The Commissioner's Trophy is presented each year by the Commissioner of Baseball to the Major League Baseball team that wins the World Series. Recent trophy designs contain flags representing each team in North America's top two leagues, the National League and the American League.[1] The two participating teams in that year's World Series were previously represented by two press pins set on the base of the trophy. It is the only championship trophy of the four major sports in the United States that is not named after a particular person[2] (contrasting with the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup,[3] the National Football League's Vince Lombardi Trophy,[4] and the National Basketball Association's Larry O'Brien Trophy).[5]
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History
The trophy was first awarded in 1967, when the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Boston Red Sox.[6] A new Commissioner's Trophy is created each year, much like the Lombardi Trophy and the O'Brien Trophy; in contrast, the Stanley Cup is passed from champion to champion.[7] Since its inception, the Commissioner's Trophy has been awarded 42 times; the only year that it was not given was 1994, when the players' strike ended the season on August 11, resulting in the cancellation of the entire post-season.[8] The New York Yankees have won the most Commissioner's Trophies (six World Series wins since 1967).[9] The St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds are tied for the most trophies won in the National League (three wins each), and the Oakland Athletics have won four in the American League.[9] The latest trophy was awarded to the Philadelphia Phillies of the National League, who won the 2008 World Series.[10]
Design
The current trophy design, which was redesigned slightly in 1999 and made by Tiffany & Co., is worth approximately $15,000.[11] The original trophy was designed by Lawrence Voegele, of Owatonna, Minnesota.[7] The trophy is 24 inches (61 cm) tall, excluding the base, and has a diameter of 11 inches (28 cm).[1] It weighs approximately 30 pounds (14 kg) and is made of sterling silver. The trophy features 30 gold-plated flags, one for each of the Major League teams, which rise above a silver baseball covered with latitude and longitude lines that symbolize the world.[7] The baseball also contains 24-karat vermeil baseball stitches.[1] The base contains an inscription of the signature of the commissioner.[1] The new design was presented for the first time at the conclusion of the 2000 World Series, won by the Yankees.[9]
Trophy designs
 The pre-1999 design of the trophy (1984 World Series); note the pins in the base below the baseball signifying the two participating teams |
 The current design of the Commissioner's Trophy (2007 World Series) |
References
- ^ a b c d "Phillies Announce World Series Trophy Tour Presented by Teva Pharmaceuticals and Comcast SportsNet". PR Newswire Association. 2009-01-09. http://news.prnewswire.com/ViewContent.aspx?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/01-09-2009/0004952249&EDATE=. Retrieved on 2009-05-18.
- ^ Terwilliger, Wayne; Peterson, Nancy and Boehm, Peter (2006). Terwilliger Bunts One. Globe Pequot. p. 233. ISBN 0762743107. http://books.google.com/books?id=2v16rjj-r_oC&pg=PA232&dq=commissioner%27s+trophy&lr=.
- ^ Shea, Kevin. "Stanley Cup Journal". National Hockey League. http://www.hhof.com/html/exSCJ04_33.shtml. Retrieved on 2009-05-18.
- ^ "Lombardi trophy on display". Central Florida News. 2009-01-25. http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2009/1/25/429949.html. Retrieved on 2009-05-18.
- ^ "December 2004: Picture This". National Archives and Records Administration. http://www.archives.gov/calendar/features/2004/december/. Retrieved on 2008-10-17.
- ^ Rhodes, Greg; Castellini, Robert (2007). Clerisy Press. pp. 81. ISBN 1578603005. http://books.google.com/books?id=uLVOb_5q9uwC. Retrieved on 2009-05-18.
- ^ a b c Scheiber, Dave (2008-10-22). "Rays shots". St. Petersburg Times. http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/article865537.ece. Retrieved on 2009-05-18.
- ^ Zirin, David (August 18, 2004). "The MLB Strike - 25 Years in the Making". Buzzle editorials.. http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/8-18-2004-58021.asp. Retrieved on 2008-05-02.
- ^ a b c "Playoff and World Series Stats and Results". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/. Retrieved on 2009-05-19.
- ^ Gonzalez, Alden (2009-01-13). "World Series trophy tour kicks off". Phillies.MLB.com. Major League Baseball. http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090113&content_id=3742649&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi. Retrieved on 2009-05-18.
- ^ "Phillies Fans Catch Glimpse Of World Series Trophy". CBS 3 Philadelphia. 2008-10-24. http://cbs3.com/local/world.series.trophy.2.847415.html. Retrieved on 2009-05-18.
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