Copyright Augusta Free Press
The starting and winning pitcher in the first World Series game in 1903 – Deacon Phillippe – was a native of Rural Retreat in Southwest Virginia. And one of the key players – Chris Taylor – for the most recent World Series champions in 2024 played high school ball in the Tidewater region at Frank W. Cox and for UVA. Through the years of the Fall Classic, there have been several connections to Virginia for those players, coaches and front office staff who won a World Series ring. Here is a look at just some of them: 2024: The Los Angeles Dodgers won the title over the New York Yankees as Taylor played in five games with just one at-bat. The versatile infielder/outfielder was let go in May by the Dodgers – he played in 80 postseason games with nine homers. 2023: Bruce Bochy, who spent part of his youth in Falls Church, was the winning manager as the Texas Rangers took care of the Arizona Diamondbacks. One of his coaches was Tony Beasley, who grew up in Bowling Green and played in college at Liberty. The last out of the series was nailed down by reliever Josh Sborz, who went to McLean High and UVA. The front office of Texas included Dayton Moore, who played at George Mason. 2022: The Houston Astros prevailed over the Philadelphia Phillies, thanks in part to right-handed pitcher Justin Verlander. From Goochland High and ODU, Verlander won 18 regular-season games that season and one in the World Series. 2021: Brian Snitker, who played for the Staunton Braves in the 1970s, was the manager that guided the Atlanta Braves to the title over the Houston Astros. 2020: The Dodgers, in the pandemic-shortened season, won the title for the first time since 1988. Taylor had a homer and drove in three in the series against the Tampa Bay Rays. 2019: Amazingly, three Virginia college products were a key part of the Washington Nationals title over Houston: Ryan Zimmerman and Sean Doolittle of UVA and Daniel Hudson of ODU. Zimmerman and Hudson also played high school ball in the 757. Hudson, who was born in Lynchburg, was on the mound when the Nats got the last out in Game 7 in Houston. 2018: Richmond native Jackie Bradley Jr., who grew up in Prince George, aided the Boston Red Sox ride to the title over the Dodgers. The outfielder had five hits in the series, including a homer. 2017: Verlander and the Astros captured the crown over the Dodgers. 2016: The Chicago Cubs finally won the World Series, downing Cleveland. The first baseman for the Cubbies was Anthony Rizzo, who played in the minors with Salem while in the Boston system. A pitcher for the Cubs that year was Justin Grimm, from Virginia High in Bristol. Virginia Beach native Neil Ramirez (Kempsville) also pitched for the Cubs that year, but not in the World Series. Valley League product Tommy La Stella was an infielder for the Cubs in 2016 but didn’t appear in the World Series. 2015: The Kansas City Royals front office was filled with those who attended high school or college in Virginia. That included former general manager Moore, a member of the Valley Baseball League Hall of Fame. The Royals beat the New York Mets and Daniel Murphy, who played for Luray in the Valley Baseball League. Lonnie Goldberg, who also played at George Mason, was with the front office that year as well for the Royals. 2014: Bochy was the manager of the San Francisco Giants, who prevailed over the Royals for the title. A key reliever was Javier Lopez, a former UVA star from Northern Virginia. The Giants also won in 2010 and 2012. 2007: Mike Lowell was the World Series MVP as the Red Sox swept the Colorado Rockies. Lowell played for the Waynesboro Generals in the Valley League in 1993 while in college at Florida International. 2006: Shortstop David Eckstein was the World Series MVP as the Louis Cardinals prevailed over the Detroit Tigers. He played for the Harrisonburg Turks of the Valley League while in college at Florida. 1990: The Cincinnati Reds swept the Oakland A’s to win the series. One of the wins went to pitcher Tom Browning, who played for New Market in the Valley League. Waynesboro High grad Reggie Harris pitched in 16 games, with one start, for Oakland in regular-season play, but did not appear in the postseason. 1988: The Dodgers roster that season included first baseman Franklin Stubbs, a star at Virginia Tech, and Tracy Woodson, who grew up in Richmond and was the head coach of the Spiders of Richmond through the 2023 season. Stubbs played in all five games of the series. 1983: Fredericksburg native Al Bumbry, who played baseball and basketball at Virginia State, was the starting center fielder as the Baltimore Orioles prevailed over the Philadelphia Phillies. One of the key relievers for the Phillies was Al Holland, a native of Roanoke. That is the last time the Orioles won the World Series. 1977-1978: Right-hander Ken Clay, who grew up in Lynchburg, was a reliever for the New York Yankees. He pitched in both World Series those years as the Yankees beat the Dodgers in back-to-back Fall Classics. A backup catcher for the Dodgers during that time was Johnny Oates, who grew up in Prince George and starred for Virginia Tech. He is also in the VBL Hall of Fame, as well as the Virginia Tech Hall of Fame. 1969: The Miracle Mets prevailed over the favorite Orioles in five games – and backup catcher J.C. Martin played a minor role. From Drewry Mason High in Ridgeway, Martin laid down a bunt in game 4 in the 10th innings while pinch-hitting for pitcher Tom Seaver. The throw by the Orioles’ pitcher hit Martin and the winning run scored for the Mets; Baltimore claimed Martin was running out of the baseline. “Nobody wants to bunt in the World Series,” Martin told reporters. But he did and it worked. The Mets won the NL East that year as the Cubs faded – an All-Star catcher that year for Chicago was Randy Hundley, a native of Martinsville – about 50 miles from where Martin grew up in Axton. 1946-1953: During that span pitcher Vic Raschi won 120 games for the Yankees – and claimed six World Series rings. He had a 2.24 ERA in 11 games with eight starts in Fall Classic outings, and the Yankees won all six World Series that he appeared in. Born in West Springfield, Mass., he starred at William & Mary. Gus Niarhos, who lived several years in Harrisonburg after his career, was backup catcher for the 1949 Yankees who won a World Series. He passed in Harrisonburg in 2004. 1903: Phillippe was involved in five decisions – still a record for a starting pitcher – but his Pittsburgh Pirates lost five games to three to Boston in the first Fall Classic. The right-hander won 189 regular season games – that is third among Virginia natives back of Hall of Famer Eppa Rixey and Verlander, who each have 266. Phillippe moved from Rural Retreat to the Dakota territories at a young age with his family, according to published reports. He beat Cy Young of Boston in the first World Series game. Tags David Driver David Driver David Driver is a native of Harrisonburg and grew up in nearby Dayton. He played baseball for one year at Eastern Mennonite University before graduating in 1985 with a degree in English and a minor in journalism. A former sports editor of papers in Virginia and Maryland, he is a member of the United States Basketball Writers Association. Of note, he covered the Washington Nationals during their 2019 World Series season. View all posts by David Driver
