History of Wintry World Series Games
Christy Bowen
Last weekThe last weekend of September marks the end of the Major League Baseball (MLB) regular season. As any baseball fan knows, Mother Nature is often an unwelcome fan at games throughout the season. There were a host of instances this season when the weather disrupted play. Rain delays go hand in hand with peanuts and hot dogs at summer baseball games, making it surprising that the Tampa Bay Rays made it the entire season without having a game rained out.
The MLB playoffs kick off this week. While the conditions look generally mild for the potential playoff sites in the week ahead, this may not be the case for the entirety of the event. The weather has often played a significant role in MLB playoff history. The fact that the World Series does not wrap up until the end of October means that many games are played in chilly conditions. There have even been a few times when snow has made an appearance during the playoffs.
While it is not unusual for snow to wreak havoc in early-season games, the wintry precipitation at the tail end of the year is another story. Here is a look back at a few notable snowy October baseball games throughout history.
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Tampa Bay Rays - 2008
Game 5 of the 2008 World Series was one for the record books. The game is now distinguished as being the first ever World Series game to be suspended. Fans and players battled a cold rain falling across Philadelphia when the game began on October 27. The conditions worsened as the game progressed, forcing a suspension of the Fall Classic.
An escalating nor'easter dumped heavy rain across the City of Brotherly Love the next day. Colder temperatures in nearby Bucks County sent the rain to snow.
The baseball game finally resumed two nights later. It was not a pleasant night with temperatures hovering in the mid 40s and a bitter wind out of the northwest. However, the fans were rewarded for their efforts with the Phillies taking the win and the championship.