Now that the MLB American and National League playoffs are underway, I was curious to know which teams have won consecutive World Series.

They are:

New York Yankees (1998-2000)
Oakland Athletics (72-74)
New York Yankees (49-53)
New York Yankees (36-39)

Toronto Blue Jays (92-93)
New York Yankees (77-78)
Cincinnati Reds (75-76)
New York Yankees (61-62)
Philadelphia Athletics (29-30)
New York Yankees (27-28)
New York Giants (21-22)
Boston Red Sox (15-16)
Chicago Cubs (07-08)

It’s been 17 years since the last repeat in MLB. In the NBA? The Chicago Bulls (1991-1993). The NHL? The Detroit Red Wings (1i997-1998). In the NFL? The New England Patriots (2003-2004).

Born and raised in Chicago, I was thrilled to see the Cubbies win last year’s World Series (every team is entitled to a bad century) but I doubt they will repeat. In fact, the San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, Tampa Bay Rays, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, and Colorado Rockies haven’t won a single World Series. And the Washington Nationals (formerly the Montreal Expos) and Seattle Mariners have never even appeared in the Fall Classic.

As is also true about the NBA, NHL, and NFL, winning a championship is very difficult; repeating is rare.