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CHAMPIONSHIP RING
THE STORY OF 2008 WORLD SERIES
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
The 2008 World Series was the 104th World Series between the American and National
Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The National League
champions Philadelphia Phillies and the American League champions Tampa Bay Rays
competed to win four games out of a possible seven. The 2008 World Series is notable
because it is the only Fall Classic to involve a mid-game suspension and resumption
(two days later).
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The Series began on Wednesday, October 22, and (after weather delays had
postponed the end of Game 5) concluded the following Wednesday, October 29. The
American League's 4–3 win in the 2008 All-Star Game gave the Rays home field
advantage for the series, meaning no more than three games would be played at the
Phillies' stadium Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies won their second championship in
their 126-year history, taking the series four games to one and brought the city of
Philadelphia a championship after 25 years. This was the first postseason series lost
by a Major League Baseball team based in the state of Florida; previously, the Rays
and Florida Marlins were 8–0 in post-season series.
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The Phillies advanced to the World Series after defeating the Milwaukee Brewers and
the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League's Divisional and Championship Series,
respectively. The team won its position in the playoffs after its second consecutive
National League East title. This was the Phillies' first World Series appearance in fifteen
years. The Tampa Bay Rays advanced to the World Series after defeating the Chicago
White Sox and the Boston Red Sox in the American League's Division and
Championship Series, respectively. The team earned its first trip to the postseason in
franchise history after winning the American League East title, only one season after
finishing in last place. Since each team had come first in its respective division during
the regular season, this was the first Series since 2001 without a wild-card team.
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The Phillies have won two World Series championships (against the Kansas City
Royals in 1980 and the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008) and seven National League
pennants, the first of which came in 1915. The franchise has also experienced long
periods of struggle. Since the first modern World Series was played in 1903, the
Phillies played 77 consecutive seasons (and 97 seasons from the club's establishment)
to win their first World Series—longer than any other of the 16 teams that made up the
major leagues for the first half of the 20th century.
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The 77 season drought is the fourth longest World Series drought in Major League
Baseball history. The longevity of the franchise and its history of adversity have
earned it the dubious distinction of having lost the most games of any team in the
history of American professional sports.[3] Despite the team's lack of success
historically, they are still one of the more successful franchises since the start of the
Divisional Era in Major League Baseball. The Phillies won their division 11 times,
which ranks 6th among all teams and 4th in the National League, including five
consecutively from 2007 to 2011.
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CHAMPIONSHIP RING
THE STORY OF 2008 WORLD SERIES
PHILLIESPHILADELPHIA