A World Series That Might Never Have Taken Place

There have been many instances in which the team with the best record didn't win the pennant.

In 1973, neither New York's most beloved team, the gutsy New York Mets, nor the New York Yankees' former unofficial farm team, the Oakland (Kansas City) A's, had its league's best record, but both were pennant winners.

The World Series, pitting two similar teams in what was to become a riveting showdown that went seven games, opened in Oakland, with the A's favored to win.

The only reason Mets and A's faced each other was because the playoffs were initiated in 1969. Before 1969, the Cincinnati Reds would have met the Baltimore Orioles in the 1973 World Series.

The New York Mets won only 82 games, but they were the only team in ...

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