Editing Commissioner's Trophy (MLB)

{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}

{{short description|Major League Baseball award}}
{{about|Major League Baseball's championship trophy|the award known as the Commissioner's Trophy from 1970 to 1984|Major League Baseball All-Star Game MVP Award|a list of Commissioner's Trophy winners|List of World Series champions|the similarly named historical award|Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award}}{{Infobox sports award|name=Commissioner's Trophy|image=World Series Trophy (48262268286).jpg|image_size=200px|alt=|caption=|sport=[[Baseball]]|competition=[[Major League Baseball postseason]]|discipline=|givenfor=Winning the [[World Series]]|english=|localnames=|sponsor=|location=|country=[[United States]]<br>
[[Canada]]|presenter=[[Major League Baseball]]|first=[[1967 World Series|1967]]|number=57|last=|firstwinner=[[St. Louis Cardinals]]|mostwins=[[New York Yankees]] (7)|mostrecent=[[Los Angeles Dodgers]]|url={{URL|www.mlb.com/news/world-series-trophy-profile/c-155729034|World Series trophy profile}}}}

{{MLB playoffs sidebar}}
[[File:Adam Eaton USO (49348543308) (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|[[Adam Eaton (outfielder)|Adam Eaton]] holds the {{wsy|2019}} trophy]]
[[File:1995 World Series trophy.JPG|thumb|right|upright|The [[1995 World Series]] Commissioner's Trophy on display in the [[Ivan Allen Jr. Braves Museum and Hall of Fame]] at [[Turner Field]], the former stadium of the Atlanta Braves. This was the design of the Commissioner's Trophy from 1967 to 1999.]]

The '''Commissioner's Trophy''' is a trophy presented each year by the [[commissioner of baseball]] to [[Major League Baseball]]'s (MLB) [[World Series]] champion. The trophy depicts flags representing each team in Major League Baseball.<ref name="prnews">{{cite web|url=http://news.prnewswire.com/ViewContent.aspx?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/01-09-2009/0004952249&EDATE=|title=Phillies Announce World Series Trophy Tour Presented by Teva Pharmaceuticals and Comcast SportsNet|publisher=PR Newswire Association|date=January 9, 2009|access-date=May 18, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223202250/http://news.prnewswire.com/ViewContent.aspx?ACCT=109&STORY=%2Fwww%2Fstory%2F01-09-2009%2F0004952249&EDATE=|archive-date=February 23, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Tiffany & Co. Sports Trophies|url=http://press.tiffany.com/ViewBackgrounder.aspx?backgrounderId=4|publisher=[[Tiffany & Co.]]|date=September 30, 2015|access-date=September 30, 2015}}</ref> It is the only championship trophy of the [[major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada]] in North America that is not named after a particular person<ref>{{cite book|last=Terwilliger|first=Wayne|author2=Peterson, Nancy and Boehm, Peter|title=Terwilliger Bunts One|publisher=Globe Pequot|year=2006|page=233|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2v16rjj-r_oC&q=commissioner%27s+trophy&pg=PA232|isbn=0-7627-4310-7}}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> (contrasting with the [[National Hockey League]]'s [[Stanley Cup]],<ref>{{cite web|last=Shea|first=Kevin|title=Stanley Cup Journal|url=http://hhof.com/htmlSTCjournal/exSCJ04_33.shtml|publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame|date=August 22, 2004|access-date=September 30, 2015|archive-date=October 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013172618/http://hhof.com/htmlSTCjournal/exSCJ04_33.shtml|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Major League Soccer]]'s [[Philip F. Anschutz Trophy]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Boehm |first=Charles |date=December 3, 2017 |title=What's the Cup? Get to know the MLS Cup's Philip F Anschutz Trophy |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/12/03/whats-cup-get-know-mls-cups-philip-f-anschutz-trophy |work=MLSsoccer.com |access-date=December 3, 2017 |archive-date=June 18, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180618081046/https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/12/03/whats-cup-get-know-mls-cups-philip-f-anschutz-trophy |url-status=dead }}</ref> the [[National Basketball Association]]'s [[Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.archives.gov/calendar/features/2004/december/|title=December 2004: Picture This|publisher=[[National Archives and Records Administration]]|access-date=October 17, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080929044936/http://www.archives.gov/calendar/features/2004/december/|archive-date=September 29, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> and the [[National Football League]]'s [[Vince Lombardi Trophy]]).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/vince-lombardi-trophy-tiffany-piece-money-buy/story?id=36684162|title=Vince Lombardi Trophy: A Tiffany Piece Money Can't Buy|date=February 3, 2016|work=ABC News}}</ref>

==History==
{{see also|World Series}}
Although it was named in 1985, the trophy was first awarded in 1967, when the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] defeated the [[Boston Red Sox]]. Coincidentally, the [[1967 World Series]] was nine months after the [[Super Bowl I|first Super Bowl]], where the [[Green Bay Packers]] were awarded the AFL-NFL World Championship Trophy for defeating the [[Kansas City Chiefs]] (the trophy was renamed the Vince Lombardi Trophy prior to [[Super Bowl V]] following Lombardi's death in September 1970).<ref>{{cite book|last=Rhodes|first=Greg|author2=Castellini, Robert|title=Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame Highlights|publisher=Clerisy Press|year=2007|pages=81|isbn=978-1-57860-300-8|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uLVOb_5q9uwC|access-date=May 18, 2009}}</ref> 

The trophy was not without precedent in Major League Baseball: the [[Dauvray Cup]] (named after actress [[Helen Dauvray]]) was awarded to the winner of the World Series between the National League and the [[American Association (19th century)|American Association]] from 1887 to 1890, and when a solitary major league remained, to the winner of the National League pennant, from 1891 to 1893. The Dauvray Cup was to be held by the victorious team and was to be relinquished the following year when (and if) a new champion team emerged.<ref>[https://ourgame.mlblogs.com/baseballs-lost-chalice-part-2-f86de62222fe Thorn, John, "Baseball’s Lost Chalice, Part 2"], at MLB.com, November 3, 2011</ref> The Dauvray Cup mysteriously vanished following the 1893 series and has never been located. From 1894 to 1897, the [[Temple Cup]] was awarded to the winner of a postseason contest between the two top National League clubs.<ref>[https://ourgame.mlblogs.com/baseballs-lost-chalice-part-3-f0cf895f892 Thorn, John, "Baseball’s Lost Chalice, Part 3"], at MLB.com, November 4, 2011</ref>

A new Commissioner's Trophy is created each year, much like the [[Philip F. Anschutz Trophy|Anschutz Trophy]], the [[Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy|O'Brien Trophy]] and the [[Vince Lombardi Trophy|Lombardi Trophy]], and unlike the [[Stanley Cup]], which is passed from champion to champion (the NBA's former championship trophy, the [[Walter A. Brown Trophy]], was passed from champion to champion through [[1976 NBA Finals|1976]]; a newly-designed trophy which was to become the O'Brien Trophy debuted in [[1977 NBA Finals|1977]]).<ref name="sptimes"/> Historically, the trophy was only presented in the winner's [[Changing room|locker room]], but beginning in 1997, the presentation occurred on the field if the champion clinched the title in their home stadium.<ref name="know">{{cite web|title=5 Things You Didn't Know About The World Series Trophy|publisher=WBZ-TV|date=October 31, 2013|url=http://boston.cbslocal.com/top-lists/5-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-world-series-trophy/|access-date=December 25, 2014}}</ref> Since [[2017 World Series|2017]], when the [[Houston Astros]] won the World Series at [[Dodger Stadium]], the championship presentation occurs on the field even if the champion clinches the title on the road.<ref>{{cite web |title=Houston Astros World Series Trophy Presentation and Owner Speech |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAOEJoR920M&t=10s | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211116/aAOEJoR920M| archive-date=November 16, 2021 | url-status=live|website=YouTube |access-date=October 30, 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref> 

Since its inception, the only year that the Commissioner's Trophy has not been awarded was 1994, when the [[1994–95 Major League Baseball strike|players' strike]] ended the season on August 12, resulting in the cancellation of the entire post-season.<ref>{{cite web | title = The MLB Strike - 25 Years in the Making | work = Buzzle editorials | author = Zirin, David | date = August 18, 2004 | url = http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/8-18-2004-58021.asp | access-date = May 2, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050129045658/http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/8-18-2004-58021.asp | archive-date = January 29, 2005 | url-status = usurped }}</ref> 

The [[New York Yankees]] have won the most Commissioner's Trophies, winning seven World Series since 1977.<ref name="bref">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/|title=Playoff and World Series Stats and Results|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|access-date=May 19, 2009}}</ref> The [[St. Louis Cardinals]] and [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] have each won four trophies, a National League record.<ref name="bref" />

On October 31, 2018, during the parade celebrating the [[Boston Red Sox]] winning the World Series, the trophy was damaged by a beer can thrown by a spectator of the parade;<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2018/11/01/world-series-trophy-was-broken-when-beer-can-slammed-into-it/ Boren, Cindy, "The World Series trophy was broken when a beer can slammed into it"], at washingtonpost.com, November 1, 2018</ref> it was subsequently repaired.

In 2020, in discussing the punishments for the [[Houston Astros sign stealing scandal]], which did not include stripping the Astros of their 2017 championship, commissioner [[Rob Manfred]] referred to the Commissioner's Trophy as "a piece of metal." Following criticism for the dismissive nature of the remark, Manfred issued a public apology.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gonzalez |first1=Alden |title=Manfred: Mistake to call WS trophy 'piece of metal' |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/28732090/rob-manfred-apologizes-calling-world-series-trophy-piece-metal |access-date=July 25, 2020 |work=[[ESPN.com]] |publisher=[[ESPN]] |date=February 19, 2020 |language=en}}</ref>

==Design==
The current trophy design was made by [[Tiffany & Co.]] and unveiled in 2000.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dickson |first1=Paul |title=The Dickson Baseball Dictionary |date=2011 |publisher=W. W. Norton & Company |isbn=9780393073492 |page=209 |edition=Third |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ceeU7xSLw5kC&pg=PA209 |access-date=November 1, 2019 |language=en}}</ref> It is {{convert|24|in|cm}} tall, excluding the base, and has a diameter of {{convert|11|in|cm}}.<ref name="prnews"/> It weighs approximately {{convert|30|lbs|kg}}<ref name="WorldSeriesTrophyProfile">{{cite web|title=World Series trophy profile|url=http://m.mlb.com/news/article/3703989/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150717130131/http://m.mlb.com/news/article/3703989/|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 17, 2015|work=MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|date=December 5, 2008|access-date=September 30, 2015}}</ref> and is composed of [[sterling silver]]. The trophy features 30 gold-plated flags, one for each Major League team. The flags rise above a silver baseball which is covered with latitude and longitude lines, symbolizing the world,<ref name="sptimes">{{cite web|url=http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/article865537.ece|title=Rays shots|last=Scheiber|first=Dave|date=October 22, 2008|work=St. Petersburg Times|access-date=May 18, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081025091225/http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/article865537.ece|archive-date=October 25, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> and which features 24-karat [[vermeil]] stitching.<ref name="prnews"/> The base contains an inscription copy of the signature of the commissioner<ref name="prnews"/> and the words "Presented by the Commissioner of Baseball".<ref name="WorldSeriesTrophyProfile"/>

The original 1967 trophy was designed by Balfour Jewelers of [[Attleboro, Massachusetts]], was modeled after [[Wrigley Field]], and cost $2,500 ({{Inflation|US|2500|1967|fmt=eq}}).<ref>"Majors Award Series Trophy," ''The Portland Oregonian'', October 10, 1967, sports section page 3, wire service report attributed to ''The New York News''.</ref> It initially featured 20 gold-plated flags, representing the then-20 Major League Baseball clubs, and a new flag was then subsequently added for each expansion team that joined Major League Baseball. The flags rose above two objects in the center: a golden ring and a golden baseball. The two participating teams in each year's World Series were represented by two press pins set on the base of the trophy.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

==By franchise==
This table lists the teams that have won the Commissioner's Trophy since it was introduced in 1967. For a complete history of MLB championship teams, see ''[[List of World Series champions]]''. The only team to win a World Series and not possess at least one Commissioner's Trophy are the [[Cleveland Guardians|Cleveland Guardians/Indians]], having last won the World Series in [[1948 World Series|1948]], 19 years before its introduction. 
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Team
! Trophies
! Seasons
|-
| [[New York Yankees]]
| 7
| 1977, 1978, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009
|-
| [[Boston Red Sox]]
| 4
| 2004, 2007, 2013, 2018
|-
| [[Los Angeles Dodgers]]
| 4
| 1981, 1988, 2020, 2024
|-
| [[Oakland Athletics]]
| 4
| 1972, 1973, 1974, 1989
|-
| [[St. Louis Cardinals]]
| 4
| 1967, 1982, 2006, 2011
|-
| [[Cincinnati Reds]]
| 3
| 1975, 1976, 1990
|-
| [[San Francisco Giants]]
| 3
| 2010, 2012, 2014
|-
| [[Atlanta Braves]]
| 2
| 1995, 2021
|-
| [[Baltimore Orioles]]
| 2
| 1970, 1983
|-
| [[Detroit Tigers]]
| 2
| 1968, 1984
|-
| [[Houston Astros]]
| 2
| 2017, 2022
|-
| [[Kansas City Royals]]
| 2
| 1985, 2015
|-
| [[Miami Marlins]]
| 2
| 1997, 2003
|-
| [[Minnesota Twins]]
| 2
| 1987, 1991
|-
| [[New York Mets]]
| 2
| 1969, 1986
|-
| [[Philadelphia Phillies]]
| 2
| 1980, 2008
|-
| [[Pittsburgh Pirates]]
| 2
| 1971, 1979
|-
| [[Toronto Blue Jays]]
| 2
| 1992, 1993
|-
| [[Arizona Diamondbacks]]
| 1
| 2001
|-
| [[Chicago White Sox]]
| 1
| 2005
|-
| [[Chicago Cubs]]
|1
| 2016
|-
| [[Los Angeles Angels]]
| 1
| 2002
|-
| [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]]
| 1
| 2023
|-
| [[Washington Nationals]]
| 1
| 2019
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Baseball}}
*[[World Baseball Classic Trophy]]
*[[Chronicle-Telegraph Cup|''Chronicle-Telegraph'' Cup]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commonscat|Commissioner's Trophy (Major League Baseball)}}

{{World Series}}
{{MLB awards}}
{{MLB}}

{{good article}}

[[Category:World Series trophies and awards]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball trophies and awards]]
[[Category:Awards established in 1967]]
[[Category:1967 establishments in the United States]]