1996 World Series

The 1996 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's 1996 season. It was the 92nd edition of the World Series and a best-of-seven playoff between the National League champion Atlanta Braves and the American League champion New York Yankees. The Yankees defeated the Braves four games to two, capturing their first World Series title since 1978 and their 23rd overall.

The Yankees advanced to the World Series by defeating the Texas Rangers in the AL Division Series and then the Baltimore Orioles in the AL Championship Series. The Braves reached the Series by beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Division Series and the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Championship Series.

The Yankees lost the first two games at home but then won the next four games, including a dramatic comeback in Game 4. They became the third team to win a World Series after losing the first two games at home. Game 5 was the last game played at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, and Atlanta became the only city to host both the World Series and the Olympics in the same year.

Background

Main articles: 1996 New York Yankees season and 1996 Atlanta Braves season

See also: 1996 Major League Baseball postseason

The 1996 World Series was an important event for the New York Yankees. It was the start of their success in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The Atlanta Braves were the defending champions and were expected to win, but the Yankees surprised everyone.

The Yankees reached the World Series by beating the Baltimore Orioles in the league championship series. The Braves came back from behind to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals. Both teams had strong players, but the Yankees' pitching and teamwork helped them win the series.

Summary

AL New York Yankees (4) vs. NL Atlanta Braves (2)

The 1996 World Series was the big championship game of Major League Baseball that year. It was between the New York Yankees and the Atlanta Braves. The Yankees won, beating the Braves four games to two. This was the Yankees' first big win since 1978 and their 23rd overall.

Matchups

The 1996 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's 1996 season. It was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League champion Atlanta Braves and the American League champion New York Yankees. The Yankees won the series four games to two, capturing their first World Series title since 1978 and their 23rd overall.

Game 1 was postponed due to rain, and the Yankees struggled against strong starting pitchers from the Braves in the first two games. However, the Yankees adjusted their lineup before Game 3 and began to turn the series around. They won three straight games to take the lead and eventually secured the championship in Game 6. This victory marked a significant moment for the Yankees, ending an 18-year wait for another title.

Composite box

The 1996 World Series was won by the New York Yankees (American League) who beat the Atlanta Braves (National League) four games to two. This World Series is special because it is one of the few where the team that won had fewer total runs than their opponents. This has happened only a few times before and after this year.

Broadcasting

This was the first World Series shown on Fox. Joe Buck was the main announcer, with Tim McCarver and Bob Brenly helping to explain the game. At 27, Joe Buck was one of the youngest announcers to do this job. During the games, a fan held up a sign that said "John 3:16".

The Atlanta Braves were the first team to be shown on all four big TV networks. This was also the first time Canadian TV showed a different broadcast than the American one. Instead, CTV used MLB International’s coverage.

Aftermath

Further information: 1999 World Series, Core Four, and Big Three (Atlanta Braves)

Braves

The Braves had been very successful, winning their division every full season from 1991 to 2005. They played in the National League Championship Series almost every year from 1991 to 2001. But they only made it to the World Series one more time during this period, in 1999, where they were again defeated by the Yankees. The Braves didn't return to the World Series until 2021.

Yankees

The Yankees' manager, Joe Torre, finally reached the World Series after many years. The Yankees went on to win the American League pennant five more times in the next seven seasons, including three straight World Series titles from 1998 to 2000. The 1996 win was the 23rd championship in the team's history and the first of many for players like Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Andy Pettitte.

The 1996 Yankees were the last team to come back from a 2–0 deficit in the World Series until the Blue Jays did it in the 2025 American League Championship Series.

In popular culture

In an episode of the TV show Seinfeld, a character named George Costanza gives some tips about hitting to two baseball players, Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams. When one of the players says they "won the World Series" about the 1996 event, George jokes that they only did it in six games.