1977 World Series

The 1977 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1977 season. The 74th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion New York Yankees and the National League (NL) champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The Yankees defeated the Dodgers four games to two to win the franchise's 21st World Series championship, their first since 1962, and the first under the ownership of George Steinbrenner (who assumed ownership of the club in 1973). Played from October 11 to 18, the Series was televised on ABC.

During this Series, Reggie Jackson earned his nickname "Mr. October" for his heroics. Billy Martin won what would be his only World Series title as a manager after guiding the Yankees to a second straight pennant.

This was the first six-game World Series since the Dodgers defeated the Chicago White Sox in 1959. In between, ten World Series went the full seven games, three ended in four-game sweeps, and four lasted five games.

The New York Yankees returned to the World Series after being swept by the Cincinnati Reds the previous year. In free agency, the Yankees signed slugging right fielder Reggie Jackson for US$2.96 million ($16,356,164 in current dollar terms) over five years and Cincinnati Reds ace pitcher Don Gullett for $2 million ($11,051,462 in current dollar terms) over six years. Two other key players were acquired by the Yankees through trades. Shortstop Bucky Dent was picked up from the Chicago White Sox for outfielder Oscar Gamble, pitcher LaMarr Hoyt, and $200,000. After only one year with the Oakland Athletics, pitcher Mike Torrez was acquired in exchange for pitcher Dock Ellis and utilitymen Marty Perez and Larry Murray.

After a lackluster first half, the Yankees finished strong, winning 38 of their last 51 games, edging both the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles by 2+1⁄2 games. Among the star-laden lineup was an emerging superstar, Ron Guidry. Early in the season Guidry was moved from the bullpen into the starting rotation, finishing 16–7 with a 2.82 ERA. The Yankees advanced to the World Series after beating the Kansas City Royals in an exciting fifth and final 1977 American League Championship Series (ALCS) game, winning it with three runs in the top of the ninth on a string of singles and a costly error by George Brett.

The National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers were managed by Tommy Lasorda, who was in his first full season as manager. The 1977 Dodgers became the first team to have four players hit 30 or more home runs in one season, as Steve Garvey hit 33, Reggie Smith hit 32, Ron Cey hit 30, and Dusty Baker hit 30. The pitching staff, which led the National League in ERA, 3.22, were led by 20-game winner Tommy John and closer Charlie Hough with 22 saves. The Dodgers won 22 of their first 26 games, winning the Western Division by 10 games over the Cincinnati Reds, then eliminated the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1977 National League Championship Series (NLCS) in four games.

The matchup of the Yankees and the Dodgers harkened back to the "Subway Series" matchups between the two teams of the 1940s and 1950s. The two teams had met in eight previous World Series, with the Yankees winning in 1941, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, and 1956 and the Dodgers in 1955 and 1963. The 1963 series was their first meeting after the Dodgers had moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958.

This was the first World Series in which the ceremonial first pitches were from the mound instead of from the Commissioner's box, although this did not become permanent until 1989.