Ranking every World Series winners in history

By Staff | Nov 3, 2015

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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NEW YORK – OCTOBER, 1961: Outfielder Roger Maris, of the New York Yankees, at bat during a World Series game against the Cincinnati Reds in October, 1961 at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York. (Photo by: Arthur Rickerby/Diamond Images/Getty Images) /

8. 1961 New York Yankees

109-53, AL Champions, Won World Series 4-1 Over Cincinnati

The name Babe Ruth is practically synonymous with baseball, and the Sultan of Swat’s single-season record of 60 home runs, which was set in 1927, lasted for more than three decades. However, during the 1961 season (the first to use a new 162-game schedule instead of the traditional 154-game model of Ruth’s era), both Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris took aim at surpassing Ruth’s legendary achievement.

On the final day of the season, it was Maris who hit No. 61, which capped a second consecutive MVP season for the 26-year old slugger. In addition to his record, which stood 37 seasons, Maris led all of baseball with 132 runs scored and 366 total bases, and also topped the American League leaderboard with 141 RBI.

Mantle, the MVP runner-up for a second straight year, hit .317/.448/.687 with 54 homers and 128 RBI for the Yankees, who posted a 109-53 record eight games better than the Detroit Tigers.

AL Cy Young Award winner Whitey Ford (25-4, 3.21) was named World Series MVP after tossing 14 scoreless innings across two starts, which earned him two wins as New York captured the World Championship against the Cincinnati Reds in five games.

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