Commissioner's Trophy (MLB)

The Commissioner's Trophy is presented each year by the Commissioner of Baseball to the Major League Baseball team that wins the World Series. Recent trophy designs contain flags representing each team in North America's top two leagues, the National League and the American League.[1] The two participating teams in that year's World Series were previously represented by two press pins set on the base of the trophy. It is the only championship trophy of the four major sports in the United States that is not named after a particular person[2] (contrasting with the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup,[3] the National Football League's Vince Lombardi Trophy,[4] and the National Basketball Association's Larry O'Brien Trophy).[5]

Contents

History

See also: World Series

Although it did not receive its current name until 1985, the trophy was first awarded in 1967, when the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Boston Red Sox.[6] A new Commissioner's Trophy is created each year, much like the Lombardi Trophy and the O'Brien Trophy; in contrast, the Stanley Cup is passed from champion to champion.[7] Since its inception, the only year that the Commissioner's Trophy has not been awarded was 1994, when the players' strike ended the season on August 11, resulting in the cancellation of the entire post-season.[8] The New York Yankees have won the most Commissioner's Trophies (seven World Series wins since 1967).[9] The St. Louis Cardinals hold the record for the most trophies won in the National League (four wins). and the New York Yankees have won the most in the American League.[9] The latest trophy was awarded to the National League's St. Louis Cardinals, who won the 2011 World Series.

Design

The current trophy design, which was redesigned in 1999 for the 2000 World Series and made by Tiffany & Co., is worth approximately $15,000.[10] The original trophy was designed by Lawrence Voegele, of Owatonna, Minnesota.[7] The trophy is 24 inches (61 cm) tall, excluding the base, and has a diameter of 11 inches (28 cm).[1] It weighs approximately 30 pounds (14 kg)[11] and is made of sterling silver. The trophy features 30 gold-plated flags, one for each of the Major League teams, which rise above a silver baseball covered with latitude and longitude lines that symbolize the world.[7] The baseball also contains 24-karat vermeil baseball stitches.[1] The base contains an inscription of the signature of the commissioner,[1] as well as the words "Presented by the Commissioner of Baseball".[11] The new design was presented for the first time at the conclusion of the 2000 World Series, won by the Yankees.[9]

Trophy designs

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Phillies Announce World Series Trophy Tour Presented by Teva Pharmaceuticals and Comcast SportsNet". PR Newswire Association. January 9, 2009. http://news.prnewswire.com/ViewContent.aspx?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/01-09-2009/0004952249&EDATE=. Retrieved May 18, 2009. 
  2. ^ Terwilliger, Wayne; Peterson, Nancy and Boehm, Peter (2006). Terwilliger Bunts One. Globe Pequot. p. 233. ISBN 0762743107. http://books.google.com/books?id=2v16rjj-r_oC&pg=PA232&dq=commissioner%27s+trophy&lr=. 
  3. ^ Shea, Kevin. "Stanley Cup Journal". National Hockey League. http://www.hhof.com/html/exSCJ04_33.shtml. Retrieved May 18, 2009. 
  4. ^ "Lombardi trophy on display". Central Florida News. January 25, 2009. http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2009/1/25/429949.html. Retrieved May 18, 2009. 
  5. ^ "December 2004: Picture This". National Archives and Records Administration. http://www.archives.gov/calendar/features/2004/december/. Retrieved October 17, 2008. 
  6. ^ Rhodes, Greg; Castellini, Robert (2007). Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame Highlights. Clerisy Press. pp. 81. ISBN 1578603005. http://books.google.com/books?id=uLVOb_5q9uwC. Retrieved May 18, 2009. 
  7. ^ a b c Scheiber, Dave (October 22, 2008). "Rays shots". St. Petersburg Times. http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/article865537.ece. Retrieved May 18, 2009. 
  8. ^ Zirin, David (August 18, 2004). "The MLB Strike - 25 Years in the Making". Buzzle editorials. http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/8-18-2004-58021.asp. Retrieved May 2, 2008. 
  9. ^ a b c "Playoff and World Series Stats and Results". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/. Retrieved May 19, 2009. 
  10. ^ "Phillies Fans Catch Glimpse Of World Series Trophy". CBS 3 Philadelphia. October 24, 2008. http://cbs3.com/local/world.series.trophy.2.847415.html. Retrieved May 18, 2009. 
  11. ^ a b "World Series trophy profile". Phillies.MLB.com. Major League Baseball. December 5, 2008. http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081205&content_id=3703989&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi. Retrieved May 27, 2010. 
1884 • 1885 • 1886 • 1887 • 1888 • 1889 • 1890 Adding to maintain spacing between series 1903 • 1904 • 1905 • 1906 • 1907 • 1908 • 1909
1910 • 1911 • 1912 • 1913 • 1914 • 1915 • 1916 • 1917 • 1918 • 1919 • 1920 • 1921 • 1922 • 1923 • 1924 • 1925 • 1926 • 1927 • 1928 • 1929
1930 • 1931 • 1932 • 1933 • 1934 • 1935 • 1936 • 1937 • 1938 • 1939 • 1940 • 1941 • 1942 • 1943 • 1944 • 1945 • 1946 • 1947 • 1948 • 1949
1950 • 1951 • 1952 • 1953 • 1954 • 1955 • 1956 • 1957 • 1958 • 1959 • 1960 • 1961 • 1962 • 1963 • 1964 • 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • 1968 • 1969
1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 • 1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989
1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009
2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 • 2017 • 2018 • 2019 • 2020 • 2021 • 2022 • 2023 • 2024 • 2025 • 2026 • 2027 • 2028 • 2029
No series was held in 1904 because the NL Champions refused to participate; the 1994 Series was canceled due to a players' strike.
Team
Individual
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