2012 World Series: Matchups, Past and Present (cards, athletics, games, cup)

[Rho Ophiuchi]

With the LCS matchups set, the possible World Series matchups are narrow to four eventualities.


Detroit Tigers v. San Francisco Giants
The Tigers and the Giants have never met in the World Series. This is 1 of 21 World Series matchups between the original 16 American League and National League that has never occurred. 43 of the 64 possible matchups have occurred at least once.

And no Detroit team has ever played a Bay area team in a championship in one of the four major North American sports. However, a Michigan team has matched up against a California team four other times, with Michigan leading 3 to 1, as follows:
1984 World Series - Detroit Tigers defeat San Diego Padres,
1988 NBA Championship - Los Angeles Lakers defeat Detroit Pistons, 4 games to 3
1989 NBA Championship - Detroit Pistons defeat Los Angeles Lakers, 4 games to 0
2004 NBA Championship - Detroit Pistons defeat Los Angeles Lakers, 4 games to 1


Detroit Tigers v. St. Louis Cardinals; Cardinals lead, 2 Series to 1
1934 - Cardinals defeat Tigers, 4 games to 3
1968 - Tigers defeat Cardinals, 4 games to 3
2006 - Cardinals defeat Tigers, 4 games to 1

No other Michigan team has ever played a Missouri team for a championship in one of the four major North American sports.


New York Yankees v. San Francisco Giants; Yankees lead, 5 Series to 2 (at 7, this is the second most common World Series matchup, after the 11 meetings between the Yankees and the Dodgers).
1921 - Giants* defeat Yankees, 5 games to 3
1922 - Giants* defeat Yankees, 4 games to 0, with 1 tie game
1923 - Yankees defeat Giants*, 4 games to 2
1936 - Yankees defeat Giants*, 4 games to 2
1937 - Yankees defeat Giants*, 4 games to 1
1951 - Yankees defeat Giants*, 4 games to 2
1962 - Yankees defeat Giants, 4 games to 3
* - New York Giants

Aside from the 1962 World Series, there has been one other time a New York team has met a Bay area team in a World Series.
1973 World Series - Oakland Athletics defeat New York Mets, 4 games to 3

In addition, a New York state, or New York city metropolitan area (including northern New Jersey) team has played a California team 11 times for a championship in one of the four major North American sports, with New York leading leading 6 to 5, as follows:

1963 World Series - Los Angeles Dodgers defeat New York Yankees, 4 games to 0
1970 NBA Championship - New York Knicks defeat Los Angeles Lakers, 4 games to 3
1972 NBA Championship - Los Angeles Lakers defeat New York Knicks, 4 games to 1
1973 NBA Championship - New York Knicks defeat Los Angeles Lakers, 4 games to 1
1977 World Series - New York Yankees defeat Los Angeles Dodgers, 4 games to 2
1978 World Series - New York Yankees defeat Los Angeles Dodgers, 4 games to 2
1981 World Series - Los Angeles Dodgers defeat New York Yankees, 4 games to 2
1998 World Series - New York Yankees defeat San Diego Padres, 4 games to 0
2001 Stanley Cup - New Jersey Devils defeat Anaheim Mighty Duck, 4 games to 3
2002 NBA Championship - Los Angeles Lakers defeat New Jersey Nets, 4 games to 1
2012 Stanley Cup - Los Angeles Kings defeat the New Jersey Devils, 4 games to 2

In total, New York leads 7 to 6 in championships versus California.


New York Yankees v. St. Louis Cardinals; Cardinals lead, 3 Series to 2 (at 5, this is the third most common World Series matchup, and the Cardinals are the only one of the original 8 National League franchises which have a winning record versus the Yankees in the World Series)
1926 - Cardinals defeat Yankees, 4 games to 3
1928 - Yankees defeat Cardinals, 4 games to 0
1942 - Cardinals defeat Yankees, 4 games to 1
1943 - Yankees defeat Cardinals, 4 games to 1
1942 - Cardinals defeat Yankees, 4 games to 3

No other New York team has ever played a Missouri team for a championship in one of the four major North American sports.

Some final notes:
*The Cardinals and Giants are tied (with the Dodgers) for the second most World Series appearances by a franchise, with 18 (long behind the Yankees at number one, with 40 appearances). The NLCS winner will take sole possession of second place on the list of World Series appearances.
*The Giants have lost 12 World Series, trailing only the Yankees, who have lost 13; the Giants could tie the Yankees by winning the NLCS and losing the Series.

[whogo]

Originally Posted by Rho Ophiuchi

New York Yankees v. St. Louis Cardinals; Cardinals lead, 3 Series to 2 (at 5, this is the third most common World Series matchup, and the Cardinals are the only one of the original 8 National League franchises which have a winning record versus the Yankees in the World Series)
1926 - Cardinals defeat Yankees, 4 games to 3
1928 - Yankees defeat Cardinals, 4 games to 0
1942 - Cardinals defeat Yankees, 4 games to 1
1943 - Yankees defeat Cardinals, 4 games to 1
1942 - Cardinals defeat Yankees, 4 games to 3

No other New York team has ever played a Missouri team for a championship in one of the four major North American sports.

That second 1942 should be 1964.

[jtur88]

The Tigers have a knack for making the Series when the Cardinals are good. The Tigers have gone to six World Seires in the past century. The Cardinals were their opponent three times. And the '45 Tigers just missed the Cards, who played in the series in '44 and '46, and finished three games back that year. The Cardinals have matched up against either the Tigers or Yankees eight times. The Tigers used to match up against the Cubs a lot (four times), but we all know that story.

Another curiosity -- If the Tigers make it, it will be their eleventh World Series, without every playing a WS game east of Pittsburgh. The 1909 series against the Pirates was the only time they ever played a WS opponent east of Detroit.

[jtur88]

The Cardinals and Tigers will, this year, be the first teams in post season history to play five consecutive away games in the post season.