Fansided

Ranking every World Series winners in history

By Staff

UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 05: Brooklyn Dodgers president Walter O'Malley and his manager, Walter Alston, exchange hugs and grins after bringing Brooklyn its first World Series championship in history. Flock did it the hard way, winning the final game in Yankee Stadium. (Photo by NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 05: Brooklyn Dodgers president Walter O'Malley and his manager, Walter Alston, exchange hugs and grins after bringing Brooklyn its first World Series championship in history. Flock did it the hard way, winning the final game in Yankee Stadium. (Photo by NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images) /
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circa 1909: American baseball player Honus Wagner (1874 – 1955), aka ‘The Flying Dutchman,’ infielder and outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates, follows through with his swing while at the plate during a game. (Photo by Photo File/Getty Images)
circa 1909: American baseball player Honus Wagner (1874 – 1955), aka ‘The Flying Dutchman,’ infielder and outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates, follows through with his swing while at the plate during a game. (Photo by Photo File/Getty Images) /

12. 1909 Pittsburgh Pirates

110-42, NL Champions, Won World Series 4-3 Over Detroit

The are other more famous Pittsburgh Pirates’ teams, but there was no better squad in franchise history than the 1909 Bucs, who established the best winning percentage (.724) ever for a World Series winner. And the Pirates needed almost every win as the Chicago Cubs finished 104-49, just 4.5 games out of first place.

Hall of Fame shortstop Honus Wagner led the National League in batting average (.339), on-base percentage (.420), slugging percentage (.489), doubles (39) and RBI (100). Wagner also stole 35 bases and scored 92 runs for the league’s highest scoring team. The Pirates led the NL in runs (701), hits (1,332), doubles (218), triples (92), batting average (.260) and slugging percentage (.353).

Howie Camnitz (25-6, 1.62) and Vic Willis (22-11, 2.24) headlined a pitching staff that compiled a 2.07 ERA, which was the second best in the NL. Babe Adams (12-3, 1.11) was fantastic in 25 regular season games, including 12 starts, and proved to be a late-season ace in the World Series with a 3-0 record and a 1.33 ERA in three starts against the Detroit Tigers, including a six-hit shutout in Game 7.

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