The 2008 World Series was the 104th World Series between the American and National Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies as champions of the National League and the Tampa Bay Rays, as American League champions, competed to win four games out of a possible seven.
The Series started on Wednesday, October 22, and, after weather delays had postponed the end of Game 5, concluded the following Wednesday, October 29. The American League’s 4–3 win in the 2008 All-Star Game gave the Rays home field advantage for the series, meaning that no more than three games of the possible seven would be played at the Phillies’ stadium, Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies won their second championship in their 126-year history, taking the series four games to one.
The Philadelphia Phillies advanced to the World Series after defeating the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League’s Divisional and Championship Series, respectively. The team won its position in the playoffs after its second consecutive National League East title. This was the Phillies’ first World Series appearance in fifteen years. The Tampa Bay Rays advanced to the World Series after defeating the Chicago White Sox and the Boston Red Sox in the American League’s Division and Championship Series, respectively. The team earned its first trip to the post-season in franchise history after winning the American League East title, one season after finishing in last place. Since each team had come first in its respective division in the regular season, this was the first Series since 2001 without a wild-card team.
*Picture and Information from Wikipedia.org.