011 and 2012. Coincidentally, four of these seven managers did so while with the Red Sox.
If the second time did not work, it does not mean a manager cannot get that timeless ring. Casey Stengel won in his first season with the Yankees after not getting Brooklyn (1934-1936) and Boston- NL (1938-1943) to the promise land. Al Dark was actually in his second stint with the Athletics in 1974 when he won his first World Series as a manager. In fact, Dark had managed the Giants (1961-1964), the Kansas City Athletics (1966-1967) and the Indians (1968-1971) before winning in his first season in Oakland. Joe Torre had managed the Mets (1977-1981), Braves (1982-1984) and Cardinals (1990-1995) before taking the job with the Yankees for the 1996 season. Jack McKeon had managed four teams, the Royals (1973-1975), Athletics (1977, 1978), Padres (1988-1990) and the Reds (1997-2000) before winning in his first season in Florida in 2003.
Harris, previously mentioned for being the first manager to win a World Series in his first season behind the bench, would wait a long time before winning another one. Harris stayed in Washington through 1928, then managed the Tigers from 1929-1933 before making a pit stop with Red Sox in 1934. He then returned to Washington from 1935-1942 and took the same job for the Phillies in 1943. Harris was named the 15th manager in the history of the New York Yankees franchise for the 1947 season. He led them to a World Series Championship that season.
It would not be fair to exclude former Milwaukee Braves manager Fred Haney from this discussion. Haney took over the Braves during the 1956 season after previously managing with the St. Louis Browns (1939-1941) and Pirates (1953-1955).
As the 2016 pennant races wind down, it is worth wondering if this is the year Dusty Baker wins his first World Series as a manager. It would come in his first season in Washington. The same can be said for Dave Roberts (Dodgers), Don Mattingly (Marlins) and Scott Servais (Mariners). The latter two seem like a long shot at this point to get into the postseason.
There is no reason to figure out exactly how many managers have led these franchises over the course of their history. Many get a certain time frame to deliver a World Series Championship and many leaves without fulfilling that goal. WIlbert Robinson, Al Lopez, Clark Griffith, Jimmie Dykes, Dusty Baker and Gene Mauch had all won over 1399 games as a big league manager without winning a World Series. Some, however, have been lucky enough to win in their first season behind a big league bench.
Bucky Harris won in his first season as player/ manager for the Washington Senators in 1924. Harris is among a small list of just four to win in their first season ever, later joined by the Cardinals Eddie Dyer (1946), Yankees Ralph Houk (1961) and Diamondbacks Bob Brenly (2001).
The next group of six took over during the season the year before. In other words, they replaced the incumbent manager the season before and won a World Series in their first full season. The first to do it was Tris Speaker, who took over as a player/ manager for the Indians in 1919 and won the World Series the following season. Rogers Hornsby did the same in St. Louis in 1925 before leading them to a championship in 1926. The others are Bill Terry (Giants 1933), Frankie Frisch (Cardinals 1934), Dallas Green (Phillies 1980) and Tom Kelly (Twins 1987).
Finally, there are the managers who did not win a World Series in their first stop, but ended up winning one in their first season somewhere else. The first to do that was Red Sox manager Jake Stahl in 1912. Stahl had previously managed the Washington Senators in 1905 and 1906. Ed Barrow won a World Series in 1918 with the Red Sox in his first season after managing the Tigers from 1903-1907. Pat Moran won the controversial Series of 1919 in his first season with the Reds, having previously been behind the bench for the Phillies from 1915-1918. Joe Altobelli won in 1983 with the Orioles after managing the San Francisco Giants from 1977-1979. Jim Leyland picked up his ring in 1997 during his first season with the Florida Marlins after his 11 year run with the Pirates from 1986-1996. Terry Francona managed the Phillies from 1997-2000, then won a World Series in his first season with the Red Sox in 2004. Finally, John Farrell did the same in 2013 in Boston after managing the Toronto Blue Jays in 2011 and 2012. Coincidentally, four of these seven managers did so while with the Red Sox.
If the second time did not work, it does not mean a manager cannot get that timeless ring. Casey Stengel won in his first season with the Yankees after not getting Brooklyn (1934-1936) and Boston- NL (1938-1943) to the promise land. Al Dark was actually in his second stint with the Athletics in 1974 when he won his first World Series as a manager. In fact, Dark had managed the Giants (1961-1964), the Kansas City Athletics (1966-1967) and the Indians (1968-1971) before winning in his first season in Oakland. Joe Torre had managed the Mets (1977-1981), Braves (1982-1984) and Cardinals (1990-1995) before taking the job with the Yankees for the 1996 season. Jack McKeon had managed four teams, the Royals (1973-1975), Athletics (1977, 1978), Padres (1988-1990) and the Reds (1997-2000) before winning in his first season in Florida in 2003.
Harris, previously mentioned for being the first manager to win a World Series in his first season behind the bench, would wait a long time before winning another one. Harris stayed in Washington through 1928, then managed the Tigers from 1929-1933 before making a pit stop with Red Sox in 1934. He then returned to Washington from 1935-1942 and took the same job for the Phillies in 1943. Harris was named the 15th manager in the history of the New York Yankees franchise for the 1947 season. He led them to a World Series Championship that season.
It would not be fair to exclude former Milwaukee Braves manager Fred Haney from this discussion. Haney took over the Braves during the 1956 season after previously managing with the St. Louis Browns (1939-1941) and Pirates (1953-1955).
As the 2016 pennant races wind down, it is worth wondering if this is the year Dusty Baker wins his first World Series as a manager. It would come in his first season in Washington. The same can be said for Dave Roberts (Dodgers), Don Mattingly (Marlins) and Scott Servais (Mariners). The latter two seem like a long shot at this point to get into the postseason.
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