The Craziest Teams in Baseball History and the Championship Droughts They Broke
We all know the plight of the Chicago Cubs. They haven’t won the World Series since 1908. That’s 103 years for those who are counting—and I bet fans on the North side of Chicago are counting every minute.
The Cubs and any other team whose long-suffering fans are craving that elusive World Series championship should take a page from the Book of Eccentrics: A story of the weirdest, most unconventional teams in baseball history, and how they brought home the title after years of futility.
Here are the craziest teams of all-time, and the championship droughts they broke.
4. 1972 Oakland A's: Drought: 42 Years
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Led by the curly mustaches and golden arms of Rollie Fingers and Jim “Catfish” Hunter and the powerful bat and colorful commentary of Reggie Jackson, the Oakland A’s won their first World Series title since 1930, when the franchise was in Philadelphia.
The 1972 championship was just the beginning. Oakland would repeat in 1973 and then three-peat in 1974, creating a dynasty in the American League during the early part of the decade.
3. 2005 Chicago White Sox: Drought: 88 Years
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This one goes to the manager. In just his second year as the skipper of the Chicago White Sox in 2005, Ozzie Guillen led the club to its first World Series title since 1917. In doing so, he became the most controversial manager in the game, a title that most baseball fans would give him still today.
Whether it's his animated arguments with umpires over a blown call or ruffling feathers with Major League Baseball executives, Guillen is always good for a crazy soundbite.
In 2005, his fiery leadership was the key ingredient to a championship for the White Sox.
2. 2010 San Francisco Giants: Drought: 56 Years
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They affectionately called themselves a “band of misfits” (not the last “band” on this list, mind you). They were a patchwork of veteran castoffs and kids barely old enough to drink. And they did what no San Francisco Giants team could accomplish before them: bring home the World Series trophy.
With nicknames like The Freak and Kung Fu Panda, alongside the red rally thong worn by first baseman Aubrey Huff and the "Fear the Beard" mantra of closer Brian Wilson, the 2010 Giants had great chemistry.
Players other teams gave up on, including Pat Burrell, who was released by the Tampa Bay Rays early in the 2010 season, and Cody Ross, a waiver-wire pickup by the Giants in August who eventually became the NLCS MVP, made this team destined for postseason glory.
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1. 2004 Boston Red Sox: Drought: 86 Years
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It is only fitting that the most eccentric team in baseball history broke what is perhaps the most famous championship drought in the history of any sport.
The Boston Red Sox had gone 86 years without a World Series title and it appeared to be turning into 87, as they trailed their hated rivals, the New York Yankees, three games to none in the 2004 ALCS. In the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 4, the Sox were down 4-3 with two outs.
Then began what is arguably the greatest comeback in sports history, as the Red Sox rallied to not only win Game 4, but also Games 5 through 7 to eliminate the Yankees and advance to the World Series.
The self-proclaimed "band of idiots," comprised of Manny Ramirez (perhaps the most eccentric player the game has ever seen), David Ortiz and Kevin Millar, then swept the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series to break the storied Curse of the Bambino, finally giving generations of Red Sox fans the prize they had waited so long for.
Who's Next?
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General managers of ball clubs that haven't tasted the sweetness of a world championship should consider just how important eccentricity is to a team's potential for success.
The 1972 A's, 2005 White Sox, 2010 Giants and 2004 Red Sox have shown that it takes more than a bunch of five-tool superstars to win it all; it takes clubhouse chemistry and a team identity.
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