Each October, brisk autumn days at the ballpark give way to hot-stove winters, and America’s national pastime adds another season to the record books with a World Series. It’s been that way since 1903. Sure, some things have changed. Everyone’s a lot richer now. Games are played under the lights, often into the early hours of the morning. And TV cameras pitch all the action, plus a lot of ads, to viewers worldwide. But World Series facts remain.
The bases are still 90 feet apart. The pitcher’s mound is still 60 feet, six inches away from home plate. And there’s no shortage of intrigue and excitement surrounding this year’s matchup, as the Philadelphia Phillies square off against the Houston Astros in the 118th World Series.
So as we wait for the boys of summer to play ball in the Fall Classic, why not take a closer look at everything that makes the Series such a special event? WalletHub crunched the numbers to collect the most interesting World Series facts and figures we could find. You can check them out in the infographic below. And then we sit back and wait until Friday for the series to begin. World Series pregame starts on ESPN Radio this Friday at 7pm.
