Since 2003, the league that wins the All-Star game opens the World Series at home, which means that if a seventh game is necessary, the result of a July exhibition game determines where the deciding game of the World Series is played.
Eliminating the times that the World Series was decided by a best five out of nine series, the World Series has gone to a seventh game 35 times.
The home team has won 18 times or 51.4 percent of the time.
Comparing eras is an exercise in futility. Taking statistics out of context gives the appearance that uncontrolled variables have been controlled, but that only results in misleading conclusions.
Since the designated hitter rule (1973) and free agency have become part of the business, only the 1975 Cincinnati Reds and the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates have won a seventh game away from home.
The home team has won nine and lost only two World Series game seven’s since 1973. Since 1982, the home team has won the last eight times.
How does having the World Series opening game at home affect the chances of winning the World Series? It is an insoluble problem.
The 1927 New York Yankees opened the World Series in Pittsburgh. We all know how that turned out.
The 1976 Cincinnati Reds opened the Series at Yankee Stadium. Nothing could help the 1976 Yankees.
During the 1950s, when the visiting team won the seventh game five consecutive times, there was no known explanation.
Maybe if Mickey Mantle were healthy, the Yankees would have won in 1955, but that doesn’t explain Brooklyn losing at home in 1956, the Yankees losing at home in 1957, and the Braves losing at home in 1958.
Of course, Don Larsen’s perfect game didn’t hurt in 1956, Lew Burdette beat his former team, the Yankees, three times in 1957, and the Yankees became only the second team to trail in the World Series, three games to one, and come back to win.
The designated hitter and free agency might shed light on “recent” results.
American League teams try to structure their team to maximize having a designated hitter. National League teams do not. Does that mean the American League has an unfair advantage?
Possibly overall, but since 1982, American League teams have won the seventh game four times. National League teams have also won the seventh game four times.
The American League has dominated inter-league play. Does that mean that American League teams sign the better free agents or do they have better farm systems, scouts, statisticians, and more money?
The National League won its first All-Star game since 1996 a few days ago. Does that mean that the NL will have a better chance of winning the World Series, especially if it goes to a seventh game, this year?
The answer is if a team has a solid pitching staff, led by Tim Lincecum or Ubaldo Jiminez or Johan Santana or Chris Carpenter, and its ace starts the seventh game, they have an advantage.
There are too many variables that cannot be controlled. All one can do is speculate, which can be dangerous. Ask some investors.
World Series Game Seven Results
1909 Pittsburgh Pirates beat Detroit Tigers. Away
1912 Boston Red Sox beat New York Giants. Home
1924 Washington Senators beat New York Giants. Home
1925 Pittsburgh Pirates beat Washington Senators. Home
1926 St. Louis Cardinals beat New York Yankees. Away
1931 St. Louis Cardinals beat Philadelphia Athletics. Home
1934 St. Louis Cardinals beat Detroit Tigers. Away
1940 Cincinnati Reds beat Detroit Tigers. Home
1945 Detroit Tigers beat Chicago Cubs, Away
1946 St. Louis Cardinals beat Boston Red Sox, Home
1947 New York Yankees beat Brooklyn Dodgers, Home
1952 New York Yankees beat Brooklyn Dodgers, Away
1955 Brooklyn Dodgers beat New York Yankees, Away
1956 New York Yankees beat Brooklyn Dodgers, Away
1957 Milwaukee Braves beat New York Yankees. Away
1958 New York Yankees beat Milwaukee Braves. Away
1960 Pittsburgh Pirates beat New York Yankees. Home
1962 New York Yankees beat San Francisco Giants. Away
1964 St. Louis Cardinals beat New York Yankees. Home
1965 Los Angeles Dodgers beat Minnesota Twins. Away
1967 St. Louis Cardinals beat Boston Red Sox. Away
1968 Detroit Tigers beat St. Louis Cardinals. Away
1971 Pittsburgh Pirates beat Baltimore Orioles. Away
1972 Oakland Athletics beat Cincinnati Reds. Away
1973 Oakland Athletics beat New York Mets. Home
1975 Cincinnati Reds beat Boston Red Sox. Away
1979 Pittsburgh Pirates beat Baltimore Orioles. Away
1982 St. Louis Cardinals beat Milwaukee Brewers. Home
1985 Kansas City Royals beat St. Louis Cardinals. Home
1986 New York Mets beat Boston Red Sox Home
1987 Minnesota Twins beat St. Louis Cardinals. Home
1991 Minnesota Twins beat Atlanta Braves. Home
1997 Florida Marlins beat Cleveland Indians. Home
2001 Arizona Diamondbacks beat New York Yankees. Home
2002 Anaheim Angels beat San Francisco Giants. Home
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