:''For other events named "World Series", see World Series (disambiguation).''
The '''World Series''' is the championship series of Major League Baseball and the culmination of the sport's postseason each October.
The World Series is played between the American League and National League champions. The Series winner is determined through a best-of-seven playoff (except in 1903, 1919, 1920 and 1921 when the winner was determined through a best-of-nine playoff) and is awarded the World Series Trophy, as well as World Series rings. Baseball has employed various championship formulas since the 1850s. The modern World Series has been an annual event since 1903, with the exceptions of 1904 and 1994.
The term "World Series" (short for "World's Championship Series") was first used in the 1880s, when baseball existed at a highly-skilled level only in the USA and international travel was rare. The traditional term "World Series" continues to be used for the Major League Baseball championship.
The New York Yankees have the most World Series titles, with 26 championships through the 2005 season. Eight teams, all established since 1961 (dates of establishment are for the current franchises), have never won a World Series title: Texas Rangers (formerly the Washington Senators, 1961 to 1971), Houston Astros (est. 1962), San Diego Padres (est. 1969), Washington Nationals (formerly the Montreal Expos, 1969 to 2004), Milwaukee Brewers (est. 1969), Seattle Mariners (est. 1977), Colorado Rockies (est. 1993), and Tampa Bay Devil Rays (est. 1998). Of those eight teams, only three have appeared in the Series: Milwaukee, San Diego, and Houston. Of those, only San Diego has gone to the Series more than once. The San Francisco Giants have also not won a World Series title after their move from New York in 1957. The Chicago Cubs have gone the longest between titles, having last won the World Series in 1908. The Philadelphia Phillies played titleless for 97 seasons, finally winning in 1980. Barring a miraculous comeback, the Cubs' own dry spell will surpass that record in 2006.
Introduction
The first two games of the series are played in the home ballpark of the team awarded home-field advantage; the next three are in the other team's ballpark, and the final two, if necessary, are back in the first team's ballpark. That 2-3-2 pattern has been followed since 1924, with the exception of World War II, when travel restrictions were in place. Until 2003, the home-field advantage alternated annually between the American and National Leagues. Starting with the 2003 World Series, the league that wins the mid-season All-Star Game has been awarded home-field advantage.
The American League has home-field advantage for the 2006 Series. Between the American League having the
