2002 World Series

The 2002 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball for the 2002 season. It was the 98th edition of the World Series. The series was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League champion Anaheim Angels and the National League champion San Francisco Giants. The Angels won the series, four games to three. This was their first and only World Series championship up to that point. It was also the first professional sports championship ever won by a team from Anaheim.

The games were played from October 19 to October 27, 2002. They took place at Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco and Edison International Field of Anaheim in Anaheim. This was the first World Series since 1995 to have two wild card teams. The Angels finished second in the AL West division. They defeated the New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins to reach the World Series. The Giants also finished second in the NL West division. They beat the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals to get to the World Series.

The 2002 World Series was the fourth to have two teams from California. There were many exciting moments, like comebacks and home runs. The Angels won Game seven to claim the title. Troy Glaus was named the World Series Most Valuable Player for his contributions during the series.

Background

See also: 2002 Major League Baseball postseason

This was the fourth World Series played between two teams from California. It was also the last World Series involving two teams from the same state until today. The managers of the two teams, Mike Scioscia of the Angels and Dusty Baker of the Giants, were teammates on the same team that won a World Series before.

San Francisco Giants

Main articles: 2002 San Francisco Giants season and Curse of Coogan's Bluff

The Giants had a long history of not winning since moving to San Francisco in 1958. They had been to the World Series twice but lost both times. In 2002, under manager Dusty Baker, the Giants finished the regular season with a record of 95–66 and won the National League wild card. They then went on to defeat the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals to reach the World Series for the 17th time.

Anaheim Angels

Main article: 2002 Anaheim Angels season

The Angels had never been to the World Series before 2002. They had come close several times but always fell short. In 2002, under manager Mike Scioscia, the Angels finished the regular season with a record of 99–63 and won the American League wild card. They then defeated the New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins to reach the World Series for the first time in franchise history.

Summary

The 2002 World Series was the big championship game for baseball that year. The Anaheim Angels played against the San Francisco Giants. The Angels won the series by winning four games out of seven. This was the first time a team from Anaheim had ever won a big championship in professional sports.

Matchups

The 2002 World Series was the final championship series of Major League Baseball's 2002 season. It was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League champion Anaheim Angels and the National League champion San Francisco Giants. The Angels won the series four games to three, earning their first and only World Series title. This win was the first professional sports championship for any team from Anaheim.

The series had many exciting games. In Game 1, the Giants led early, but the Angels came back. Game 2 was a high-scoring game with lots of runs. In Game 3, the Angels won at home, and Barry Bonds hit a home run in his first three World Series games. Game 4 was close, and the Giants tied the series. Game 5 was a big win for the Giants. In Game 6, the Angels made a big comeback. Finally, in Game 7, the Angels won with a strong performance from their pitchers.

Composite box

2002 World Series (4–3): Anaheim Angels (A.L.) over San Francisco Giants (N.L__)

The Anaheim Angels and the San Francisco Giants played in the 2002 World Series. The Angels won the series, winning four games while the Giants won three. This was the first time a team from Anaheim had ever won a big championship in professional sports.

Series overview and aftermath

The 2002 World Series was a big baseball game between two teams: the Anaheim Angels and the San Francisco Giants. The Angels won, marking their first championship and the first time a team from Anaheim had ever won a big sports title.

After this series, there were some rule changes. Because of an incident in one of the games, batboys and batgirls had to be at least 14 years old from then on. The Angels started a very successful time in their team history after this win. They made it to the playoffs many times in the next few years.

The Giants felt they had bad luck after losing this series. Their manager, Dusty Baker, left the team after the series to manage another team. Some players also left the Giants that year. The Giants would eventually win championships in later years, but not in 2002.

Radio and television

Fox’s broadcast of the 2002 World Series was the first time the event was shown in high-definition.

Jon Miller announced the World Series for ESPN Radio. He has been the main announcer for the San Francisco Giants since a certain season. KNBR, the Giants’ main radio station, was also an ESPN Radio station in San Francisco. This World Series was the only one announced by Rory Markas, the Angels’ main announcer.