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Most Memorable World Series Moments

On a cold October night, the world narrows to a mound, a batter’s box, and the hush that precedes a pitch. The World Series is more than baseball, it’s an American tradition. The seams of a baseball are stitches in our collective memory, holding together stories we tell across generations.

Whether you can you’re familiar with on-base slugging plus (OPS+) or only know the melody of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” these moments matter because they give us common language. They’re the clips we text to friends, the anecdotes that surface at family tables. They remind us that every life has a bottom-of-the-ninth—sometimes you’re down to your last strike, and sometimes you find a gap no one saw.

In the pages ahead, we’ll revisit the impossibles that became inevitable: Reggie Jackson turning October into his personal fireworks show, Don Larsen’s perfect afternoon, and David Freese refusing to let a season end. We’ll relive The Catch that seemed to bend the Polo Grounds, the roller that haunted Boston, a rain delay that steadied the Cubs, and the midnight swing that christened Mr. November.

Think of what follows as a time machine tuned to October. In this article, we’ll explore the most memorable World Series moments, hearkening to yesteryear in fidelity to American’s pastime.

The Great Bambino Calls “His Shot”

The "Great Bambino" Calls His Shot - Memorable World Series Moments
ID 173692576 © Mmphotos2017 | Dreamstime.com

Year: 1932

Player: Babe Ruth

Summary: One of the most enduring and debated moments in World Series history is the story of Babe Ruth’s “Called Shot” in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. With the score tied 4-4 in the fifth inning and Cubs players and fans relentlessly heckling the aging slugger, Ruth came to the plate. After taking two strikes from pitcher Charlie Root, the legendary narrative suggests Ruth pointed a finger or his bat toward the deepest part of center field, seemingly predicting where he would hit the next pitch. On the very next offering, Ruth crushed a massive home run into the center-field bleachers, a towering blast that instantly silenced his critics and propelled the Yankees to an eventual sweep.

Mays’ Mad DashMemorable World Series Moments

ID 43717088 © Gerald T. Coli | Dreamstime.com

Year: 1954

Player: Willie Mays

Summary: The most memorable World Series moment associated with Willie Mays is unequivocally “The Catch,” a play that defined the 1954 Fall Classic.

In Game 1 of the 1954 World Series, with the score tied 2-2 in the eighth inning and two runners on base, New York Giants center fielder Willie Mays achieved immortality with “The Catch.” Against the favored Cleveland Indians, Mays sprinted an estimated 90 feet with his back to the plate in the cavernous Polo Grounds, tracking down Vic Wertz’s 420-foot blast with an iconic over-the-shoulder grab. What made this defensive highlight comparable to a “mad dash” was the ensuing, equally magnificent throw back to the infield, which not only secured the out but prevented a runner from scoring from second base—a play of aggressive speed and precision that saved the tie, stunned the opposition, and propelled the Giants to a four-game sweep.

Fall Classic Perfection

Fall Classic Perfection - Memorable World Series Moments
ID 97235876 © Mohamed Ahmed Soliman | Dreamstime.com

Year: 1956

Player: Don Larsen

Summary: The most unforgettable World Series moment for Don Larsen is his “Perfect Game”

 in 1956, a feat of singular greatness in baseball history.

On October 8, 1956, in Game 5 of the World Series between the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers, Don Larsen, an otherwise inconsistent pitcher with a losing career record, delivered an improbable masterpiece: the first and still only perfect game in World Series history. With the series tied at two games apiece, Larsen retired all 27 batters he faced in a 2-0 victory, facing a formidable Dodgers lineup that included future Hall of Famers Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, and Roy Campanella. The 97-pitch performance culminated in a strikeout of pinch-hitter Dale Mitchell, immediately followed by the iconic image of catcher Yogi Berra leaping into Larsen’s arms, cementing the “imperfect man’s perfect game” as a moment of unparalleled drama and brilliance on baseball’s biggest stage.

“Mr. October” Is BornMemorable World Series Moments

ID 74938095 © Gerald T. Coli | Dreamstime.com

Year: 1977

Player: Reggie Jackson

Summary: The most memorable World Series moment for Reggie Jackson is his performance in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series, a masterpiece that forever cemented his legendary nickname, “Mr. October.”

On October 18, 1977, in the decisive Game 6 against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium, Reggie Jackson delivered one of the greatest single-game clutch performances in sports history. After drawing a walk in his first at-bat, Jackson hit three consecutive home runs on the very first pitch of his next three at-bats, doing so against three different Dodgers pitchers—Burt Hooton, Elias Sosa, and Charlie Hough. This astonishing display of power, which included a mammoth drive deep into the center-field bleachers for the final shot, propelled the Yankees to an 8-4 victory and their first World Series title in 15 years. His heroic turn, which made him only the second player to hit three home runs in a single World Series game (joining Babe Ruth), was the ultimate answer to his critics, earning him World Series MVP honors and the immortal title of “Mr. October.”

Buckner Bounce

Buckner Bounce - Memorable World Series Moments
ID 31596724 © Gerald T. Coli | Dreamstime.com

Year: 1986

Player: Bill Buckner

Summary: One of the most memorable, though unfortunate, World Series moments is associated with Bill Buckner. His notorious fielding error in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Mets landed him in the hall of fame for infamy.

In the bottom of the tenth inning of Game 6 at Shea Stadium, with the score tied and two outs, a runner on second base, and the Red Sox one out away from winning the championship, Mets batter Mookie Wilson hit a slow ground ball down the first-base line. Buckner, the Boston first baseman, moved to field the seemingly routine ball, but it rolled under his glove and through his legs, allowing the Mets’ Ray Knight to score the winning run from second base. The error gave the Mets a dramatic 6-5 victory, tied the series at three games each, and forced a decisive Game 7, which the Red Sox ultimately lost.

The Inauguration of “Mr. November”Memorable World Series Moments

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Year: 2001

Player: Derek Jeter

Summary: Derek Jeter earned his legendary moniker, “Mr. November,” during Game 4 of the 2001 World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Due to the tragic events of September 11th, the World Series had been delayed, pushing the later games deep into the calendar. The game, which was played on the night of October 31st (Halloween), was tied in the bottom of the tenth inning after an incredible Yankees comeback. As the clock at Yankee Stadium officially ticked past midnight, a scoreboard message flashed, “Welcome to November Baseball.” Moments later, with the score tied 3-3, Jeter hit an opposite-field solo home run off Diamondbacks closer Byung-Hyun Kim, giving the Yankees a thrilling walk-off victory and evening the series at two games apiece. This historic blast made Jeter the first player ever to hit a home run in the month of November, instantly christening him “Mr. November,” a title celebrating his unique clutch performance under immense pressure.


The Hometown Hero

The Hometown Hero - Memorable World Series Moments
ID 18578624 © Matthew Trommer | Dreamstime.com

Player: David FreeseYear: 2011

Summary: David Freese delivered one of the most remarkable clutch hitting performances in baseball history during Game 6 of the 2011 World Series against the Texas Rangers, a game the St. Louis Cardinals twice faced elimination. Down 7-5 with two outs and two strikes in the bottom of the ninth inning, Freese drilled a two-run triple over the head of right fielder Nelson Cruz to tie the game and send the delirious Busch Stadium crowd into an uproar. Though the Rangers regained a two-run lead in the tenth, the Cardinals rallied again to tie it, setting the stage for more Freese heroics. In the bottom of the eleventh inning, Freese, the hometown hero, led off with a towering walk-off home run to center field, sealing the dramatic 10-9 victory and forcing a decisive Game 7, which the Cardinals would go on to win for the World Series title.

Rain Game Delay Defies “The Curse of the Billy Goat”Memorable World Series Moments

ID 81854395 © Deanna L. Kelly | Dreamstime.com

Year: 2016

Player(s): The Cubs

Summary: The most memorable moment of the 2016 World Series was the Chicago Cubs finally shattering the infamous “Curse of the Billy Goat” and ending their 108-year championship drought with a thrilling victory in Game 7. After squandering a 3-1 series lead, the Cubs forced a decisive Game 7 on the road against the Cleveland Indians, a contest that became an immediate classic. Despite taking an early lead, Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman surrendered a dramatic game-tying two-run home run to Rajai Davis in the eighth inning, briefly resurrecting the specter of the curse and sending the game to extra innings. After a critical 17-minute rain delay between the ninth and tenth innings, the Cubs emerged rejuvenated, scoring two runs off a clutch Ben Zobrist RBI double and a Miguel Montero RBI single. The Indians added one run in the bottom of the tenth, but pitcher Mike Montgomery induced a groundout for the final out, sealing the 8-7 victory and instantly creating one of the most emotional and celebrated moments in American sports history.