We take a look back at some memorable World Series played in years ending with the number "4," starting in 1924 when the Washington Senators beat the New York Giants.
1924 -- The Big Train
After 18 years on mostly bad Washington Senators teams, all-time great Walter "The Big Train" Johnson finally made it to a World Series. And with the 36-year-old Johnson pitching the final four innings in relief, the Senators won the franchise's first championship when Earl McNeely's bad-hop grounder in the 12th inning bounced over the head of New York Giants third baseman Freddie Lindstrom, ending the longest Game 7 in World Series history. As losing pitcher Jack Bentley later said, "Walter Johnson is such a lovable character that the good Lord didn't want to see him get beat again."
1934 -- The Gashouse Gang
Known as "The Gashouse Gang" for their sloppy appearance and rough tactics, the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Detroit Tigers in seven games behind the pitching of siblings Dizzy and Paul ("Daffy") Dean and the hitting of Joe "Ducky" Medwick, who was famously ''ejected" from Game 7 by commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis. The left-field fans in Detroit began pelting Medwick with garbage in response to Medwick sliding hard into Tigers third baseman Marv Owen the previous inning.
1944 -- Meet me in St. Louis
It was an all-St. Louis showdown as the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Browns met in a season when many of the game's best players were serving in the military during World War II. All six games were played at Sportsman's Park, which was the home field for both teams. The Cooper brothers (pitcher Mort and catcher Walker) led the way as the Cardinals won their second World Series title in three years.
1954 -- The Catch
In Game 1, with the score tied 2-2 in the top of the eighth, the Indians put runners on first and second for Vic Wertz, who hit a towering fly ball to deep center field at the cavernous Polo Grounds. Sprinting back toward the fence, New York Giants phenom Willie Mays made an over-the-shoulder catch about 420 feet from home plate. He then spun around quickly and got the ball back to the infield as the runners failed to advance. After that play, one of the most iconic in MLB history, the Giants went on to win that game in extra innings and sweep the heavily favored Indians in four games.
1964 -- No rest for Gibby
Bob Gibson's status as one of the game's greatest World Series pitchers was born over a three-day span against the New York Yankees. After striking out 13 batters in 10 innings to beat the Yankees in Game 5, Gibson took the ball again in Game 7 on only two days' rest. Not showing any visible signs of fatigue, the Cardinals' ace pitched another complete game, striking out nine Yankees as St. Louis captured its seventh World Series title.
1974 -- The Swingin' A's
In addition to their kelly green and gold uniforms, the Oakland A's were known for their locker room brawls and frequent squabbles with eccentric owner Charles O. Finley. Yet despite their internal dysfunction, the A's kept their troubles away from the field, where they knew how to win baseball games. Behind mustachioed relief ace Rollie Fingers, who factored in all four victories, the A's beat the Dodgers in five games to become the first team since the 1949-53 Yankees to win three consecutive World Series titles.
1984 -- A Tigers tale
In Game 5, the Detroit Tigers were leading the San Diego Padres 5-4 when Kirk Gibson came to the plate with runners on second and third and one out in the eighth inning. Right before the at-bat, Gibson, who had homered earlier in the game, bet Tigers manager Sparky Anderson $10 that Rich Gossage would pitch to him instead of walking him. And Gibson was right. He blasted a three-run shot into the upper deck at Tiger Stadium to clinch the game and the Series for the Tigers.
1994 -- Canceled
Trivia question: Who won the 1994 World Series? Uh, no one. The players' strike, which began Aug. 12, forced the cancellation of the World Series. It was the first time in 90 years that the World Series hadn't been played. At the time of the strike, the Montreal Expos had the best record in baseball at 74-40 and looked like World Series favorites. But the Expos lost several key players the following season, and the franchise relocated to Washington, D.C., 10 years later, leaving many to wonder what could have been.
2004 -- The curse reversed
The Boston Red Sox hadn't won a World Series since 1918. Superstitious fans attributed their misfortune to the "Curse of the Bambino" because the Red Sox had failed to win a championship since selling Babe Ruth to the Yankees after the 1919 season. But the curse was finally overcome when the Red Sox, who had rallied from an 0-3 deficit to beat the Yankees in the ALCS, swept the Cardinals in four games. As the Red Sox celebrated their long-awaited championship at St. Louis' Busch Stadium, a total lunar eclipse had turned the moon red in the night sky.