With the arrival of my 2025 schedule in today’s post, I now have a “complete” set of World Series schedules from all nine Dodger championships, their shared title in 1890 despite.
I say “complete” in quotes because of something I learned in putting together this collection. For years, the Autumn Classic had two different programs. In some cases the differences were quite subtle, as was the case in 1955, when the program on the left was sold at Ebbets Field and the program on the right was sold at Yankee Stadium.
Other times the difference was greater, such as in 1959.
And in some cases, one show is quite ho hum, while the other is an absolute masterpiece of the genre.
In the case of the Dodgers, a “master set” would therefore require more than nine programs. However, 18 would not be needed. As far as I know, the switch to one Fall Classic program per year happened in 1974, at least as far as covers are concerned.
Of course, that same year, 1974, marked a Dodgers World Series loss, so you might be wondering if I collect those too. Although I have the 1974 and 1978 programs, the answer is no, and not just because I’m a sore loser. I just don’t have the budget for World Series programs from 1916 and 1920, let alone six more from the 1940s and 1950s.
What I might add is a great set I only discovered it today, although those of you who were actively collecting in 2004 may recognize it as one of many insert sets in packages that year. The 2004 Topps Fall Classic Covers set contains 99 cards, one for each World Series from 1903 to 2003. (Those so inclined may wonder why there are only 99 cards in this 101-year period.)
Here is the card for 1919, notable because Topps otherwise produced very little cardboard related to the Black Sox scandal.
The back of the card, as you would expect, provides a summary of the series. There is no mention of the gambling scandal, although the Series is described as controversial.
In addition to giving me the chance to admire a century’s worth of World Series covers, the set offers a very affordable option to the otherwise unaffordable programs previously mentioned. For the haters among us, here’s a quick slideshow of all the Dodgers World Series losses included in the set.
In a perfect world, this set would not only include both variants of every pre-1974 cover, but also go on forever. Better yet, a QR code on the back could lead to a site where you can read the entire program from cover to cover. Either way, the set offers fans* an attractive and highly affordable way to collect the history of their favorite team, for better or for worse.
*Astros, Expos, Mariners, Pilots, Nationals, Rangers, Rays and Rockies fans not included.
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