View source for 1981 World Series

{{Short description|78th edition of Major League Baseball's championship series}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox World Series Expanded
| image = 1981 World Series logo.gif
| country = World
| year = 1981
| champion = [[1981 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Los Angeles Dodgers]] (4)
| champion_manager = [[Tommy Lasorda]]
| champion_games = 36–21, {{winpct|36|21}}, GA: {{frac|1|2}} (1st half)<br />27–26, {{winpct|27|26}}, GB: 6 (2nd half)
| runnerup = [[1981 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] (2)
| runnerup_manager = [[Bob Lemon]]
| runnerup_games = 34–22, {{winpct|34|22}}, GA: 2 (1st half)<br />25–26, {{winpct|25|26}}, GB: 5 (2nd half)
| date = October 20–28
| venue = [[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]] (New York)<br />[[Dodger Stadium]] (Los Angeles)
| MVP = [[Ron Cey]], [[Pedro Guerrero (baseball, born 1956)|Pedro Guerrero]], and [[Steve Yeager]] (Los Angeles)
| television = [[Major League Baseball on ABC|ABC]]<br>[[KTTV]] (LAD)<br>[[WPIX]] (NYY)
| announcers = '''ABC''': [[Keith Jackson]] (in New York)<br>[[Al Michaels]] (in Los Angeles)<br>[[Howard Cosell]] and [[Jim Palmer]]<br>'''KTTV''': [[Jerry Doggett]] and [[Ross Porter (sportscaster)|Ross Porter]]<br>'''WPIX''': [[Phil Rizzuto]], [[Frank Messer]] and [[Bill White (first baseman)|Bill White]]
| radio_network = [[Major League Baseball on CBS Radio|CBS]]<br>[[KABC (AM)|KABC]] (LAD)<br>[[WABC (AM)|WABC]] (NYY)
| radio_announcers = '''CBS''': [[Vin Scully]] and [[Sparky Anderson]]<br>'''KABC''': [[Jerry Doggett]] and [[Ross Porter (sportscaster)|Ross Porter]]<br>'''WABC''': [[Phil Rizzuto]], [[Frank Messer]], [[Bill White (first baseman)|Bill White]] and [[Fran Healy (baseball)|Fran Healy]]
| umpires = [[Larry Barnett]] (AL), [[Nick Colosi]] (NL), [[Terry Cooney]] (AL), [[Doug Harvey (umpire)|Doug Harvey]] (NL), [[Rich Garcia]] (AL), [[Dick Stello]] (NL)
| HOFers = '''Umpire:''' <br />[[Doug Harvey (umpire)|Doug Harvey]] <br /> '''Dodgers:''' <br />[[Tommy Lasorda]] (manager).<br />'''Yankees:''' <br />[[Goose Gossage]]<br />[[Reggie Jackson]]<br />[[Bob Lemon]] (manager)<br />[[Dave Winfield]]
| ALCS = [[1981 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] over [[1981 Oakland Athletics season|Oakland Athletics]] (3–0) 
| NLCS = [[1981 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Los Angeles Dodgers]] over [[1981 Montreal Expos season|Montreal Expos]] (3–2)
| image2 =
}}

The '''1981 World Series''' was the [[World Series|championship series]] of [[Major League Baseball]]'s (MLB) [[1981 Major League Baseball season|1981 season]]. The 78th edition of the World Series, it was a [[best-of-seven playoff]] played between the [[American League]] (AL) champion [[1981 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] and the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] (NL) champion [[1981 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Los Angeles Dodgers]]. It marked their third Series meeting in five years and was their 11th overall Series meeting. The Dodgers won the Series in six games, as the Yankees had done in the teams' prior two Series meetings, in {{wsy|1977}} and {{wsy|1978}}. This was the Dodgers' first title since {{wsy|1965}}, their first victory over the Yankees since {{wsy|1963}}, and third overall Series win over the Yankees.

This is the most recent World Series that a team won after losing the first two games on the road, the next previous instance being the Yankees' victory over the Dodgers in the [[1978 World Series|1978]] World Series. This was the last meeting between teams from [[Sports in New York City|New York City]] and [[Sports in Los Angeles|Los Angeles]] for a [[Major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada|major professional sports]] championship until the [[Los Angeles Kings]] and [[New York Rangers]] reached the [[NHL]]'s [[2014 Stanley Cup Finals]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Branch |first=John |date=June 5, 2014 |title=New York vs. Los Angeles: Rivalry Revived |page=B11 |work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Barnes |first=Mike |date=June 1, 2014 |title=Stanley Cup Final: Kings vs. Rangers in L.A.-New York Championship Duel |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/print/708558 |access-date=May 15, 2015}}</ref> as well as the last meeting between the Dodgers and the Yankees in the World Series until [[2024 World Series|2024]]. The [[Dodgers–Yankees rivalry|Dodgers-Yankees matchup]] has been the most frequent pairing in World Series history.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Corcoran |first=Cliff |date=June 18, 2013 |title=Fall Classics: The 11 World Series showdowns between the Yankees and Dodgers |work=si.com |publisher=Sports Illustrated |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/strike-zone/2013/06/18/fall-classics-the-11-world-series-showdowns-between-the-yankees-and-dodgers |access-date=February 11, 2018 |quote=The Yankees have traveled to Dodger Stadium twice for an interleague matchup, once in 2004 and once in 2010. Prior to that, they had only met in the World Series, where they have squared off a record 11 times (next on the list: Yankees-Giants, seven times, and Yankees-Cardinals, five) for a total of 66 games, including some of the most famous in baseball history.}}</ref>

==Background==
{{See also|1981 Major League Baseball postseason}}
Due to the [[1981 Major League Baseball strike|players' strike]], which ran from June 12 to August 8, the 1981 season was split into two halves, with the first-place teams from each half in each division (or a [[Major League Baseball wild card|wild card]] team if the same club won both halves, although this did not occur in any division) meeting in the best-of-five [[League Division Series]] (this division series was a one-off occasion; it was not until 1994 that the Division Series would be implemented on a permanent basis). The four survivors would then move on to the two best-of-five [[League Championship Series]]. The expanded playoffs led to Game 1 of the World Series being pushed back to October 20, the latest starting date for a Fall Classic up to that time.

In the National League, the Dodgers led the [[National League West]] prior to the strike.  The [[Houston Astros]], however, won the second-half division title.  The Dodgers then defeated the Astros, three games to two, in the [[1981 National League Division Series|National League Division Series]] before beating the [[1981 Montreal Expos season|Montreal Expos]], three games to two, in the [[1981 National League Championship Series|National League Championship Series]].

The Yankees, who led the [[American League East]] in the season's first half, took on the [[1981 Milwaukee Brewers season|Milwaukee Brewers]], winners of the second half division title, in the [[1981 American League Division Series|American League Division Series]].  New York was victorious three games to two, then went on to sweep the [[1981 Oakland Athletics season|Oakland Athletics]] in the [[1981 American League Championship Series|American League Championship Series]].

The split-season decision was not a popular one, both among teams and their fans.  The arrangement resulted in teams with the best overall record in either their division or league that year being left out of the postseason, in particular the [[1981 Cincinnati Reds season|Cincinnati Reds]], who had the best overall record in the majors, and the [[1981 St. Louis Cardinals season|St. Louis Cardinals]], who finished with the best overall record in the NL East. Though the teams with the best record in the American League East and West did win their divisions, the Yankees finished 3rd overall in the AL East while the [[1981 Kansas City Royals season|Kansas City Royals]] finished 4th overall with a losing 50–53 record.

===Los Angeles Dodgers===
The Dodgers got to the Series with help from Mexican-born rookie phenom [[Fernando Valenzuela]], who won his first eight games including five by shutout.  Valenzuela would pitch eight shutouts in all and win both the National League's [[Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of the Year]] and [[Cy Young Award|Cy Young]] awards. Joining Valenzuela in the rotation were veterans [[Burt Hooton]] (11–6, 2.28) and [[Jerry Reuss]] (10–4, 2.30). The core of the position players remained intact with perennial all-star [[Steve Garvey]] at first, [[Davey Lopes]] at second, [[Bill Russell (shortstop)|Bill Russell]] at shortstop, and team leader in home runs with 13, [[Ron Cey]] at third. Budding star, [[Pedro Guerrero (baseball, born 1956)|Pedro Guerrero]], would move to the outfield becoming a regular starter for the first time in his career, in place of the aging and often injured [[Reggie Smith]].

Manager [[Tommy Lasorda]] was looking for his first World Series win in his fifth full season with the Dodgers after losing to the Yankees in {{wsy|1977}} and 1978.

===New York Yankees===
The Yankees, managed by [[Bob Lemon]] (in his second stint, having replaced [[Gene Michael]]), had a losing second-half (25–26) but won the first-half (34–22) to qualify for the playoffs.  Ace starter [[Ron Guidry]] won 11 games against while rookie [[Dave Righetti]] emerged as an important starter, winning eight games with a 2.05 [[earned run average|ERA]]. Righetti would win the American League's Rookie of the Year award. Reliever [[Goose Gossage]] recorded 20 saves with an 0.77 [[earned run average|ERA]], striking out 48 in 47 innings.

[[Dave Winfield]] was signed as a [[free agent]] in the off-season, joined another all-star, [[Reggie Jackson]], in the outfield. Winfield led the Yankees with 25 [[Double (baseball)|doubles]] and 68 [[runs batted in|RBIs]]. Winfield's huge contract (US$21 million over 10 years), was added to an already strong lineup.

==Summary==
{{MLB Playoff Summary
| summary = NL [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] (4) vs. AL [[New York Yankees]] (2)
| winner =
| score =
| score1 = Los Angeles Dodgers – 3, '''New York Yankees''' – 5
| date1 = October 20
| loc1 = [[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]]
| time1 = 2:32
| att1 = 56,470
| ref1 = <ref name="Game1">{{Cite web |title=1981 World Series Game 1 – Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Yankees |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1981/B10200NYA1981.htm |access-date=September 13, 2009 |publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
| score2 = Los Angeles Dodgers – 0, '''New York Yankees''' – 3
| date2 = October 21
| loc2 = Yankee Stadium
| time2 = 2:29
| att2 = 56,505
| ref2 = <ref name="Game2">{{Cite web |title=1981 World Series Game 2 – Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Yankees |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1981/B10210NYA1981.htm |access-date=September 13, 2009 |publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
| score3 = New York Yankees – 4, '''Los Angeles Dodgers''' – 5
| date3 = October 23
| loc3 = [[Dodger Stadium]]
| time3 = 3:04
| att3 = 56,236
| ref3 = <ref name="Game3">{{Cite web |title=1981 World Series Game 3 – New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Dodgers |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1981/B10230LAN1981.htm |access-date=September 13, 2009 |publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
| score4 = New York Yankees – 7, '''Los Angeles Dodgers''' – 8
| date4 = October 24
| loc4 = Dodger Stadium
| time4 = 3:32
| att4 = 56,242
| ref4 = <ref name="Game4">{{Cite web |title=1981 World Series Game 4 – New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Dodgers |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1981/B10240LAN1981.htm |access-date=September 13, 2009 |publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
| score5 = New York Yankees – 1, '''Los Angeles Dodgers''' – 2
| date5 = October 25
| loc5 = Dodger Stadium
| time5 = 2:19
| att5 = 56,115
| ref5 = <ref name="Game5">{{Cite web |title=1981 World Series Game 5 – New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Dodgers |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1981/B10250LAN1981.htm |access-date=September 13, 2009 |publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
| score6 = '''Los Angeles Dodgers''' – 9, New York Yankees – 2
| date6 = October 28<small>†</small>
| loc6 = Yankee Stadium
| time6 = 3:09
| att6 = 56,513
| ref6 = <ref name="Game6">{{Cite web |title=1981 World Series Game 6 – Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Yankees |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1981/B10280NYA1981.htm |access-date=September 13, 2009 |publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
}}
<small>†</small>: postponed from October 27 due to rain

==Matchups==

===Game 1===
{{Linescore|
|Date=October 20, 1981
|Time=8:30{{nbsp}}pm ([[Eastern Time Zone|ET]])
|Location=[[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]] in [[The Bronx|Bronx]], [[New York (state)|New York]]
|Road=Los Angeles|RoadAbr=LAD
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=1|R6=0|R7=0|R8=2|R9=0|RR=3|RH=5|RE=0
|Home='''New York'''|HomeAbr=NYY
|H1=3|H2=0|H3=1|H4=1|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=X|HR=5|HH=6|HE=0
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Ron Guidry]] (1–0)|LP=[[Jerry Reuss]] (0–1)|SV=[[Goose Gossage]] (1)
|RoadHR=[[Steve Yeager]] (1)|HomeHR=[[Bob Watson]] (1)
||Other={{convert|55|F|C}}, clear}}

The Series commenced on October 20, making it the latest start of the Series, breaking the previous record by three days (1910 World Series, October 17). [[Bob Watson]] smashed a three-run homer off [[Jerry Reuss]] in the first to get the Yankees started.  [[Lou Piniella]] chased Reuss with an RBI single in the third, and Dodger reliever [[Bobby Castillo]] walked four batters in the fourth (the last being a walk to [[Dave Winfield]] that forced home a run) to give New York a 5–0 lead.  [[Ron Guidry]] held the Dodgers to four hits and a run (on a [[Steve Yeager]] homer) through seven innings.  [[Ron Davis (pitcher)|Ron Davis]] gave up two in the eighth by walking [[Derrel Thomas]] and [[Davey Lopes]] to lead off. After the walks, Davis was relieved by closer [[Goose Gossage]] who gave up a pinch-hit RBI single to [[Jay Johnstone]] and a sacrifice fly by [[Dusty Baker]] to score Thomas and Lopes, but Gossage closed out the win in the ninth. Yankee third baseman [[Graig Nettles]] suffered a hairline fracture of his left thumb when he made a diving stop. The injury caused him to miss Games 3, 4, and 5, but he played in Games 2 and 6.

===Game 2===
{{Linescore|
|Date=October 21, 1981
|Time=8:20{{nbsp}}pm (ET)
|Location=Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York
|Road=Los Angeles|RoadAbr=LAD
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=0|RH=4|RE=2
|Home='''New York'''|HomeAbr=NYY
|H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=1|H6=0|H7=0|H8=2|H9=X|HR=3|HH=6|HE=1
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Tommy John]] (1–0)|LP=[[Burt Hooton]] (0–1)|SV=[[Goose Gossage]] (2)
|RoadHR=|HomeHR=
||Other={{convert|58|F|C}}, clear}}

Former teammates [[Burt Hooton]] and [[Tommy John]] were locked in a scoreless duel until the fifth, when [[Larry Milbourne]] doubled in [[Willie Randolph]] for the only run John would really need.  The Yankees pushed across two more in the eighth off [[Steve Howe (baseball)|Steve Howe]] on a RBI single by [[Bob Watson]] and a sacrifice fly by Randolph.  John pitched seven shutout innings, and [[Goose Gossage]] closed for his second save in two games. Shortly after this game concluded, a small fire broke out in the interview room of Yankee Stadium (that began in a storage locker area of the room); the blaze was contained an hour later, with no injuries occurring; damage to the room was light.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/10/22/A-fire-in-a-basement-interview-room-of-Yankee/5258372571200/ |title=A fire in a basement interview room of Yankee... |date=October 22, 1981 |website=upi.com |publisher=UPI |access-date=April 14, 2023}}</ref>

===Game 3===
{{Linescore|
|Date=October 23, 1981
|Time=5:30{{nbsp}}pm ([[Pacific Time Zone|PT]])
|Location=[[Dodger Stadium]] in [[Los Angeles]], [[California]]
|Road=New York|RoadAbr=NYY
|R1=0|R2=2|R3=2|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=4|RH=9|RE=0
|Home='''Los Angeles'''|HomeAbr=LAD
|H1=3|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=2|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=X|HR=5|HH=11|HE=1
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Fernando Valenzuela]] (1–0)|LP=[[George Frazier (pitcher)|George Frazier]] (0–1)|SV=
|RoadHR=[[Bob Watson]] (2), [[Rick Cerone]] (1)|HomeHR=[[Ron Cey]] (1)
||Other={{convert|61|F|C}}, Mostly cloudy}}

Prior to this game, Yankee manager [[Bob Lemon]] sat [[Reggie Jackson]].  Jackson injured himself running the bases in Game 2 of the ALCS and missed the first two games of the World Series, but was medically cleared to play Game 3.  Jackson was not even allowed to pinch-hit. Lemon said he was resting Jackson as a precaution and because the Dodgers were starting a left hand pitcher.{{citation needed|date=March 2013}} However, speculation was that Yankees' owner [[George Steinbrenner]] felt the Yankees would win the next two games of the series easily without Jackson, so he ordered Lemon to keep him out of this game. After the series was over, Steinbrenner would let Jackson walk as a [[free agent]] since his initial five-year contract was up and Steinbrenner had signed [[Dave Winfield]] as essentially Jackson's replacement.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://yanksgoyard.com/2015/01/22/turn-back-clock-january-22nd-1982-reggie-jackson-leaves-town/ | title=Turn Back the Clock: January 22nd, 1982-Reggie Jackson Leaves Town | date=January 22, 2015 }}</ref>

The starters of game 3 were AL Rookie of the Year [[Dave Righetti]] for the Yankees and NL Rookie of the Year (and Cy Young Award winner) [[Fernando Valenzuela]]. Valenzuela lasted the entire game despite allowing nine hits, four runs, walking seven, and constantly pitching out of trouble.  He walked two Yankee batters in the first, but pitched out of it. Righetti allowed a leadoff double to [[Davey Lopes]] and a single to Bill Russell.  [[Ron Cey]] then hit a three-run homer off Righetti. Righetti would only last two innings before being relieved.

The Yankees cut it to 3–2 in the second on a [[Bob Watson]] homer and a [[Larry Milbourne]] RBI single.  Valenzuela stranded two runners in this inning.  [[Rick Cerone]] gave the Yanks a 4–3 lead in the third with a two-run homer, but the Yankees left two on once again.  Watson led off the fifth with a double, but no one scored as Valenzuela pitched out of it again.  In both the third and fifth innings, the Dodgers were helped by the Yankees' being unable to use a [[designated hitter]] (since it was used in last season's Series).  In both innings, Valenzuela issued two-out [[Base on balls#Intentional base on balls|intentional walks]] to number 8 hitter [[Larry Milbourne]] in order to pitch to [[Dave Righetti]] and [[George Frazier (pitcher)|George Frazier]].  Valenzuela struck out the pitchers both times.

The Dodgers gave Valenzuela the lead back in the bottom of the fifth off Frazier when [[Pedro Guerrero (baseball, born 1956)|Pedro Guerrero]] doubled in [[Steve Garvey]] to tie it, and Cey scored on a double play grounder by [[Mike Scioscia]].  With a lead and the [[Dodger Stadium]] crowd behind him, Valenzuela appeared to finally settle down. After pinch hitting, Valenzuela's regular catcher [[Mike Scioscia]] took over behind the plate. This seemed to have a calming effect on the rookie, as Scioscia knew Spanish and was better able to talk with Valenzuela than [[Steve Yeager]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=1981 World Series Game 3 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1124928/index.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140608021127/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1124928/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 8, 2014}}</ref>

The Yankees mounted their final threat in the eighth when [[Aurelio Rodríguez]] and Milbourne led off with back-to-back singles.  Pinch-hitter [[Bobby Murcer]] attempted a [[sacrifice bunt]], but popped it foul.  Cey dove and caught it, then doubled Milbourne off first.

Valenzuela, despite giving up 9 hits (including 2 homers), walking 7, and throwing 149 pitches in facing 40 batters, went the distance to give the Dodgers their first win of the series.

===Game 4===
{{Linescore|
|Date=October 24, 1981
|Time=1:25{{nbsp}}pm (PT)
|Location=Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California
|Road=New York|RoadAbr=NYY
|R1=2|R2=1|R3=1|R4=0|R5=0|R6=2|R7=0|R8=1|R9=0|RR=7|RH=13|RE=1
|Home='''Los Angeles'''|HomeAbr=LAD
|H1=0|H2=0|H3=2|H4=0|H5=1|H6=3|H7=2|H8=0|H9=X|HR=8|HH=14|HE=2
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Steve Howe (baseball)|Steve Howe]] (1–0)|LP=[[George Frazier (pitcher)|George Frazier]] (0–2)|SV=
|RoadHR=[[Willie Randolph]] (1), [[Reggie Jackson]] (1)|HomeHR=[[Jay Johnstone]] (1)
||Other={{convert|66|F|C}}, partly cloudy}}

After being held out of game 3, [[Reggie Jackson]] was back in the starting lineup for this game. The Yankees batters had early success against Dodgers pitcher [[Bob Welch (baseball)|Bob Welch]], who faced four batters without recording an out before being relieved by [[Dave Goltz]].  [[Willie Randolph]] led the game off with a triple and scored on a [[Larry Milbourne]] double.  [[Dave Winfield]] walked and Jackson singled before Goltz gave up a sacrifice fly to [[Bob Watson]].  Randolph smashed a two-out solo home run in the second and [[Rick Cerone]] batted in a run with a single in the third for a 4–0 Yankee lead.

Yankee starter [[Rick Reuschel]] then had problems of his own.  He allowed an RBI single to [[Davey Lopes]] and an RBI groundout to [[Ron Cey]] in the third before leaving in favor of [[Rudy May]].  May gave up a double to [[Steve Garvey]] and an RBI single to Cey in the fifth, but the Yankees countered with two in the sixth on RBI singles by [[Oscar Gamble]] and Watson off [[Tom Niedenfuer]].  Watson's hit was a sinking liner that [[Dusty Baker]] attempted to catch, but it was ruled a trap.

With a 6–3 lead, the Yankees turned the pitching over to their relief combination of [[Ron Davis (pitcher)|Ron Davis]] and [[Goose Gossage]]. Davis had troubles in the sixth.  He issued a one-out walk to [[Mike Scioscia]] and gave up a pinch-hit homer to [[Jay Johnstone]] to make the score 6–5.  Then, Lopes lifted a fly ball to right that Jackson lost in the sun and dropped for an error.  Lopes reached second and stole third with no throw by catcher Cerone three pitches later.  Davis then gave up a game-tying single to [[Bill Russell (shortstop)|Bill Russell]].

In the seventh, [[Dusty Baker]] led off with an infield hit off [[George Frazier (pitcher)|George Frazier]] and went to third on a [[Rick Monday]] liner that got past center fielder [[Bobby Brown (outfielder)|Bobby Brown]] when he tried to make a shoestring catch.  Monday reached second on the double. [[Pedro Guerrero (baseball, born 1956)|Pedro Guerrero]] was then walked intentionally.  Yankee manager [[Bob Lemon]] then brought  starting pitcher [[Tommy John]] out of the bullpen instead of Gossage. [[Steve Yeager]], hitting for Scioscia, promptly gave the Dodgers the lead when he drove home Baker with a sacrifice fly and moved Monday to third. Lopes followed with an infield single that drove Monday home for an 8–6 lead. John managed to strand Guerrero in scoring position to end the seventh and pitched the last two innings, but closer Gossage never got in the game.

Jackson brought the Yankees closer with a home run in the eighth off lefty [[Steve Howe (baseball)|Steve Howe]], capping a 3-for-3 day. The home run was Jackson's 10th and final in World Series play, tying [[Lou Gehrig]]. But Howe was able to close out the win, despite Willie Randolph pinning Dodger centerfielder Derrell Thomas against the centerfield wall with a deep fly ball.  The series was now tied 2–2.

According to Johnstone's book ''Temporary Insanity'' (1985), Steinbrenner confronted Davis in the Yankees' locker room after the game and demanded to know, "Why did you throw Johnstone a fastball?"

===Game 5===
{{Linescore|
|Date=October 25, 1981
|Time=1:45{{nbsp}}pm (PT)
|Location=Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California
|Road=New York|RoadAbr=NYY
|R1=0|R2=1|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=1|RH=5|RE=0
|Home='''Los Angeles'''|HomeAbr=LAD
|H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=2|H8=0|H9=X|HR=2|HH=4|HE=3
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Jerry Reuss]] (1–1)|LP=[[Ron Guidry]] (1–1)|SV=
|RoadHR=|HomeHR=[[Pedro Guerrero (baseball, born 1956)|Pedro Guerrero]] (1), [[Steve Yeager]] (2)
||Other={{convert|68|F|C}}, sunny}}

Needing a win to stop the Dodgers' momentum in this series, the Yankees trotted out their ace, [[Ron Guidry]].  Guidry was sharp through six innings, holding the Dodgers to two singles.  [[Reggie Jackson]], continuing his torrid hitting, helped provide Guidry a lead by doubling to left in the second off [[Jerry Reuss]], moving to third on a [[Davey Lopes]] error, and scoring on a [[Lou Piniella]] infield single.

The game then took a turn in the seventh inning. After fanning [[Dusty Baker]], Guidry surrendered back-to-back solo home runs to [[Pedro Guerrero (baseball, born 1956)|Pedro Guerrero]] and [[Steve Yeager]]. After he had struck out, Baker suggested to Yeager and Guerrero that they move up in the batter's box to take away Guidry's late breaking slider.  Both home runs were hit on sliders almost to the same place in left-center.  Meanwhile, Reuss was as effective as Guidry, holding the Yanks to five hits and the lone run and going the distance.

A tense moment occurred in the eighth when [[Goose Gossage]] beaned [[Ron Cey]].  Cey had to be helped off the field with a concussion, but was cleared to play Game 6 after it was delayed one day by rain.

===Game 6===
{{Linescore|
|Date=October 28, 1981
|Time=8:20{{nbsp}}pm (ET)
|Location=Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York
|Road='''Los Angeles'''|RoadAbr=LAD
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=1|R5=3|R6=4|R7=0|R8=1|R9=0|RR=9|RH=13|RE=1
|Home=New York|HomeAbr=NYY
|H1=0|H2=0|H3=1|H4=0|H5=0|H6=1|H7=0|H8=0|H9=0|HR=2|HH=7|HE=2
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Burt Hooton]] (1–1)|LP=[[George Frazier (pitcher)|George Frazier]] (0–3)|SV=[[Steve Howe (baseball)|Steve Howe]] (1)
|RoadHR=[[Pedro Guerrero (baseball, born 1956)|Pedro Guerrero]] (2)|HomeHR=[[Willie Randolph]] (2)
||Other={{convert|53|F|C}}, partly cloudy}}

This was the latest-ending World Series by calendar date up to that time (surpassing the [[1911 World Series]], which ended on October 26). Originally scheduled for Tuesday, October 27, Game 6 was postponed a day by rain. This allowed Bob Lemon to start [[Tommy John]] opposite Dodger starter [[Burt Hooton]], and also allowed [[Ron Cey]] to be in the Dodger lineup.  [[Willie Randolph]] provided John an early lead with a solo homer in the third.  The Dodgers tied it in the fourth on an RBI single by Game 5 hero [[Steve Yeager]].

In the bottom of the fourth, Yankee manager [[Bob Lemon]] made a controversial decision. [[Graig Nettles]] led off the inning with a double.  After Hooton retired the next two batters, he intentionally walked [[Larry Milbourne]] to face John (there was no [[designated hitter]] in this series). Lemon pinch-hit for his starting pitcher in the fourth inning of a 1–1 game. Pinch-hitter [[Bobby Murcer]] flied out to end the inning. In his 1991 autobiography ''T.J.: My 26 Years in Baseball'', John revealed that before the game, Lemon and team owner [[George Steinbrenner]] settled on the following strategy: get the lead early and then protect it with the bullpen (despite the bullpen's collapses earlier in the series).  As [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] cameras showed during the broadcast, John paced the Yankee dugout in disbelief after being pulled.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/XOFzA3M1w0A Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20201102050514/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOFzA3M1w0A Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Cite web |title=The Fourth Inning Hook (BaseballHistoryShorts.com) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOFzA3M1w0A |website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In the fifth, [[George Frazier (pitcher)|George Frazier]], who relieved John, gave up an RBI single to [[Ron Cey]] and a two-run triple to [[Pedro Guerrero (baseball, born 1956)|Pedro Guerrero]]. Frazier would take the loss and become the first pitcher to lose three games in a best-of-seven World Series and second pitcher to lose three times in any World Series (the first being [[Lefty Williams]], a member of the [[Chicago White Sox]] in the best-of-nine [[1919 World Series]]).

New York's bullpen further collapsed in the sixth.  [[Ron Davis (pitcher)|Ron Davis]] issued one-out walks to pitcher Hooton and [[Davey Lopes]].  [[Bill Russell (shortstop)|Bill Russell]] singled to short left field, and Hooton unexpectedly rounded third and headed home. [[Dave Winfield]] stumbled on the wet grass, fell forward, and uncorked an errant throw. Hooton scored standing, after which Lemon pulled Davis in favor of [[Rick Reuschel]].  On Reuschel's second pitch, Lopes and Russell pulled a [[double steal]].  Reuschel  walked [[Steve Garvey]] intentionally and gave up an RBI force-out to pinch-hitter [[Derrel Thomas]].  After [[Dusty Baker]] reached on an error by Nettles, loading the bases again, Guerrero singled in two more runs. The Yankees would score in the bottom of the sixth on a pinch-hit RBI single by [[Lou Piniella]]. Guerrero would cap a five-RBI night, and the Dodgers' World Series win, by blasting a solo home run in the eighth off Yankee reliever [[Rudy May]].
[[Burt Hooton]] would pitch {{frac|5|1|3}} innings and get the win. [[Steve Howe (baseball)|Steve Howe]] replaced him and earned the save.

Winfield's throw typified his struggles in this, his first World Series.  At the plate, he went 1-for-22 with one RBI. After the series, Steinbrenner issued a public apology to the City of New York for his team's performance, while at the same time assuring the fans that plans to put the team together for 1982 would begin immediately.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 29, 1981 |title=Steinbrenner Makes an Apology to the Fans for How Yankees Played |page=G1 |work=Los Angeles Times |agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Gross |first=Jane |date=October 29, 1981 |title=Steinbrenner Issues an Apology to Fans |page=B13 |work=New York Times}}</ref> The Yankee owner was criticized by players and press alike for doing so, as many people felt losing a World Series was not something for which a team needed to apologize.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Anderson |first=Dave |author-link=Dave Anderson (sportswriter) |date=October 26, 2003 |title=Yanks Are Now 0-4 on the Brink at the Stadium |page=8.4 |work=New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/26/sports/sports-of-the-times-yanks-are-now-0-4-on-the-brink-at-the-stadium.html?pagewanted=1&pagewanted=print |access-date=May 21, 2010 <!--DASHBot-->}}</ref>

For the first time, there were [[World Series Most Valuable Player Award|co-MVPs]] in a World Series:  Cey (.350 avg., 7-for-20, HR, 6 RBIs), Yeager (.286 avg., 4-for-14, 2 HR's), and Guerrero (.333 avg, 7-for-21, 2 HR's, 7 RBIs) shared the award.

==Composite box==
1981 World Series '''(4–2): [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] (N.L.)''' over [[New York Yankees]] (A.L.)
{{Linescore
|Road='''[[Los Angeles Dodgers]]'''
|R1=3|R2=0|R3=2|R4=1|R5=7|R6=7|R7=4|R8=3|R9=0|RR=27|RH=51|RE=9
|Home='''[[New York Yankees]]'''
|H1=5|H2=4|H3=5|H4=1|H5=1|H6=3|H7=0|H8=3|H9=0|HR=22|HH=46|HE=4
|TotalAttendance=338,081 |AveAttendance=56,347
|WinPlayerShare=$38,119 |LosePlayerShare=$28,845<ref name="wsshares">{{Cite web |title=World Series Gate Receipts and Player Shares |url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/wsshares.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090502011628/http://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/wsshares.shtml |archive-date=May 2, 2009 |access-date=June 14, 2009 |publisher=Baseball Almanac}}</ref>
}}

==Series batting stats==

===Los Angeles Dodgers===
                                           SERIES STATS                   |      REGULAR SEASON       
  Player              G  AB  R  H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO  BA    OBP   SLG  SB |  AB  H  HR  BA     OPS  SB
 +-------------------+-+---+--+--+--+--+--+---+--+--+-----+-----+-----+---+----+---+--+-----+-----+---+
  Dusty Baker         6  24  3  4  0  0  0   1  1  6  .167  .192  .167  0 | 400 128  9  .320  .808  10
  Bobby Castillo      1   0  0  0  0  0  0   0  0  0                    0 |   9   4  0  .444 1.111   0
  Ron Cey             6  20  3  7  0  0  1   6  3  3  .350  .458  .500  0 | 312  90 13  .288  .846   0
 *Terry Forster       2   0  0  0  0  0  0   0  0  0                    0 |   2   0  0  .000  .000   0
  Steve Garvey        6  24  3 10  1  0  0   0  2  5  .417  .462  .458  0 | 431 122 10  .283  .732   3
  Dave Goltz          2   0  0  0  0  0  0   0  0  0                    0 |  17   1  0  .059  .217   0
  Pedro Guerrero      6  21  2  7  1  1  2   7  2  6  .333  .417  .762  0 | 347 104 12  .300  .829   5
  Burt Hooton         2   4  1  0  0  0  0   0  1  3  .000  .200  .000  0 |  42   8  0  .190  .523   0
 *Steve Howe          3   2  0  0  0  0  0   0  0  2  .000  .000  .000  0 |   1   0  0  .000  .500   0
 *Jay Johnstone       3   3  1  2  0  0  1   3  0  0  .667  .667  1.66  0 |  83  17  3  .205  .616   0
 *Ken Landreaux       5   6  1  1  1  0  0   0  0  2  .167  .167  .333  1 | 390  98  7  .251  .664  18
  Davey Lopes         6  22  6  5  1  0  0   2  4  3  .227  .346  .273  4 | 214  44  5  .206  .574  20
 *Rick Monday         5  13  1  3  1  0  0   0  3  6  .231  .375  .308  0 | 130  41 11  .315 1.031   1
  Tom Niedenfuer      2   0  0  0  0  0  0   0  0  0                    0 |   0   0  0               0
 *Jerry Reuss         2   3  0  0  0  0  0   0  1  2  .000  .250  .000  0 |  51  10  0  .196  .392   0
  Bill Russell        6  25  1  6  0  0  0   2  0  1  .240  .240  .240  1 | 262  61  0  .233  .567   2
  Steve Sax           2   1  0  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  .000  .000  .000  0 | 119  33  2  .277  .662   5
 *[[Mike Scioscia]]       3   4  1  1  0  0  0   0  1  0  .250  .400  .250  0 | 290  80  2  .276  .685   0
 #Reggie Smith        2   2  0  1  0  0  0   0  0  1  .500  .500  .500  0 |  35   7  1  .200  .632   0
  Dave Stewart        2   0  0  0  0  0  0   0  0  0                    0 |   5   2  0  .400 1.300   0
 #Derrel Thomas       5   7  2  0  0  0  0   1  1  2  .000  .125  .000  0 | 218  54  4  .248  .644   7
 *Fernando Valenzuela 1   3  0  0  0  0  0   0  1  0  .000  .250  .000  0 |  64  16  0  .250  .543   0
  Bob Welch           1   0  0  0  0  0  0   0  0  0                    0 |  45  10  0  .222  .506   0
  Steve Yeager        6  14  2  4  1  0  2   4  0  2  .286  .267  .786  0 |  86  18  3  .209  .598   0
 +-------------------+-+---+--+--+--+--+--+---+--+--+-----+-----+-----+---+----+---+--+-----+-----+---+
  Total               6 198 27 51  6  1  6  26 20 44  .258  .329  .389  6 |         82  .262  .696  73
  
    * – bats left-handed, # – switch hits, ? – unknown, else – bats right-handed
    A + before season totals indicates the player was with multiple teams this year.

===New York Yankees===
                                           SERIES STATS                   |      REGULAR SEASON       
  Player              G  AB  R  H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO  BA    OBP   SLG  SB |  AB  H  HR  BA     OPS  SB
 +-------------------+-+---+--+--+--+--+--+---+--+--+-----+-----+-----+---+----+---+--+-----+-----+---+
 #Bobby Brown         4   1  1  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  .000  .000  .000  0 |  62  14  0  .226  .521   4
  Rick Cerone         6  21  2  4  1  0  1   3  4  2  .190  .320  .381  0 | 234  57  2  .244  .618   0
  Ron Davis           4   0  0  0  0  0  0   0  0  0                    0 |   0   0  0               0
  Barry Foote         1   1  0  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  .000  .000  .000  0 |+147  26  6  .177  .559   0
  George Frazier      3   2  0  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  .000  .000  .000  0 |   0   0  0               0
 *Oscar Gamble        3   6  1  2  0  0  0   1  1  0  .333  .429  .333  0 | 189  45 10  .238  .796   0
  Rich Gossage        3   1  0  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  .000  .000  .000  0 |   0   0  0               0
 *Ron Guidry          2   5  0  0  0  0  0   0  0  3  .000  .000  .000  0 |   0   0  0               0
 *Reggie Jackson      3  12  3  4  1  0  1   1  2  3  .333  .429  .667  0 | 334  79 15  .237  .758   0
  Tommy John          3   2  0  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  .000  .000  .000  0 |   0   0  0               0
 *Dave LaRoche        1   0  0  0  0  0  0   0  0  0                    0 |   0   0  0               0
 *Rudy May            3   1  0  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  .000  .000  .000  0 |   0   0  0               0
 #Larry Milbourne     6  20  2  5  2  0  0   3  4  0  .250  .375  .350  0 | 163  51  1  .313  .749   2
 #Jerry Mumphrey      5  15  2  3  0  0  0   0  3  2  .200  .333  .200  1 | 319  98  6  .307  .783  14
 *Bobby Murcer        4   3  0  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  .000  .000  .000  0 | 117  31  6  .265  .801   0
 *Graig Nettles       3  10  1  4  1  0  0   0  1  1  .400  .455  .500  0 | 349  85 15  .244  .731   0
  Lou Piniella        6  16  2  7  1  0  0   3  0  1  .438  .438  .500  1 | 159  44  5  .277  .759   0
  Willie Randolph     6  18  5  4  1  1  2   3  9  0  .222  .464  .722  1 | 357  83  2  .232  .641  14
  Rick Reuschel       2   2  0  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  .000  .000  .000  0 |+ 25   2  0  .080  .195   0
 *Dave Righetti       1   1  0  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  .000  .000  .000  0 |   0   0  0               0
  Andre Robertson     1   0  0  0  0  0  0   0  0  0                    0 |  19   5  0  .263  .579   1
  Aurelio Rodriguez   4  12  1  5  0  0  0   0  1  2  .417  .462  .417  0 |  52  18  2  .346  .870   0
  Bob Watson          6  22  2  7  1  0  2   7  3  0  .318  .385  .636  0 | 156  33  6  .212  .701   0
  Dave Winfield       6  22  0  1  0  0  0   1  5  4  .045  .222  .045  1 | 388 114 13  .294  .824  11
 +-------------------+-+---+--+--+--+--+--+---+--+--+-----+-----+-----+---+----+---+--+-----+-----+---+
  Total               6 193 22 46  8  1  6  22 33 24  .238  .346  .383  4 |        100  .252  .718  47
  
    * – bats left-handed, # – switch hits, ? – unknown, else – bats right-handed
    A + before season totals indicates the player was with multiple teams this year.

==Series pitching stats==

===Los Angeles Dodgers===
                         SERIES STATS                     |     REGULAR SEASON           
  Player              G  ERA   W-L SV CG  IP   H ER BB SO |  W-L   IP  ERA   WHIP  SO SV 
 +-------------------+-+------+---+--+--+----+--+--+--+---+------+---+-----+-----+---+--+
 *Jerry Reuss         2   3.86 1-1  0  1 11.7 10  5  3  8 | 10-4  153  2.30  1.08  51   
  Burt Hooton         2   1.59 1-1  0  0 11.3  8  2  9  3 | 11-6  142  2.28  1.10  74   
 *Fernando Valenzuela 1   4.00 1-0  0  1  9.0  9  4  7  6 | 13-7  192  2.48  1.05 180   
 *Steve Howe          3   3.86 1-0  1  0  7.0  7  3  1  4 |  5-3   54  2.50  1.28  32  8
  Tom Niedenfuer      2   0.00 0-0  0  0  5.0  3  0  1  0 |  3-1   26  3.81  1.19  12  2
  Dave Goltz          2   5.40 0-0  0  0  3.3  4  2  1  2 |  2-7   77  4.09  1.40  48  1
 *Terry Forster       2   0.00 0-0  0  0  2.0  1  0  3  0 |  0-1   31  4.11  1.70  17   
  Dave Stewart        2   0.00 0-0  0  0  1.7  1  0  2  1 |  4-3   43  2.49  1.25  29  6
  Bobby Castillo      1   9.00 0-0  0  0  1.0  0  1  5  0 |  2-4   51  5.33  1.46  35  5
  Bob Welch           1    inf 0-0  0  0  0.0  3  2  1  0 |  9-5  141  3.44  1.29  88   
 +-------------------+-+------+---+--+--+----+--+--+--+---+------+---+-----+-----+---+--+
  Total                   3.29 4-2  1  2 52.0 46 19 33 24 |            3.01 1.210   
  
    * – throws left-handed, ? – unknown, else – throws right-handed
    A + before season totals indicates the player was with multiple teams this year.

===New York Yankees===

                         SERIES STATS                     |     REGULAR SEASON           
  Player              G  ERA   W-L SV CG  IP   H ER BB SO |  W-L   IP  ERA   WHIP  SO SV 
 +-------------------+-+------+---+--+--+----+--+--+--+---+------+---+-----+-----+---+--+
 *Ron Guidry          2   1.93 1-1  0  0 14.0  8  3  4 15 | 11-5  127  2.76  0.99 104   
 *Tommy John          3   0.69 1-0  0  0 13.0 11  1  0  8 |  9-8  140  2.63  1.24  50   
 *Rudy May            3   2.84 0-0  0  0  6.3  5  2  1  5 |  6-11 148  4.14  1.21  79  1
  Goose Gossage       3   0.00 0-0  2  0  5.0  2  0  2  5 |  3-2   47  0.77  0.77  48 20
  Rick Reuschel       2   4.91 0-0  0  0  3.7  7  2  3  2 |+ 8-11 156  3.11  1.25  75   
  George Frazier      3  17.18 0-3  0  0  3.7  9  7  3  2 |  0-1   28  1.63  1.34  17  3
  Ron Davis           4  23.14 0-0  0  0  2.3  4  6  5  4 |  4-5   73  2.71  0.99  83  6
 *Dave Righetti       1  13.50 0-0  0  0  2.0  5  3  2  1 |  8-4  105  2.05  1.07  89   
 *Dave LaRoche        1   0.00 0-0  0  0  1.0  0  0  0  2 |  4-1   47  2.49  1.15  24   
 +-------------------+-+------+---+--+--+----+--+--+--+---+------+---+-----+-----+---+--+
  Total                   4.24 2-4  2  0 51.0 51 24 20 44 |            2.90 1.180   
  
    * – throws left-handed, ? – unknown, else – throws right-handed
    A + before season totals indicates the player was with multiple teams this year.

Yankees pitcher [[George Frazier (pitcher)|George Frazier]] tied a World Series record for losing three of the six games in 1981. The only other pitcher to lose that many was the [[Chicago White Sox]]'s [[Lefty Williams]], who [[Black Sox Scandal|intentionally]] lost his three starts in the infamous [[1919 World Series]].

==Broadcasting==
[[Major League Baseball on ABC|ABC]] covered this World Series on television in the United States, its third under the then-present contract of alternating World Series coverage with [[Major League Baseball on NBC|NBC]].  [[Keith Jackson]] and [[Al Michaels]] shared play-by-play duties, with Michaels replacing Jackson when the latter deferred to his primary role as ABC's lead [[college football]] announcer. [[Color commentator|Color commentary]] was handled by [[Howard Cosell]] and [[Baltimore Orioles]] pitcher [[Jim Palmer]]; Palmer would later join ABC's baseball broadcast team after retiring as a player in 1984. ABC's coverage was [[simulcast]] over the Yankees' and Dodgers' local television outlets, respectively [[WPIX]] in New York City and [[KTTV]] in Los Angeles.

This World Series was the last to be called by Jackson in the broadcast booth. Michaels became ABC's lead baseball play-by-play announcer (and their exclusive World Series announcer) by the time ABC next aired the World Series in [[1983 World Series|1983]].

On radio, [[CBS Radio]] carried the games with [[Vin Scully]] handling play-by-play and [[Detroit Tigers]] manager [[Sparky Anderson]] providing analysis, both working together for the third consecutive year.  Scully was the Dodgers' primary radio and television announcer during the regular season. When the Dodgers next appeared in the World Series in [[1988 World Series|1988]], Scully called the series nationally on television for NBC.

==In popular culture==

After the series, Johnstone, Yeager, Reuss, and [[Rick Monday]] of the Dodgers recorded a cover version of [[Queen (band)|Queen]]'s "[[We Are the Champions]]" under the name "Big Blue Wrecking Crew".  The quartet performed the song on an episode of the syndicated musical TV show ''[[Solid Gold (TV series)|Solid Gold]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=The Big Blue Wrecking Crew |title=WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS |date=September 17, 2008 |via=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fM2ejfXKTQ}}</ref>

==Epilogue==
After combining for ten division titles and eight World Series appearances between 1974 and 1981, the 1981 World Series marked the end of an era for both teams as they soon were without key contributors.

The Yankees lost [[Reggie Jackson]] (who left in free agency), [[Graig Nettles]] (traded to the San Diego Padres in 1984), [[Goose Gossage]] (left in free agency in 1984, also to the Padres, only to play once more with them in 1989), and [[Tommy John]] (traded away to the California Angels in 1982 before returning in 1986), among others. [[Bob Lemon]] lasted fourteen games in the next season before being dismissed by Steinbrenner despite promises to finish the whole season (although Lemon was quoted as being relieved over the decision). The franchise would not reach the postseason again until 1995, which included nine different managers at the helm for Yankees (such as [[Billy Martin]], who was re-hired and re-fired three times from 1983 to 1988 after having led the Yankees to victory against the Dodgers in the 1977 World Series) despite worthy play from Winfield and [[Don Mattingly]], who debuted in 1982 (incidentally, Steinbrenner's growing irritation with Winfield would soon lead to a three-year ban from baseball and Winfield's subsequent trade to the Angels). The lone [[World Series]] appearance in the 1980s meant it was the first decade in which the Yankees did not win a title since the 1910s, and the first since the [[Live-ball era|''live-ball'' era]], which would not happen again until the 2010s.

Key Dodger losses included [[Reggie Smith]] (who signed with the [[San Francisco Giants]] after the season), [[Davey Lopes]] (traded in the off season), [[Ron Cey]] (traded in 1982), [[Steve Garvey]] (who departed for the [[San Diego Padres]] in 1983). This marked the end of the {{frac|8|1|2}}-year [[Dodger infield of Garvey, Lopes, Russell and Cey]].<ref name="latimes">{{Cite news |last=Klein |first=Gary |date=2013-06-23 |title=Dodgers' infield of the 1970s had a lasting impact |newspaper=LA Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2013-jun-23-la-sp-dodgers-infield-20130623-story.html}}</ref> With a stronger farm system and adding valuable players via trade or free agency, they did win division titles in [[1983 Los Angeles Dodgers season|1983]] and [[1985 Los Angeles Dodgers season|1985]], while narrowly missing in [[1982 Los Angeles Dodgers season|1982]]. However, they lost in the NLCS both years. Their success culminated with a world championship in [[1988 Los Angeles Dodgers season|1988]], becoming the only team to win two World Series between 1978 and 1990, and the only team to win more than one World Series title during the 1980s.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Paul |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pZuPBQAAQBAJ&q=Dodgers+only+team+1980s+win+more+than+one+world+series%29&pg=PA309 |title=High Fives, Pennant Drives, and Fernandomania: A Fan's History of the Los Angeles Dodgers' Glory Years (1977-1981) |date=March 1, 2012 |publisher=Santa Monica Press |isbn=9781595808530 |via=Google Books}}</ref> However, since their [[1988 World Series]] win, the Dodgers would not appear in another World Series until 2017 (which they lost to the [[2017 Houston Astros season|Houston Astros]]), despite reaching the NLCS in [[2008 Los Angeles Dodgers season|2008]], [[2009 Los Angeles Dodgers season|2009]], [[2013 Los Angeles Dodgers season|2013]], and [[2016 Los Angeles Dodgers season|2016]]. They would also appear in the World Series in 2018 against the [[2018 Boston Red Sox season|Boston Red Sox]], which they also lost. They finally broke their World Series Championship drought by winning in [[2020 World Series|2020]] against the [[2020 Tampa Bay Rays season|Tampa Bay Rays]]. They returned to the World Series in [[2024 World Series|2024]], in which they defeated the Yankees. The Yankees, on the other hand, appeared in eight World Series ([[1996 New York Yankees season|1996]], [[1998 New York Yankees season|1998]], [[1999 New York Yankees season|1999]], [[2000 New York Yankees season|2000]], [[2001 New York Yankees season|2001]], [[2003 New York Yankees season|2003]], [[2009 New York Yankees season|2009]], and [[2024 New York Yankees season|2024]]) in that span, winning all but 2001, 2003 and 2024. 

Former Dodgers pitcher and later Spanish radio color analyst [[Fernando Valenzuela]], who notably threw 147 pitches in the Dodgers Game 3 victory and was one of the Dodgers' most prominent players during the 1981 season, died shortly before the 2024 Dodgers-Yankees World Series rematch.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/sports/fernando-valenzuelas-remarkable-rookie-season-with-the-dodgers-in-1981-will-live-on-forever/3542160/|title=Fernando Valenzuela's remarkable rookie season with the Dodgers in 1981 will live on forever|first=Michael|last=Duarte|publisher=NBC Los Angeles|date=October 23, 2024|accessdate=October 23, 2024}}</ref><ref name=dodgerstribute>{{cite news|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/fernando-valenzuela-dies|title=Valenzuela, Mexican pitching phenom who inspired Fernandomania, dies at 63|first=Jesse|last=Sanchez|work=MLB.com|date=October 22, 2024|accessdate=October 23, 2024}}</ref> The Dodgers afterwards announced plans to pay tribute to Valenzuela at the 2024 World Series.<ref name=dodgerstribute /> The Dodgers celebrated their World Series victory on what would have been Fernando's 64th birthday.

==See also==
*[[1981 Japan Series]]
*[[2024 World Series]] - also between the Dodgers and Yankees

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}

==References==
{{WSRefs|year=1981|reichlerp=2219}}
*{{Cite web |last=Forman |first=Sean L. |title=1981 World Series |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1981_WS.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071130235344/http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1981_WS.shtml |archive-date=November 30, 2007 |access-date=December 9, 2007 |website=Baseball-Reference.com – Major League Statistics and Information}}

==External links==
{{WSExtLinks|year=1981}}
* [http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/baseballs_best/mlb_bb_gamepage.jsp?story_page=bb_81nlcs_gm5_lamon 1981 NLCS |Game 5 at MLB.com]
* [http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/baseballs_best/mlb_bb_gamepage.jsp?story_page=bb_81nlwest_playoff_lahou 1981 NL West Playoff |Game 1 at MLB.com]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20010127172700/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/features/1997/wsarchive/1981.html A Last Hurrah For Los Angeles at SI.com]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040217125524/http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/teams/1981dodgers.stm 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers at baseballlibrary.com]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040510175752/http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/teams/1981yankees.stm 1981 New York Yankees at baseballlibrary.com]

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[[Category:World Series]]
[[Category:1981 Major League Baseball season|World Series]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Dodgers postseason]]
[[Category:New York Yankees postseason]]
[[Category:1981 in Los Angeles|World Series]]
[[Category:1981 in sports in New York City|World Series]]
[[Category:Baseball competitions in New York City]]
[[Category:Baseball competitions in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:October 1981 sports events in the United States|World Series]]
[[Category:1981 in sports in California|World Series]]
[[Category:1980s in the Bronx]]