The History of the Dodgers-Yankees World Series Rivalry...in Baseball Cards
With the recent victories of the Yankees over the Guardians and the Dodgers over the Mets, the stage is set for yet another Dodgers-Yankees World Series. If you’re keeping score at home, the 2024 Fall Classic will be the twelfth between these two clubs, by far the most in baseball history. While fans might freely debate the better team on paper coming into the 2024 showdown, we’ll stick to the “better team on cardboard” by showcasing a trading card for each of the 11 prior contests.
1981 World Series (Dodgers 4, Yankees 2)
From 1960-1981, Topps included World Series cards with most of its sets. For whatever reason, the practice gave way to a long hiatus beginning in 1982. (One possible reason is that competition from Fleer and Donruss prompted Topps to finalize its checklist before World Series results were known.) As such, the Dodgers “split season” victory over the Yankees failed to make it into the 1982 set.
Not to be shut out entirely, Topps did devote four stickers to the Fall Classic. However, our pick for the top 1981 World Series card of them all comes from the 1982 Los Angeles Police Department set.
As an added bonus, if you like cards with guys named Steve, here is my friend Chad at Dodger Cards with an astute observation.
The Dodgers won the World Series 41 years ago today. And with that victory came the card with four Steves: Steve Yeager, Steve Howe, Steve Garvey, and Steve Sax.
— Dodger Cards (@dodgers_cards) October 28, 2022
It begs the important question: Is this the card that features the most people on it with the same name? pic.twitter.com/17cllfx5r1
1978 World Series (Yankees 4, Dodgers 2)
Borrowing a line from Yogi Berra, the 1978 World Series was “deja vu all over again,” with the Yankees winning in six games for the second straight year. Even the playoffs were the "same old song and dance," with the Yankees beating the Royals and the Dodgers besting the Phils. The Bob Laughlin cartoon from the 1980 Fleer Stickers set captured this perfectly.
1977 World Series (Yankees 4, Dodgers 2)
Backing up a year, we go from broken record to records broken as Reggie Jackson had not only the greatest World Series ever but may have even had the greatest day of any human in the history of the planet. All three of his cards on the 1978 Topps checklist are solid gold, but we’ll go with his Record Breaker as the most tangible reminder of his home runs on three consecutive pitches in the Series’ deciding game.
1963 World Series (Dodgers 4, Yankees 0)
Of all the times the two teams faced each other, this was the only sweep. Topps issued five cards the following year, one for each game and another reflecting the overall result. Here we’ll go with the Game 1 card since it features the great Sandy Koufax who had one of the most dominant seasons in baseball history.
1956 World Series (Yankees 4, Dodgers 3)
Among the many storylines of the 1956 series, the biggest was Don Larsen’s perfect game in Game 6, still the only perfecto in postseason history. This feat has been memorialized on no shortage of trading cards, but the very best comes in the form of a “Baseball Thrills” card from the 1961 Topps set.
1955 World Series (Dodgers 4, Yankees 3)
It’s hard to believe that prior to 1955 the Dodgers were a perfect 0 for 7 in the Fall Classic. That five of those defeats had come at the hands of the Bombers made their 1955 title all the more sweet. Many of the cards honoring Brooklyn’s first and only championship center around the young pitcher Johnny Podres who blanked the Yanks in the Series’ final game, but we’ll instead focus on an iconic moment that took place in Game 1: Jackie Robinson’s steal of home.
The "Tales of the Game" insert from 2010 Topps is one of many readily available options at a friendly price point.
1953 World Series (Yankees 4, Dodgers 2)
Future Yankees manager Billy Martin may have been the star on the field in 1953, but it was the Yankees pilot at the time, Casey Stengel, who gets the cardboard nod thanks to his fifth World Championship in as many years. (Can you say dynasty?!) As in 1978, we’ll turn to Bob Laughlin but this time choose a card from his self-produced 1967 set.
1952 World Series (Yankees 4, Dodgers 3)
In 2002 Topps celebrated the 50th anniversary of this Fall Classic with a seven-card insert set. Any card from this set is a perfectly reasonable route for the budget collector to follow. However, did we mention that the 1952 World Series was when Hobby icon Mickey Mantle blasted the first of his record 18 World Series home runs? So yes, it’s time to go big or go home. Our card selection here is THE card: The Mick’s 1952 Topps card. (But we won't tell anyone if you opt for the reprint.)
1949 World Series (Yankees 4, Dodgers 1)
Much like the 1988 World Series that Dodger fans remember well, the defining moment of the 1949 Fall Classic was a Game 1 walk-off homer. In this case, the batter was Yankees first baseman Tommy Henrich, known as "Old Reliable," and his roundtripper in the bottom of the ninth broke a scoreless tie. An underrated card for collectors to consider is Henrich's 1949 Bowman card, though he also has cards that same year in the Leaf and MP & Company sets.
1947 World Series (Yankees, 4, Dodgers 3)
The 1947 World Series was one filled with highlights, including the postseason debut of one Jackie Robinson. However, two of the Series' most memorable moments came from unlikely sources on the losing squad. One example was Dodger pinch-hitter Cookie Lavagetto, who broke up a Game 4 no-hitter with two outs in the ninth. Another was Dodger reserve left fielder Al Gionfriddo saving Game 6 with what to that point was considered the greatest catch in World Series history. It's the latter of these two that we'll opt for, courtesy of the 1948 Swell "Sport Thrills" set.
1941 World Series (Yankees 4, Dodgers 1)
The same 1948 Swell set "celebrates" a defining moment of the 1941 World Series, the dropped third strike by Dodger catcher Mickey Owen. That's certainly a card some collectors will opt for. However, why choose a "goat" when you can choose a GOAT! With apologies to Ted Williams and his .406 average, the 1941 season will always be synonymous with Joe DiMaggio and his 56-game hitting streak. Though his World Series performance was not nearly so captivating, he was still the face of the franchise, much like Aaron Judge is today, and the player all Yankee fans looked to in the biggest moments.
Joe DiMaggio has literally thousands of cards, so collectors should have no trouble choosing one to fit their budget and taste, including several that offer a nod to the 1941 season. Still, a personal favorite is Joltin' Joe's signed Perez-Steele postcard, featuring the transcendent artwork of Dick Perez. Just beware of fakes. Joe himself was not a fan of signing this piece once he learned Perez charged the same for it as he did his postcards of "ordinary" Hall of Famers!
Next up in the oversized auto mail day is a Perez-Steele Joe DiMaggio auto! I absolutely love this art, unreal. I found myself getting real familiar with Joe’s autograph as I searched for the “right” one. pic.twitter.com/C70n1naH6t
— Rotoroasters (@rotoroasters) November 12, 2022
In summary, nearly every Dodgers-Yankees World Series so far has been a classic, and the 2024 edition looks to be no different. With luck we'll be rewarded with a heavyweight battle where superstars and role players alike "All Rise" to the occasion and give us an October, if not November, to remember!
Jason A. Schwartz is a collectibles expert whose work can be found regularly at SABR Baseball Cards, Hobby News Daily, and 1939Bruins.com. His collection of Hank Aaron baseball cards and memorabilia is currently on exhibit at the Atlanta History Center, and his collectibles-themed artwork is on display at the Honus Wagner Museum and PNC Park.