The 2016 World Series champion will add to team history already in Cooperstown

In October of 1993, Nelson Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace prize, Bill Clinton was winding down his first year in the White House and Kris Bryant was a 21-month-old toddler in Las Vegas.

But longtime fans of the Toronto Blue Jays remember that month for a different reason, for it marked the last time their team won the World Series, a six-game triumph over the Philadelphia Phillies, with a little help from a walk-off home run from Joe Carter in the deciding game.

While this might seem like a relatively long World Series drought, the three other teams competing in this year’s ALCS and NLCS – the Indians, the Cubs and the Dodgers – have all been waiting even longer than the Jays have. A look back through the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s collection brings those World Series games back to life, from ticket stubs to an apron sewn out of World Series pennants.

Chicago memories

The Chicago Cubs, as any North Side baseball fan will tell you, have endured the longest title dry spell in the history of professional sports in North America. The last time they won the World Series was in 1908, defeating the Detroit Tigers 4-games-to-1 to take their second world championship in a row. One of the most dominant teams of their time, the Cubs’ back-to-back titles prompted headlines like “Chicago team without peer in the World” in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

That 1908 team featured four future Hall of Famers, three of which were part of the most famous double-play combinations in history – Tinkers to Evers to Chance – as well as pitcher Mordecai “Three-Finger” Brown. The team members received a gold fob chain pendant after winning the World Series, denoting them as the World Champions in 1907 and 1908. The pendant belonging to Brown is now preserved at the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Cleveland rocks

Compared to the Cubs, the Cleveland Indians had a relatively short waiting period. The Indians haven’t won the World Series since 1948, but were crowned American League Champions in 1954, 1995 and 1997. Under the helm of 31-year-old player-manager and future Hall of Famer Lou Boudreau, in 1948 they bested the Boston Braves in six games. Armed with six future Hall of Famers, the Indians took it four-games-to-two as Larry Doby went 7-for-22 and Bob Lemon recorded two wins, maintaining an ERA of 1.65.

A ticket stub from Game 1 of that World Series, in which the Braves defeated the Indians at home, 1-0, is preserved at the Hall. Complementing this artifact is a true display of team devotion: A red and white apron made out of 1948 Indians World Series pennants – proof that fandom knows no bounds.

Dodger blues

Forty years after the Cleveland Indians won what would be their last World Series title of the 20th Century, the Dodgers began what would be a 28-year long championship draught. Winning the World Series in 1988 under Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda, Los Angeles took the title, four-games-to-one, over the Oakland Athletics.

But the true hero of that 1993 World Series was Joe Carter, whose walk-off home run in the ninth inning of Game 6 took home the title for the Jays. The Louisville Slugger that Carter used to hit that home run is currently on display in the Museum, along with a 1993 World Series ring.

Since none of these teams has won a World Series since the start of the Wild Card era (1995 to the present), this Postseason will be a memorable one, no matter who takes the title of World Champion.