List of World Series champions
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) and concludes the MLB postseason. First played in 1903, the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and is a contest between the champions of baseball's National League (NL) and American League (AL). Often referred to as the "Fall Classic", the modern World Series has been played every year since 1903 with two exceptions: in 1904, when the NL champion New York Giants declined to play the AL champion Boston Americans; and in 1994, when the series was canceled due to the players' strike.
History of the American League
After the 1902 season, a "peace" agreement was reached by the two leagues. The National League had hoped that a merger would form, however, Johnson knew he had the upper hand, and the National League recognized the league instead. Following the regular season in 1903, the winners of the American League pennant and the National League pennant played each other in the inaugural World Series. The Boston Americans (now the Red Sox) defeated the NL representatives, the Pittsburgh Pirates. In retaliation, the National League refused to play a World Series the following year, when the American League expanded its schedule to 154 games. World Series play resumed in 1905 and has continued every year since, except the strike-shortened 1994 season.