The World Series is baseball’s biggest event, pitting the best teams in Major League Baseball against each other to determine a champion. It was first played in 1905, and has been held annually since except for 1994 (players’ strike). Originally called the World Championship Series, it is now known as simply the World Series. The game features a best-of-seven series with home-field advantage going to the team that has won the most regular season games in their respective division.
Freddie Freeman’s grand slam in Game 1 ushered in a new era of Los Angeles Dodgers dominance, but the club’s most recent title was not without its share of controversy and dramatic moments.
One of the most controversial came in Game 7 as a result of a call that will forever go down as “the phantom out.” Carlton Fisk hit a ball into left field hugging the foul line. It looked like a simple foul but, after the batter leaned over and waved his arms to indicate fair territory, the umpire determined the ball did indeed land fair.
It was the deciding factor in the series, and it will always be remembered as a controversial call that changed history. The Yankees went on to win the series in six games.