One sentence about all 12 Dodgers vs. Yankees World Series matchups

No two major league teams have met in the postseason as often as the Dodgers and Yankees, who are about to play in their 12th World Series together, but their first since 1981.

Let’s delve into the long history of these two teams meeting in October, the bulk of which happened when both teams played in New York. We’ll limit each series description to one sentence, because a challenge can be fun.

1941 World Series

Yankees won series, 4-1

A third strike that would have ended Game 4 to tie the series was instead dropped by Brooklyn’s four-time All-Star catcher Mickey Owen for a passed ball, opening the door for a four-run Yankees rally, setting the stage for the series clincher the next day.

1947 World Series

Yankees won series, 4-3

Leading by a run and one out away from a 10-walk no-hitter, Yankees right-hander Bill Bevens allowed a two-run, walk-off double to Dodgers pinch-hitter Cookie Lavagetto, inspiring Red Barber’s classic call of, “Here comes the tying run, and here comes the winning run.”

1949 World Series

Yankees won series, 4-1

It was Yankees third baseman Bobby Brown’s prerogative to torment the Dodgers by hitting .500 (6-for-12) and driving in five runs over the final two games of the series to eliminate Brooklyn.

1952 World Series

Yankees won series, 4-3

Dodgers fans rallied around Gil Hodges rather than condemn him after an 0-for-21 series, but the most heartbreaking Fall Classic loss yet was the Dodgers taking a 3-2 series lead back home to Ebbets Field, only to lose the final two games in Brooklyn.

1953 World Series

Yankees won series, 4-2

Mickey Mantle drove in eight runs with 12 hits in 24 at-bats, including a grand slam in Game 5 in Brooklyn, the only road win during the series for either team.

1955 World Series

Dodgers won series, 4-3

“Wait ‘til next year” was no more, as 22-year-old Johnny Podres pitched a shutout to win Game 7 in Yankee Stadium, with Sandy Amorós helping the cause with his running stab down the left field line to start a double play, as Brooklyn won its championship.

1956 World Series

Yankees won series, 4-3

Home teams won every game until Game 7 in Brooklyn, when New York cruised 9-0 to hang a 21.21 ERA on Don Newcombe in his two starts in the series.

1963 World Series

Dodgers won series, 4-0

Sandy Koufax won two games and the Dodgers dominated in a sweep in the last time they clinched a championship at Dodger Stadium, including a record 15 strikeouts in Game 1 that prompted Mantle to say of the left-hander, “Everything I read about him was true, and everything they told us about him also was true. What a pitcher!”

1977 World Series

Yankees won series, 4-2

Losing the first two games of the middle three at Dodger Stadium sank the Dodgers’ chances, but no matter how you slice it, this World Series was what defined Reggie Jackson as Mr. October, including three consecutive first-pitch home runs off three different pitchers to win the Game 6 clincher at Yankee Stadium.

1978 World Series

Yankees won series, 4-2

The Dodgers won the first two games at home, but lost the next four in excruciating fashion, thanks to third baseman Graig Nettles vacuuming up everything hit in his vicinity, plus Jackson’s hip.

1981 World Series

Dodgers won series, 4-2

The 147-pitch complete game by rookie Fernando Valenzuela in Game 3 started the Dodgers comeback, but in a series that featured three players sharing MVP honors, the real highlight was Steve Howe recording the final 11 outs of Game 6, the only official save of three or more innings by a Dodger in the postseason.

2024 World Series

TBD

Shohei Ohtani said he signed with the Dodgers in large part because “winning, a lot” was important to him, and has a chance to go 1-for-1 in championships in his first year in Los Angeles.