World Series appeared in 9 and won 5. As of 2018, no team has won consecutive World Series championships since the New York Yankees in , , and —the longest such drought in Major League Baseball history. Until the formation of the American Association in 1882 as a second major league, the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (1871–1875) and then the National League (founded 1876) represented the top level of organized baseball in the United States. All championships were awarded to the team with the best record at the end of the season, without a postseason series being played. From
2009 World Series named "Sports Illustrated"s Sportsman of the Year for 2009. Matsui won the World Series MVP for his play, becoming the first Japanese player and first full-time designated hitter to win the award. Several items related to the series were sent to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum including bats from Jeter and Matsui; caps from Rivera, Lee, and Pettitte; and Johnny Damon's cleats. Matsui also joined Minnesota Twins radio analyst Dan Gladden as members from the 1994 world championship Yomiuri Giants team as players who have won championships in North America and Japan. The series win brought the