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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The New York Yankees, winner of the 1927 pennant in the American league. Bottom row, left to right, are: pitcher Dutch Ruether, infielder Joe Dugan, outfielder Ben Paschal, catcher Benny Bengough, pitcher Myles Thomas, infielder Mike Gazella, infielder Ray Morehart, Bennett (mascot). Middle row, left to right: pitcher Bob Shawkey, pitcher Joe Giard, catcher Johnny Grabowski, O’Leary, Miller, Miller Huggins (manager), Fletcher, pitcher Herb Pennock, infielder Julie Wera, catcher Pat Collins. Top row, left to right: first baseman Lou Gehrig, outfielder Bob Meusel, outfielder Babe Ruth, pitcher Wilcy Moore, pitcher George Pipgras, Outfielder Earle Combs, Miller, pitcher Waite Hoyt, infielder Tony Lazzeri, infielder Mark Koenig, pitcher Urban Shocker, outfielder Cedric Durst, and Doc. Woods (trainer). (Photo by George Rinhart/Corbis via Getty Images)
The New York Yankees, winner of the 1927 pennant in the American league. Bottom row, left to right, are: pitcher Dutch Ruether, infielder Joe Dugan, outfielder Ben Paschal, catcher Benny Bengough, pitcher Myles Thomas, infielder Mike Gazella, infielder Ray Morehart, Bennett (mascot). Middle row, left to right: pitcher Bob Shawkey, pitcher Joe Giard, catcher Johnny Grabowski, O’Leary, Miller, Miller Huggins (manager), Fletcher, pitcher Herb Pennock, infielder Julie Wera, catcher Pat Collins. Top row, left to right: first baseman Lou Gehrig, outfielder Bob Meusel, outfielder Babe Ruth, pitcher Wilcy Moore, pitcher George Pipgras, Outfielder Earle Combs, Miller, pitcher Waite Hoyt, infielder Tony Lazzeri, infielder Mark Koenig, pitcher Urban Shocker, outfielder Cedric Durst, and Doc. Woods (trainer). (Photo by George Rinhart/Corbis via Getty Images) /

1. 1927 New York Yankees

110-44, AL Champions, Won World Series 4-0 Over Pittsburgh

There have been countless conversations in bars, bleachers, and back porches across the country in which interested parties discuss the strength of a particular team’s lineup and one person says to another: “…They’re good, but they’re not the ’27 Yankees.”

Murderers’ Row is the greatest lineup in Major League Baseball history, and is the lineup to which every other great team is measured.

Babe Ruth set career-highs with 60 home runs and 165 RBI in 1927 and posted a slash of .356/.486/.772, leading the Majors in on-base percentage and slugging. Ruth also walked a 137 times and scored 158 runs, both of which were the best in the game.

Of course, Ruth didn’t win the MVP award in 1927. That honor went to 24-year old first baseman Lou Gehrig, who hit .373/.474/.765 with 47 home runs and a Major League-leading 173 RBI. Gehrig also had 52 doubles, which led all of baseball, and racked up 447 total bases.

Ruth and Gehrig are obviously the most notable players on the roster in 1927, and it was one of – if not the – best season for each, but the Yankees were more than just two great players. Pat Collins, Tony Lazzeri, Mark Koenig, Joe Dugan, Bob Meusel and Earle Combs played alongside Ruth and Gehrig and helped the Yankees to lead the American with 976 runs, 1,644 hits, 158 home runs and 103 triples. New York also led the league with a .307/.384/.488 team slash.

Toss in Hall of Fame pitchers Waite Hoyt (22-7, 2.63) and Herb Pennock (19-8, 3.00), plus Urban Shocker (18-6, 2.84), and the Yankees also had the best pitching staff in the American League. No AL Staff allowed fewer runs (605), earned runs (494), walks (409) or posted a lower ERA (3.20).

The explosive lineup and great pitching helped the Yankees win 110 games in the regular season and earn a 4-0 sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series on the strength of two Ruth home runs and a pair of one-run victories in Games 1 and 4. New York outscored the Pirates 23-10.

Overall, it was a dominant season-long performance that makes the 1927 New York Yankees the greatest World Series Champion of all-time.

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