With the arrival of my 2025 program in today’s mail, I now have a “complete” set of World Series programs from all nine Dodger championships, their shared title in 1890 notwithstanding.
I say “complete” in quotes because of something I learned in building this collection. For many years, the Fall Classic had two different programs. In some cases, the differences were rather subtle, as was the case in 1955 where the program on the left was sold at Ebbets Field and the one on the right was sold at Yankee Stadium.
Other times, the difference was more pronounced such as in 1959.
And in some cases, one program is rather ho hum while the other is an absolute masterpiece of the genre.
In the case of the Dodgers then, a “master set” would require more than nine programs. However, it would not require 18. From what I can tell, the switchover to a single Fall Classic program per year happened in 1974, at least as far as covers are concerned.
That same year, 1974, of course marked a Dodgers World Series defeat, so you may wonder if I’m collecting those as well. While I do have the 1974 and 1978 programs, the answer is no, and not just because I’m a sore loser. I just don’t have a budget for World Series programs from 1916 and 1920, much less six more from the 1940s and 50s.
What I might add is a terrific set I just discovered today, though those of you actively collecting in 2004 may well recognize it as one of the many insert sets in packs that year. The 2004 Topps Fall Classic Covers set has 99 cards, one for each World Series from 1903 to 2003. (Those so inclined can quiz themselves on why there are only 99 cards in this 101-year span.)
Here is the card for 1919, notable in that Topps otherwise produced very little cardboard relating to the Black Sox scandal.
The card back, as you might expect, provides a summary of the Series. There is no mention of the betting scandal, though the Series is described as controversial.
Besides giving me a chance to admire a century’s worth of World Series covers, the set provides a very affordable option for the otherwise cost prohibitive programs mentioned earlier. For the haters out there, here is a quick slide show of every Dodgers World Series loss included in the set.
In a perfect world, this set would not only include both variations of each pre-1974 cover but also continue in perpetuity. Even better, a QR code on the back might lead to a site where one could read the entire program cover to cover. Either way, the set provides an attractive and very affordable way for fans* to collect the history of their favorite team, in good times and in bad.
* Astros, Expos, Mariners, Pilots, Nationals, Rangers, Rays, and Rockies fans not included.
