The World Series is the ultimate stage in baseball, where pressure mounts, legacies are forged, and moments become immortalized. While entire series can be legendary, sometimes a single game encapsulates everything magical and gut-wrenching about the Fall Classic. These are contests decided by iconic swings, impossible comebacks, legendary pitching performances, and moments that fans still talk about decades later.
Ranking them is nearly impossible, but here are some of the individual World Series games most often cited as the greatest ever played:
1. 1960 World Series Game 7: Pittsburgh Pirates 10, New York Yankees 9
- The Setup: A true David vs. Goliath matchup. The powerhouse Yankees had dominated the Pirates in their three wins (16-3, 10-0, 12-0), but the gritty Bucs had scrapped their way to force a Game 7 at Forbes Field.
- The Magic: A wild, back-and-forth affair with multiple lead changes. The Yankees rallied from a 4-0 deficit, took leads of 5-4 and 7-4, only for the Pirates to storm back, capped by Hal Smith’s three-run homer in the bottom of the 8th to take a 9-7 lead. The Yankees unbelievably tied it again in the top of the 9th. Then, leading off the bottom of the 9th, second baseman Bill Mazeroski etched his name into history, launching a solo home run over the left-field wall – the first (and still only) walk-off home run to ever win Game 7 of a World Series.
- The Legacy: The ultimate Cinderella finish. Mazeroski’s homer remains one of the most iconic moments in baseball history, securing an improbable championship for Pittsburgh against the mighty Yankees.
2. 1975 World Series Game 6: Boston Red Sox 7, Cincinnati Reds 6 (12 Innings)
- The Setup: The Red Sox trailed the dominant “Big Red Machine” 3 games to 2, facing elimination at Fenway Park.
- The Magic: An epic contest filled with drama. Bernie Carbo’s pinch-hit, three-run homer in the 8th tied the game after Boston trailed 6-3. The Reds nearly won it in the 9th and 11th, only to be denied by incredible defensive plays (Dwight Evans’ catch in the 11th was spectacular). Then came the 12th inning. Catcher Carlton Fisk led off and launched a high drive down the left-field line. As the ball soared towards the foul pole, Fisk famously hopped down the baseline, frantically waving his arms as if physically guiding the ball fair. It struck the foul pole for a walk-off home run, forcing Game 7.
- The Legacy: Fisk’s “waving it fair” is one of baseball’s most enduring images. While the Red Sox ultimately lost Game 7, this game is often credited with revitalizing baseball’s popularity and is considered by many to be the single greatest World Series game ever played due to its sustained drama and iconic finish.
3. 2011 World Series Game 6: St. Louis Cardinals 10, Texas Rangers 9 (11 Innings)
- The Setup: The Rangers were one win away from their first-ever World Series title, leading the series 3-2 heading into St. Louis.
- The Magic: Unbelievable doesn’t begin to describe it. The Rangers led 7-5 heading into the bottom of the 9th, one strike away from winning the championship. St. Louis native David Freese delivered a game-tying two-run triple just over Nelson Cruz’s outstretched glove. The Rangers regrouped and took a 9-7 lead in the 10th, again getting one strike away from the title. Again, the Cardinals clawed back, tying it on a Lance Berkman single. Finally, in the bottom of the 11th, Freese cemented his hero status with a walk-off solo home run to center field, forcing Game 7.
- The Legacy: Arguably the most dramatic comeback game in World Series history, featuring two separate moments where the losing team was down to its final strike. Freese’s heroics became legendary Cardinals lore as they went on to win Game 7.
4. 2016 World Series Game 7: Chicago Cubs 8, Cleveland Indians 7 (10 Innings)
- The Setup: The weight of history was immense. The Cubs hadn’t won a World Series since 1908, the Indians not since 1948. The Cubs had rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to force Game 7 in Cleveland.
- The Magic: A nerve-wracking rollercoaster. Dexter Fowler led off the game with a homer. The Cubs built a 6-3 lead. Aroldis Chapman, seemingly untouchable, surrendered a stunning game-tying two-run homer to Rajai Davis in the bottom of the 8th, sending Cleveland into delirium. The game went to extra innings, where a perfectly timed rain delay allowed the Cubs to regroup. Ben Zobrist’s RBI double in the 10th gave the Cubs the lead, followed by a Miguel Montero RBI single. Cleveland rallied for one run in the bottom half but ultimately fell short.
- The Legacy: The game that finally broke the longest championship drought in American professional sports. The combination of historical stakes, late-game drama, the rain delay, and extra innings makes it an instant classic.
5. 1991 World Series Game 7: Minnesota Twins 1, Atlanta Braves 0 (10 Innings)
- The Setup: A remarkably competitive series featuring multiple extra-inning games and walk-off finishes led to a winner-take-all Game 7 in Minnesota.
- The Magic: This game was defined by one of the greatest pitching performances in World Series history. Twins ace Jack Morris, pitching on short rest, refused to come out of the game. He matched Braves starter John Smoltz zero for zero through seven innings, then continued battling through the 8th, 9th, and finally, the 10th inning, escaping jam after jam. The Twins finally broke through in the bottom of the 10th on a bases-loaded single by Gene Larkin.
- The Legacy: Morris’s legendary 10-inning shutout performance in a Game 7 remains the defining moment of his Hall of Fame career and capped one of the most tightly contested World Series ever played.
6. 2001 World Series Game 7: Arizona Diamondbacks 3, New York Yankees 2
- The Setup: The Yankees, seeking their fourth consecutive title amidst the emotional backdrop of 9/11, held a 2-1 lead going into the bottom of the 9th in Arizona. The seemingly invincible Mariano Rivera came on to close it out.
- The Magic: What followed was unthinkable. A leadoff single, a Rivera error on a sacrifice bunt attempt, another sacrifice bunt, and then Tony Womack ripped a game-tying double down the right-field line. After a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases, Luis Gonzalez stepped up and delivered the championship-winning hit – not a towering shot, but a bloop single just over the drawn-in infield.
- The Legacy: The game that ended a potential dynasty. Beating Rivera in the bottom of the 9th of Game 7 seemed impossible, making the Diamondbacks’ comeback and Gonzalez’s soft single one of the most shocking and memorable finishes.
7. 1988 World Series Game 1: Los Angeles Dodgers 5, Oakland Athletics 4
- The Setup: The heavily favored A’s, featuring the “Bash Brothers” (Canseco and McGwire), faced the underdog Dodgers. Kirk Gibson, the Dodgers’ MVP leader, was severely hobbled by injuries to both legs and wasn’t expected to play.
- The Magic: Trailing 4-3 with two outs in the bottom of the 9th and a runner on, manager Tommy Lasorda stunningly sent the injured Gibson to pinch-hit against fearsome A’s closer Dennis Eckersley. Gibson limped to the plate, grimacing with every awkward practice swing. He quickly fell behind 0-2, fouled off pitches, and worked the count full. Then, on a 3-2 backdoor slider, Gibson summoned unbelievable strength, launching a two-run, walk-off home run into the right-field pavilion, sending Dodger Stadium into absolute bedlam.
- The Legacy: One of the most improbable and theatrical moments in sports history. Gibson’s hobbled trot around the bases is iconic. It set the tone for the Dodgers’ shocking upset victory in the series.
These games represent the pinnacle of World Series drama – moments where heroes emerged, legends were cemented, and the impossible became reality. They remind us why the Fall Classic holds such a special place in the hearts of baseball fans.
What’s YOUR pick for the greatest World Series game ever played? Did we miss one you think belongs on this list? Share your memories in the comments!
