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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OAKLAND, CA – OCTOBER 20, 1988: Manager Tommy Lasorda No. 2 of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Dodgers locker room, being interviewed by CBS sports broadcaster Bob Costas (R) while Dodgers owner Peter O’Malley, far left, holds the world series trophy after the Dodger beat the Oakland Athletics in game 5 to win the 1988 World Series, October 20, 1988 at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Dodgers won the series 4-1. Lasorda managed the Dodgers from 1976-1996. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – OCTOBER 20, 1988: Manager Tommy Lasorda No. 2 of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Dodgers locker room, being interviewed by CBS sports broadcaster Bob Costas (R) while Dodgers owner Peter O’Malley, far left, holds the world series trophy after the Dodger beat the Oakland Athletics in game 5 to win the 1988 World Series, October 20, 1988 at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Dodgers won the series 4-1. Lasorda managed the Dodgers from 1976-1996. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

82. 1988 Los Angeles Dodgers

94-67, NL West Champions, Won World Series 4-1 Over Oakland

Most iconic World Series moments occur in series clinchers, with Game 7 walk-offs widely regarded as history’s best. Aside from those however, and with the possible exception of Don Larsen’s perfect game in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series, there may not be a more iconic moment than Kirk Gibson’s walk-off home run against Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, which gave the Dodgers a 5-4 win and set the stage for a 4-1 series victory.

Gibson, the National League MVP, hit .290/.377/.483 with 25 home runs and 76 RBI and 32 stolen bases in his first season with the Dodgers. The LA lineup was average at best, and finished sixth in the league in runs scored (628) and eighth in home runs (88), but along with a strong pitching staff managed to win 94 games in the regular season to earn the NL West title by a seven-game margin.

Orel Hershiser (23-8, 2.26) had an unbelievable year by pitching a Major League-leading 15 complete games and eight shutouts, winning the NL Cy Young Award and setting the record for consecutive scoreless innings with 59. He was masterful in a Game 2 three-hit shutout and also pitched a complete game victory in the Game 5 clincher.

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