2010 World Series Teams
new york giants
Since moving from New York City to San Francisco before the 1958 season, the Giants and their fans have endured seasons of futility and disappointment. The Giants’ last World Series victory was in 1954 against the Cleveland Indians. Since the move, the Giants have reached the World Series three times since the 1958 relocation, but have lost each time. The Giants played and lost to the Florida Marlins in their last NLDS appearance in 2003, and the Marlins were the eventual World Series champions.
In this year’s Division Series, the Giants played the Atlanta Braves. and won the series three games to one. Playing the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL Championship Series, they were big underdogs as the Phillies were the two-time defending NL champions. Their win over the Phillies was the first time the NL West champion had reached the World Series since 2001.
texas rangers
The Rangers franchise and its fans also suffered greatly from the success. This team began in 1961 as the Washington Senators and had ten of eleven losing seasons while there. In 1972, the team moved to Arlington, Texas, and did not play postseason games for more than 20 years.
In the 2010 ALDS, the Rangers faced the top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays. They split the first four games before the Rangers decisively won in game five. This was the first division series win in franchise history. Additionally, the Rangers were the last team to have never won a postseason series.
Facing the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series, the Rangers faced a team they had never beaten in three postseason appearances. By shutting out the Yankees in six games, the Rangers reached their first World Series in team history. It also marks the first time since 1991 that the AL West champion has won the pennant.
The 2010 World Series
This year was the 106th Major League Baseball World Series. The tiebreaker between the American League champion Texas Rangers and the National League champion San Francisco Giants for the Baseball Commissioner’s Trophy was a best-of-seven series. The Giants won the series and this coveted trophy 4-1 on November 1. This was their first World Series championship since 1954, and their first since moving to San Francisco from New York City in 1958.
Champion’s Commissioner’s Trophy
Unlike hockey’s Stanley Cup which is passed annually from champion to champion, a newly created Commissioner’s Trophy is presented each year. This baseball champion trophy was first awarded in 1967 to the St. Louis Cardinals. Since 1967, the Commissioner’s Trophy has been awarded every year except for 1994, when a season-ending players’ strike forced the entire postseason to be cancelled. The New York Yankees, with their seven World Series wins, have won the most Commissioner’s Trophies. In the National League, the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds are tied for the most trophies won with three wins each.
trophy design
The current Commissioner’s baseball trophy is made by Tiffany & Co. and is worth approximately $15,000. Excluding the base, the trophy is 24 inches tall and 11 inches in diameter. Being made of sterling silver, it weighs approximately 30 pounds. The highlight of this eye-catching trophy are 30 gold flags, one for each of the major league teams. These flags are raised on a silver baseball covered with lines of latitude and longitude that symbolize the world. The stitching on the baseball is pure Tiffany, done in 24-karat vermeil. The commissioner’s signature is inscribed on the base, along with “Presented by the Commissioner of Baseball.” This is a new design and was first introduced to the winning New York Yankees at the end of the 2000 World Series.
This baseball trophy is truly unique and emblematic of the skills required to make it through a long season, the playoffs, and win the World Series.
