History of World Series Game 7s: Numbers Favor the Home Team Slightly

CLEVELAND, OH — Game 7 is the defining moment of any season. It brings a tenseness to fans, plagues players with anxiety throughout the day and gives television executives reason to pop the cork on their iced champagne. Ratings for the decisive game of the World Series will likely be astronomical. Unfortunately for fans of the Cleveland Indians or Chicago Cubs, heart strain also promises to be abundant.

On Nov. 2, at 8:08 p.m., the Tribe and the Cubs will lock up for the 38th Game 7 in World Series history. The weather will be perfect for fall baseball, with temperatures hovering just below 70 degrees.

The last Game 7 in the World Series was played between the San Francisco Giants and the Kansas City Royals in 2014. It was one of the few times in recent history when the road team walked away with the championship, as Giants' pitcher Madison Bumgarner managed to shut down the Royals' bats one final time and San Francisco celebrated another title in the visitors locker room.

The Cubs will be hoping recent history is willing to repeat itself in Cleveland on Wednesday night when Corey Kluber takes on Kyle Hendricks.

"I think tomorrow we're going to come to the clubhouse with a lot of confidence and a lot of energy," Addison Russell, Cubs shortstop and hero of Game 6, told MLB.com. "Game 7, it's a kid's dream."

It's also a fan's dream. Just maybe not the home fan's preferred dream.

According to history, the home team has won 19 of a possible 37 World Series Game 7s. That means the away team has won 18 times. Looking at those numbers it's hard to suggest there's a definitive advantage for home teams. However, in the past 10 World Series Game 7s, the home team has won nine times. That said, the last away team to win was in 2014, not exactly the far-off past.

The rest of Game 7 history shakes out like this:

• 2011- St. Louis Cardinals defeat the Texas Rangers, capping off a miracle comeback at home
• 2002- Anaheim Angels defeat the San Francisco Giants, winning 4-1 at home
• 2001- Arizona Diamondbacks defeat the New York Yankees, D-Backs win at home 3-2
• 1997 - Florida Marlins defeat the Cleveland Indians, Marlins win 3-2 at home
• 1991 - Minnesota Twins defeat the Atlanta Braves, Twins win at home 1-0 in extra innings
• 1988 - Minnesota Twins defeat the St. Louis Cardinals, Minny wins 4-2 at home
• 1986 - New York Mets defeat the Boston Red Sox, Mets win 8-5 at home
• 1985 - Kansas City Royals defeat the St. Louis Cardinals, KC wins 11-0 at home
• 1982 - St. Louis Cardinals defeat the Milwaukee Brewers, STL wins 6-3 at home
• 1979 - Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the Baltimore Orioles, Pitt wins 4-1 on the road
• 1975 - Cincinnati Reds defeat the Boston Red Sox, Reds win 4-3 on the road
• 1973 - Oakland Athletics defeat the New York Mets, A's win 5-2 at home
• 1972 - Oakland Athletics defeat the Cincinnati Reds, A's win 3-2 on the road
• 1971 - Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the Baltimore Orioles, Pitt wins 2-1 on the road
• 1968 - Detroit Tigers defeat the St. Louis Cardinals, Tigers win 4-1 on the road
• 1967 - St. Louis Cardinals defeat the Boston Red Sox, STL wins 7-2 on the road
• 1965 - Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the Minnesota Twins, LA wins 2-0 on the road
• 1964 - St. Louis Cardinals defeat the New York Yankees, STL wins 7-5 at home
• 1962 - New York Yankess defeat the San Francisco Giants, NY wins 1-0 on the road
• 1960 - Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the New York Yankees, Pitt wins 10-9 at home
• 1958 - New York Yankees defeat the Milwaukee Braves, NY wins 6-2 on the road
• 1957 - Milwaukee Braves defeat the New York Yankees, Mil wins 5-0 on the road
• 1956 - New York Yankees defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers, NY wins 9-0 on the road
• 1955 - Brooklyn Dodgers defeat the New York Yankees, Brooklyn wins 2-0 on the road
• 1952 - New York Yankees defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers, NY wins 4-2 on the road
• 1947 - New York Yankees defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers, NY wins 5-2 at home
• 1946 - St. Louis Cardinals defeat the Boston Red Sox, STL wins 4-3 at home
• 1945 - Detroit Tigers defeat the Chicago Cubs, Det wins 9-3 on the road
• 1940 - Cincinnati Reds defeat the Detroit Tigers, Reds wins 2-1 at home
• 1934 - St. Louis Cardinals defeat the Detroit Tigers, STL wins 11-0 on the road
• 1931 - St. Louis Cardinals defeat the Philadelphia Athletics, STL wins 4-2 at home
• 1926 - St. Louis Cardinals defeat the New York Yankees, STL wins 3-2 on the road
• 1925 - Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the Washington Senators, Pitt wins 9-7 at home
• 1924 - Washington Senators defeat the New York Giants, Senators win 4-3 at home
• 1912 - Boston Red Sox defeat the New York Giants, Bos wins 3-2 at home
• 1909 - Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the Detroit Tigers, Pitt wins 8-0 on the road

Photo from Rick Uldricks, Patch