This post interrupts my trilogy of reports on the World Series of 50, 75 and 100 years ago. You have seen the post on 1917, but my 1942 post will need more setup because it is about TWO World Series in the same year. So a little history may help before we get to the games played in 1942.

MLB World Series – A Brief History: The National League was founded in 1876. Other leagues followed, but no other “major” league endured until the American League transitioned to that status in 1901. The American League was able to upgrade by poaching stars from the National League which had a maximum player salary. The two leagues made peace after the 1902 season with an agreement not to raid each other for players. This set the stage for other interleague cooperation.

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Now that the 2017 World Series is over, I am returning to baseball nostalgia for three posts on the World Series of 50, 75 and 100 years ago. This first post features the 1917 Series. The others will be (i) 1942, when the World Series of the Negro Leagues and MLB each featured seven Hall of Famers, and (ii) 1967, when Bob Gibson ruled the World Series.

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This past Saturday night, Rita and I joined about a thousand others at Unity Temple on the Plaza for an event sponsored by the Truman Library Institute. The subject was presidential leadership, and the speakers were author Doris Kearns Goodwin and Washington Post columnist David Von Drehle. David got the evening off to a good start by asking Doris who she had rooted for in the World Series. Doris grew up a passionate Brooklyn Dodger fan and then famously disowned the team when owner Walter O’Malley moved it to Los Angeles in 1958 (recounted in her book, Wait Till Next Year).

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Some idle thoughts while waiting for the start of the fall classic tonight between the Dodgers and Astros in 100-degree heat…

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The Dodgers defeated the Cubs last night and now will move on to the 2017 World Series. Or, if we must, the “World Series Presented by You Tube TV.” This had to be sweet revenge for the Dodgers who lost the NLCS last year to the Cubs who were on their way to winning their first World Series in 108 years.

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Last night, as midnight approached, I watched former Royal Wade Davis record a 7-out save to move the Cubs toward a repeat as World Series champions. In a game both ugly and beautiful, the Washington Nationals were eliminated to reduce the 10-team playoffs to the final four.

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In 2016, I rooted for the Cubs to beat the Indians in the World Series. If the Indians make it to the Series this year, I want them to win.

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At long last, a decision on best all-time catcher. It’s been complicated.

Best All-Time Catcher: In Hot Stove #48, I discussed how grandson Ian and I had assumed we would settle on Johnny Bench as the best catcher. As I researched the history, I was reminded of my childhood appreciation for Yogi Berra. I wavered. Also, the imposing presence of Negro Leagues great Josh Gibson gave me pause – Gibson was listed by stats guru Bill James as one of the top 10 players (not just catchers) of all time while Berra and Bench were down in the 40’s. So I procrastinated and put off a final decision. I got a little help from Hot Stove reader David Von Drehle who put this in perspective for me:

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