It is without a doubt the Holy Grail of baseball, the grand finale of the season: The World Series, one of the most popular sporting events on earth. Now this lavishly illustrated volume of images and reflections celebrates the one hundredth anniversary of an American classic.

While the season play from April through October is filled with memorable achievements, often the most exciting and historic moments are those that occur during the World Series. From the dawn of baseball to the present day, An American Classic honors the best of the best, including:

• Greatest Series: The Washington Senators filibuster the New York Giants in 1924; the Cincinnati Reds wash out the Boston Red Sox in 1975; and the Arizona Diamondbacks claim victory over the New York Yankees in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 7 of the 2001 Series

• Greatest Upsets: From the Chicago White Sox defeating their hometown rivals, the Chicago Cubs, in 1906, to the Reds sweeping the Oakland A’s in four games in 1990

• Greatest One-Game Feats: Bill Wambsganss’ unassisted triple play in 1920; Willie Mays’ sensational catch in 1954; Don Larsen’s perfect game in 1956; Reggie Jackson’s three home runs on three pitches in Game 6 of the 1977 Series; and injured Kirk Gibson’s pinch-hit, game-winning homer in the bottom of the ninth in Game 1 of the 1988 Series

• Unlikely Heroes: The unforgettable and unexpected performances of Hank Gowdy (1914 Boston Braves), Billy Martin (1953 Yankees), Gene Tenace (1972 Oakland A’s), and Rick Dempsey (1983 Baltimore Orioles)

• Great Hitters Who Rose to the Occasion: From Babe Ruth (1928 Yankees) and Lou Brock (1967 St. Louis Cardinals) to Paul Molitor (1993 Toronto Blue Jays) and Barry Bonds (2002 San Francisco Giants)

• Great Pitchers Who Rose to the Occasion: no baseball fan can forget such players as Lefty Gomez (1936 Yankees), Lew Burdette (1957 Milwaukee Braves), and the three shutouts from the 1965 Dodgers and the 1966 Orioles pitching staffs

Along with an overview of the World Series dynasties through the years, this magnificent volume provides a striking sweep of drama and glory, victory and defeat–paying tribute to the boys of summer and the game that is a unique American treasure.