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The Commissioner's Trophy is presented each year by the Commissioner of Baseball to the Major League Baseball team that wins the World Series. Recent trophy designs contain flags representing each team in North America's top two leagues, the National League and the American League. The two participating teams in that year's World Series were previously represented by two press pins set on the base of the trophy. It is the only championship trophy of the four major sports in North America that is not named after a particular person (contrasting with the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup, the National Football League's Vince Lombardi Trophy, and the National Basketball Association's Larry O'Brien Trophy).
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History
Although it was named in 1985, the trophy was first awarded in 1967, when the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Boston Red Sox. Before then the World Series champion did not receive an official trophy.
A new Commissioner's Trophy is created each year, much like the Lombardi Trophy and the O'Brien Trophy. In contrast, hockey's Stanley Cup is passed from champion to champion. Before 1997, the trophy was presented in the winners locker room. Since then the presentation occurs on the field if the champion clinches the title in their home stadium. Since its inception, the only year that the Commissioner's Trophy has not been awarded was 1994, when the players' strike ended the season on August 11, resulting in the cancellation of the entire post-season. The New York Yankees have won the most Commissioner's Trophies, winning seven World Series wins since 1967. The St. Louis Cardinals have won four trophies, a National League record.
Design
The current trophy was redesigned by Tiffany & Co. in 1999 and first presented in the 2000 World Series. The original trophy was designed by Lawrence Voegele, of Owatonna, Minnesota. The trophy is 24 inches (61 cm) tall, excluding the base, and has a diameter of 11 inches (28 cm). It weighs approximately 30 pounds (14 kg) and is made of sterling silver. The trophy features 30 gold-plated flags, one for each of the Major League teams. The flags rise above a silver baseball which is covered with latitude and longitude lines, symbolizing the world. The baseball also contains 24-karat vermeil stitching. The base contains an inscription copy of the signature of the commissioner, as well as the words "Presented by the Commissioner of Baseball". The new design was presented at the conclusion of the 2000 World Series, won by the New York Yankees.