The Junior World Series was a postseason championship series between champions of two of the three highest minor league baseball leagues modeled on the World Series of Major League Baseball. It was called the Little World Series (no relation to the Little League World Series) until 1932, and acquired other official names at different times.

A newspaper article about the 1920 Little World Series

The various iterations of the Junior World Series were played for most of the years of the 20th century, off and on depending on the fortunes of the various leagues involved. Most often it was held between the champions of the International League (IL) and the American Association (AA). This left the third, and sometimes stronger, minor circuit called the Pacific Coast League (PCL) out of this minor league championship series. After not being held in 1972 and 1974, the last Junior World Series was held in 1975.

The Junior World Series was superseded by the Triple-A Classic, held from 1988 to 1991. Then, from 1998 to 2000, the Triple-A World Series pitted the IL and PCL champs (as the AA had folded in 1997). The Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game was established in 2006.

Little World Series

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Year Winning team (MLB affiliation) League Score Losing team (MLB affiliation) League
1904 Buffalo Bisons (none) IL 2–1 St. Paul Saints (none) AA
1906 Buffalo Bisons (none) IL 3–2–1 Columbus Senators (none) AA
1907 Toronto Maple Leafs (none) IL 4–1 Columbus Senators (none) AA
1917 Indianapolis Indians (none) AA 4–1 Toronto Maple Leafs (none) IL
1919[a] Vernon Tigers (none) PCL 5–4 St. Paul Saints (none) AA
1920 Baltimore Orioles (none) IL 5–1 St. Paul Saints (none) AA
1921 Louisville Colonels (none) AA 5–3 Baltimore Orioles (none) IL
1922 Baltimore Orioles (none) IL 5–2 St. Paul Saints (none) AA
1923 Kansas City Blues (none) AA 5–4 Baltimore Orioles (none) IL
1924 St. Paul Saints (none) AA 5–4–1 Baltimore Orioles (none) IL
1925 Baltimore Orioles (none) IL 5–3 Louisville Colonels (none) AA
1926 Toronto Maple Leafs (none) IL 5–0 Louisville Colonels (none) AA
1927 Toledo Mud Hens (none) AA 5–1 Buffalo Bisons (none) IL
1928 Indianapolis Indians (none) AA 5–1–1 Rochester Red Wings (STL) IL
1929 Kansas City Blues (none) AA 5–4 Rochester Red Wings (STL) IL
1930 Rochester Red Wings (STL) IL 5–3 Louisville Colonels (none) AA
1931 Rochester Red Wings (STL) IL 5–3 St. Paul Saints (none) AA

Junior World Series

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Year Winning team (MLB affiliation) League Score Losing team (MLB affiliation) League
1932 Newark Bears (NYY) IL 4–2 Minneapolis Millers (none) AA
1933 Columbus Red Birds (STL) AA 5–3 Buffalo Bisons (none) IL
1934 Columbus Red Birds (STL) AA 5–4 Toronto Maple Leafs (CIN) IL
1935 No series held
1936 Milwaukee Brewers (none) AA 4–1 Buffalo Bisons (none) IL
1937 Newark Bears (NYY) IL 4–3 Columbus Red Birds (STL) AA
1938 Kansas City Blues (NYY) AA 4–3 Newark Bears (NYY) IL
1939 Louisville Colonels (BOS) AA 4–3 Rochester Red Wings (STL) IL
1940 Newark Bears (NYY) IL 4–2 Louisville Colonels (BOS) AA
1941 Columbus Red Birds (STL) AA 4–2 Montreal Royals (BRO) IL
1942 Columbus Red Birds (STL) AA 4–1 Syracuse Chiefs (CIN) IL
1943 Columbus Red Birds (STL) AA 4–1 Syracuse Chiefs (CIN) IL
1944 Baltimore Orioles (CLE) IL 4–2 Louisville Colonels (BOS) AA
1945 Louisville Colonels (BOS) AA 4–2 Newark Bears (NYY) IL
1946 Montreal Royals (BRO) IL 4–2 Louisville Colonels (BOS) AA
1947 Milwaukee Brewers (BSN) AA 4–3 Syracuse Chiefs (CIN) IL
1948 Montreal Royals (BRO) IL 4–1 St. Paul Saints (BRO) AA
1949 Indianapolis Indians (PIT) AA 4–2 Montreal Royals (BRO) IL
1950 Columbus Red Birds (STL) AA 4–2 Baltimore Orioles (SLB) IL
1951 Milwaukee Brewers (BSN) AA 4–2 Montreal Royals (BRO) IL
1952 Rochester Red Wings (STL) IL 4–3 Kansas City Blues (NYY) AA
1953 Montreal Royals (BRO) IL 4–1 Kansas City Blues (NYY) AA
1954 Louisville Colonels (BOS) AA 4–2 Syracuse Chiefs (PHI) IL
1955 Minneapolis Millers (NYG) AA 4–3 Rochester Red Wings (STL) IL
1956 Indianapolis Indians (CLE) AA 4–0 Rochester Red Wings (STL) IL
1957 Denver Bears (NYY) AA 4–1 Buffalo Bisons (KCA) IL
1958 Minneapolis Millers (BOS) AA 4–0 Montreal Royals (LAD) IL
1959 Havana Sugar Kings (CIN) IL 4–3 Minneapolis Millers (BOS) AA
1960 Louisville Colonels (MLN) AA 4–2 Toronto Maple Leafs (none) IL
1961 Buffalo Bisons (PHI) IL 4–0 Louisville Colonels (MLN) AA
1962 Atlanta Crackers (STL) IL 4–3 Louisville Colonels (MLN) AA
1970 Syracuse Chiefs (NYY) IL 4–1 Omaha Royals (KCR) AA
1971 Rochester Red Wings (BAL) IL 4–3 Denver Bears (WSA) AA
1972 Kodak World Baseball Classic held instead of Series
1973 Pawtucket Red Sox (BOS) IL 4–1 Tulsa Oilers (STL) AA
1974 No series held
1975 Evansville Triplets (DET) AA 4–1 Tidewater Tides (NYM) IL

Records

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In Game 2 of the 1956 Junior World Series, Roger Maris set a record with seven runs batted in.[1]

Notes

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aThe 1919 championship series was referred to as the Junior World Series

References

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Specific

  1. ^ Clavin, Tom; Peary, Danny (2010). Roger Maris: Baseball's Reluctant Hero. New York: Touchstone Books. p. 80. ISBN 978-1-4165-8928-0.

General

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