Tonight, the Royals and Giants take the field for game 7, the 37th time the Fall Classic has had a winner-take-all final game. Home teams are riding a 9 game winning streak in game 7 that goes back to 1982. But, before that, it was a very different trend with the visitors posting a 13-3 game 7 record from 1952 to 1979. Overall, it’s a narrow 19-17 edge for home team in game 7.

More on game 7 after the jump.

The first World Series in 1903 was a best of 9 affair, as were the 1919-21 series, none of which went to a maximum 9 games. Of the first sixteen 7-games series, from 1905 to 1923, only two went the maximum 7 games, with the visitors prevailing both times: in 1909 when the Pirates bested the Tigers; and in 1912 when the Red Sox edged the Giants. Since then, game 7’s have come with more regularity, including three in a row in 1924-26, 1945-47, 1971-73 and 1985-87, four in a row in 1955-58, and four times in five years in 1964-68.

More than one third of game 7’s have been decided by a single run, and 75% (27 of 36) have had a winning margin of 3 runs or less. When the margin is 4 runs or less, home teams have a 18-11 record, but at 5 runs or more the tables turn with the visitors winning 6 of 7 times.

What influence does the game 6 result have on game 7? Not much. Home teams winning game 6 have a 13-11 edge in the following game 7. When the visitors take game 6, they draw 6-6 in game 7.

Almost one quarter of game 7’s have resulted in a shutout, with the home team being blanked 7 times, but the visitors only twice. The biggest whitewashes were 11-0 thrashings: by the home Royals over the Cardinals in 1985; and the visiting Cardinals over the Tigers in 1934. Similarly, there have been only two 1-0 game 7’s: in 1962 when Bobby Richardson snared Willie McCovey‘s line drive to preserve the last Yankee WS championship of their 1940s to 1960s dynasty; and in 1991 when Dan Gladden scored the winning run in extra innings for a walk-off championship by the Twins.

In addition to the 1991 series, there have been five other game 7 walk-off wins.

1912 – After Fred Merkle‘s RBI single put the Giants ahead in the top of the 10th, Christy Mathewson couldn’t hold onto the lead as two walks, a dropped fly ball in centerfield, a run-scoring single and sacrifice fly all added up to a walk-off win for the Red Sox in their first season in their new digs at Fenway Park. The 31 year-old Mathewson pitched 3 games in the series, losing two and getting an 11-inning complete game tie in the second game called on account of darkness. He would have one more outstanding year, leading the Giants back to the series (but losing again) in 1913, then a 24-13 season in 1914 (but only an 88 ERA+) before 4500 innings in 15 years finally took their toll.

1924 – 36 year-old Walter Johnson went the final four innings on one day of rest as the Senators took their first world title, plating the winning unearned run in the 12th when catcher Muddy Ruel doubled and later scored, after having his AB extended when Giant catcher Hank Gowdy muffed a foul popup.

1960 – In likely the wackiest game 7 to end probably the wackiest World Series, Bill Mazeroski famously led off the home 9th with a homer down the left field line for an improbable 10-9 win, the most combined runs in any game 7. After taking an early 4-0 lead, the Pirates found themselves in arrears by 3 runs entering the home 8th when the craziness started. After a leadoff single by pinch-hitter Gino Cimoli, Bill Virdon hit into what seemed to be a certain double play, until the ball took a bizarre hop and struck Yankee shortstop Tony Kubek in the throat, forcing him from the game. Singles by Dick Groat and Roberto Clemente, and a home run by catcher Hal Smith (who had just entered the game after starter Smoky Burgess was removed for a pinch-runner) suddenly put the Bucs ahead by two heading to the final stanza. But the Yankees, whose three victories had all been blowouts with the preposterous combined score of 38-3, were not dead yet. Three singles plated a run and put runners at first and third with one out. Yogi Berra followed with a blistering shot on a hop down the first base line that Pirate first sacker Rocky Nelson did well to snare. Two options seemed open to Nelson – either go to second to start a 3-6-3 twin killing or go home to cut down Dale Long at the plate. Instead, incredibly instinctive baserunning by Mickey Mantle at first base allowed the tying run to cross. When Nelson fielded Berra’s hot shot, Mantle somehow instantly deduced that there was nothing to be gained in advancing towards second, so instead just held his ground ten feet or so off the first base bag. With his prey tantalizingly close, Nelson was enticed into stepping on first and then attempting a tag of Mantle (that would have beaten Long crossing the plate). No longer a youngster but still nimble, Mantle evaded Nelson’s swipe and then dove headfirst back to the bag to prevent the out and allow the tying run to score.

1997 – A blown save by closer Jose Mesa allowed the Marlins to tie in the 9th, and then win it in the 11th. Bobby Bonilla led off the final frame with a single but Gregg Zaun botched the sacrifice, popping up his bunt attempt. The Indians looked to have things well in hand when Craig Counsell grounded weakly to second but Tony Fernandez booted the ball, eventually allowing Bonilla to score the unearned walk-off run on Edgar Renteria‘s two-out single. The Marlins’ first WS title, in only their 5th season of operation, eclipsed the Mets’ 8th season standard of precocity for expansion teams.

2001 – Danny Bautista‘s 6th inning double plated Steve Finley to open the scoring for the D-Backs, but the Yankees battled back with singletons in the 7th and 8th, the latter chasing starter Curt Schilling, making his 3rd start of the series on short rest. After Miguel Batista got the second out of the 8th inning, Randy Johnson, pitching on no days rest, came on to retire the next four Bronxmen in order. That set up the home 9th with Mr. Automatic, Mariano Rivera, coming on to seal the deal for New York’s fourth consecutive world title. Except it didn’t turn out that way as, for once, Rivera’s cutter wasn’t cutting. Three hits, an error and an HBP pushed across a pair of tallies, as the D-Backs eclipsed the Marlins mark to take the title in only the fourth season of desert baseball. In what would eventually stretch to a record 24 World Series appearances, this would be Rivera’s only loss and only blown save.

Enjoy the game!