Should Have Been Winners (World Series)



The World Series is played every year (well, 1994...), and every year there is a winner.  The right team doesn't always win though.  No, sometimes the universe makes a mistake and the wrong team wins.  But how do we know who these "Misplaced Winners" are?  

Well, this blog circles around one thing, and that's the Iowa Connection.  So, obviously every World Series champion should have at least one Iowa Connection, but not every one does.  Either I've missed the connection (possible!), or the universe messed up.  Thanos snapped his fingers and the Yankees won.  So lets look at those Iowa-less World Series champions and see who it should have been.

If this universe happened, here are number of titles these Iowa Connections would have gained (2+):

  • 4 - Davey Lopes
  • 2 - Cal Eldred
  • 2 - Corey Koskie
  • 2 - Denis Menke
  • 2 - Jerry McNertney
  • 2 - John Wathan
  • 2 - Paul Splittorff
  • 2 - R. C. Stevens
  • 2 - Gene Baker

Note: I'm only going back to 1958 here, perhaps at a later date I will go back even further

Note : Of the 62 World Series Championships covered here, 35 have been Iowa-less. (Maybe less, I'm always finding connections)

Note 2: I extend the connections to players who played for the team anytime during the year, managers and coaches.  I don't include executives as that would be difficult to track down, but if I did Fred Stanley was an executive of player development for the Giants for the 2010/12/14 teams.

Note 3: I mean every Cubs team from 1981 on has had players from the Iowa Cubs, so can I include 2016???  Not yet, but I am considering it.

Note 4: Missed Mike Myers on 2004 Sox, so I removed that one.


2020

Wrong Winner : Los Angeles Dodgers

Correct Winner : Atlanta Braves

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Scott Schebler, Cedar Rapids

2016

Wrong Winner : Chicago Cubs

Correct Winner : Toronto Blue Jays

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Matt Dermody, Norwalk

2015

Wrong Winner : Kansas City Royals

Correct Winner : New York Mets

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Eric Langill, DMACC

2014

Wrong Winner : San Francisco Giants 

Correct Winner : St. Louis Cardinals

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Michael Wacha, Iowa City

2012

Wrong Winner : San Francisco Giants 

Correct Winner : Washington Nationals

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Bo Porter, Iowa

2011

Wrong Winner : St. Louis Cardinals 

Correct Winner : Milwaukee Brewers

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Jerry Hairston Jr., Des Moines

2010

Wrong Winner : San Francisco Giants 

Correct Winner : Philadelphia Phillies

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Davey Lopes, Iowa Wesleyan

2007

Wrong Winner : Boston Red Sox 

Correct Winner : Colorado Rockies

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Rick Mathews, Drake

2006

Wrong Winner : St. Louis Cardinals  

Correct Winner :Chicago White Sox

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Ryan Sweeney, Cedar Rapids

2005

Wrong Winner : Chicago White Sox

Correct Winner : St. Louis Cardinals

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Cal Eldred, Iowa
  • Mike Mahoney, Des Moines

2003

Wrong Winner : Florida Marlins

Correct Winner : Minnesota Twins

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Corey Koskie, DMACC

2002

Wrong Winner : Anaheim Angels

Correct Winner : Minnesota Twins

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Corey Koskie, DMACC
  • Casey Blake, Des Moines

2001

Wrong Winner : Arizona Diamondbacks

Correct Winner : Atlanta Braves

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Scott Sobkowiak, UNI

1999

Wrong Winner : New York Yankees

Correct Winner : Texas Rangers

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Matt Perisho, Burlington
  • Jeff Zimmerman, Indian Hills

1998

Wrong Winner : New York Yankees

Correct Winner : San Diego Padres

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Don Wengert, Sioux City
  • Davey Lopes, Iowa Wesleyan


1996

Wrong Winner : New York Yankees

Correct Winner : Los Angeles Dodgers

Iowan who should've been champs 


1994

Wrong Winner : VACANT

Correct Winner : Baltimore Orioles

Iowan who should've been champs 

  • Davey Lopes, Iowa Wesleyan

1993

Wrong Winner : Toronto Blue Jays

Correct Winner : Philadelphia Phillies

Iowan who should've been champs

  • Denis Menke, Bancroft


1992

Wrong Winner : Toronto Blue Jays

Correct Winner : Milwaukee Brewers

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Cal Eldred, Iowa

1990

Wrong Winner : Cincinnati Reds

Correct Winner : Pittsburgh Pirates

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Bruce Kimm, Cedar Rapids

1988

Wrong Winner : Los Angeles Dodgers

Correct Winner : Boston Red Sox

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Jerry McNertney, ISU
  • Mike Boddicker, Cedar Rapids

1986

Wrong Winner : New York Mets

Correct Winner : Houston Astros

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Davey Lopes, Iowa Wesleyan
  • Denis Menke, Bancroft

1984

Wrong Winner : Detroit Tigers

Correct Winner : Kansas City Royals

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • John Wathan, Cedar Rapids
  • Buddy Biancalana, Fairfield
  • Paul Splittorff, Morningside

1980

Wrong Winner : Philadelphia Phillies

Correct Winner : Kansas City Royals

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • John Wathan, Cedar Rapids
  • Paul Splittorff, Morningside


1976

Wrong Winner : Cincinnati Reds

Correct Winner : New York Yankees

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Fred Stanley, Farnhamville 

1975

Wrong Winner : Cincinnati Reds

Correct Winner : Oakland Athletics

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Stan Bahnson, Council Bluffs

1971

Wrong Winner : Pittsburgh Pirates

Correct Winner : Baltimore Orioles

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Eddie Watt, UNI

1968

Wrong Winner : Detroit Tigers

Correct Winner : St. Louis Cardinals

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Joe Hoerner, Dubuque

1965

Wrong Winner : Los Angeles Dodgers

Correct Winner : Minnesota Twins

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Frank Quilici, Loras

1964

Wrong Winner : St. Louis Cardinals

Correct Winner : Chicago White Sox

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Jerry McNertney, Boone
  • Dick Kenworthy, Red Oak

1963

Wrong Winner : Los Angeles Dodgers

Correct Winner : Minnesota Twins

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • Lee Stange, Drake

1962/61

Wrong Winner : New York Yankees

Correct Winner : San Francisco Giants

Iowan who should've been champs :


1959

Wrong Winner : Los Angeles Dodgers

Correct Winner : Pittsburgh Pirates

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • R. C. Stevens, Davenport
  • Gene Baker, Davenport

1958

Wrong Winner : New York Yankees

Correct Winner : Pittsburgh Pirates

Iowan who should've been champs :

  • R. C. Stevens, Davenport
  • Gene Baker, Davenport

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