WORLD SERIES

in baseball, a postseason play-off match between champions of the two major professional baseball leagues of the United States, the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The World Series began in 1903 after the cessation of hostilities between the National League and the newly formed American League. Boston (AL) defeated Pittsburgh (NL) 5 to 3 in a best-of-nine series. Attendance was just over 100,000, and the players' shares of receipts were slightly more than $1,000 each. In 1904 the New York Giants (NL) refused to play Boston, again the American League champion; but the series resumed in 1905 and continued annually until 1994, when a prolonged players' strike forced its cancellation that year. A seven-game format has been standard since 1922. Total attendance for the 1980 series was more than 360,000, with total receipts, including television and radio revenues, above $6,000,000, and winning players' shares of more than $31,000. The New York Yankees of the American League have won the most World Series championships. The World Series name has been applied to several baseball championships of lesser import, including the Junior World Series, played between champions of the International League and American Association (both American professional minor leagues), and the Little League World Series, an annual event for teams of boys and girls 9 to 18 years old with international representation.