1950 World Series

The 1950 World Series was the 47th World Series between the American and National Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies as 1950 champions of the National League and the New York Yankees, as 1950 American League champions, competed to win a best-of-seven game series.

The Series began on Wednesday, October 4, and concluded Monday, October 9. The Phillies had home field advantage for the Series, meaning no games would be played at the Yankees' home ballpark, Yankee Stadium, until game 3. The Yankees won their 13th championship in their 41-year history, taking the Series in a four-game sweep. The final game in the Series resulted in the New York Yankees winning, 5–2 over Philadelphia. It was the only game in the Series decided by more than one run. The 1950 World Series title would be the second of a record five straight titles for the New York Yankees (1949–1953). The two teams would not again meet in the Series for 59 years.

This was also the last World Series to have no American born black players until 2022, as neither club had integrated in 1950. It was also the last World Series where television coverage was pooled between multiple networks: earlier that year the Mutual Broadcasting System, which had long been the radio home for the World Series, purchased the exclusive TV rights for the following season despite not (and indeed, never) having a television network. They would eventually sell on the rights to NBC, beginning a long relationship with the sport for that network.

The Yankees and Phillies faced each other again 59 years later in the 2009 World Series, in which the Yankees also won, this time in six games to win their 27th World Series championship.

The Phillies, a particularly young team which came to be known as the "Whiz Kids", had won the National League pennant in dramatic fashion on the final day of the season to garner their second pennant—their first in 35 years. But writing in The New York Times on October 3, 1950, John Drebinger picked the Yankees to win the Series in five games: "The Stengelers simply have too much over-all pitching. They have the long range power. They posses [sic] rare defensive skill, and they have the poise and experience gained through the past four years which brought them two world championships and three pennants." Odds makers made the Yankees 2–5 favorites to win the Series.

Curt Simmons, a 17-game winner for the Phillies in 1950, had been called to military duty in September and was unavailable for this Series. Simmons was stationed at Camp Atterbury and requested and was granted a leave on October 4 to attend the Series. The Phillies chose not to request that Commissioner Chandler rule Simmons eligible for the Series but Simmons chose to attend to support the team. Simmons' place on the Series roster was taken by pitcher Jocko Thompson. Phillies ace Robin Roberts didn't start Game 1 because he had had three starts in five days including the pennant winner on the final day of the regular season—played October 1, 1950 (three days before Game 1).

The AL champion Yankees finished the regular season with a record of 98–56, three games ahead of the Detroit Tigers. Offensive team leaders were Phil Rizzuto (.324 batting average), Joe DiMaggio (32 home runs, .585 slugging percentage, and .979 OPS), and Yogi Berra (124 RBIs). Pitcher Vic Raschi led the team in wins, with a 21–8 record, and 256+2⁄3 innings pitched. Rizzuto was voted the American League MVP, while Berra finished third, Raschi seventh, and DiMaggio ninth.

AL New York Yankees (4) vs. NL Philadelphia Phillies (0)