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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CINCINNATI, OH – OCTOBER 7, 1939: The starting nine for the New York Yankees pose for a portrait prior to game 3 of the World Series on October 7, 1939 against the Cincinnati Reds at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, Ohio. Those pictured include (L to R) shortstop Frank Crosetti
CINCINNATI, OH – OCTOBER 7, 1939: The starting nine for the New York Yankees pose for a portrait prior to game 3 of the World Series on October 7, 1939 against the Cincinnati Reds at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, Ohio. Those pictured include (L to R) shortstop Frank Crosetti /

3. 1939 New York Yankees

106-45, AL Champions, Won World Series 4-0 Over Cincinnati

The third best team in New York Yankees franchise history also happens to be the third best World Series championship team in Major League Baseball history.

With a record of 106-45, the 1939 Yankees won the American League pennant by 9.5 games over the rival Boston Red Sox, which sent New York to the World Series for the fourth consecutive season. A 4-0 sweep over the Cincinnati Reds (it’s obviously worth noting that Cincinnati ran into some of the greatest teams of all-time in the Fall Classic) stretched the Bronx Bombers’ streak of World Championships to an unprecedented four straight seasons – surpassed only by the Yankees dynasty of 1949-53.

Joe DiMaggio won the American League batting title with a .381 batting average – a career high mark for the Yankee Clipper – and was also voted AL MVP for the first time in his 13-year Hall of Fame career. DiMaggio hit 30 home runs and drove in 126 runs, scored 108 times, and posted an incredible .448 on-base percentage and slugged .671.

In addition to DiMaggio, and despite the abrupt and unfortunate retirement of Lou Gehrig, Bill Dickey (.302/.403/.513, 24 HR, 105 RBI), Joe Gordon (.284/.370/.506, 28 HR, 111 RBI), George Selkirk (.306/.452/.517, 21 HR, 101 RBI), Red Rolfe (.329/.404/.495) and Charlie Keller (.334/.447/.500) formed the nucleus of baseball’s best lineup. The Yankees led the Major Leagues in runs (967), home runs (164), on-base percentage (.374) and slugging percentage (.451).

With Red Ruffing (21-7, 2.93), Lefty Gomez (12-8, 3.41) and Bump Hadley (12-6, 2.98) leading the effort, New York also posted the best ERA in the American League (3.31), allowed the fewest hits (1,203) and recorded the most shutouts (14).

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