World Series History And Trivia: 15 Facts About The Baseball Championship To Celebrate The Cubs-Indians Matchup

The 2016 World Series hasn't even started, and it's already making history.

This year's edition of the Fall Classic matches up two perennial underachievers, as the Cleveland Indians face the Chicago Cubs, the latter having failed to win a title since 1908. Tickets to see the games are on track to become the World Series' most expensive ever. And the player who will lead off Game 1 on Tuesday, Dexter Fowler, will be the first black Cubs competitor in the World Series.

In order to appreciate where you are, you have to learn about where you started. Before you order your peanuts and Cracker Jack, brush up on your World Series history. Here are 15 facts about the championship, with sources linked.

The World Series concept started in the 1800s, when the top two teams would play each other for titles like "World Champion." In 1894, that National League proposed having a series of seven games between its two best teams — the precursor to today's World Series.

The first formal World Series took place in 1903 between the Boston Americans and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Intended to be a best of nine series, it included eight games.

Grandstand seats for the first World Series cost $1.

The Americans won five games to the Pirates' three to nab the title.

There was not a World Series in 1904 due to an intense rivalry between the top teams.

Since then, the American League has won the series 64 times.

The National League has won 47 times.

In 1908, the World Series had only one home run.

The last time the Cubs won a World Series, Alaska and Hawaii weren't states. Neither were New Mexico nor Arizona.

The priciest World Series rings were given to the Florida Marlins in 2003.

The shortest World Series game was in 1908, when the Chicago Cubs beat the Detriot Tigers in one hour and 25 minutes.

The longest was in 2005, when the Chicago White Sox beat the Houston Astros over five hours and 41 minutes.

The Texas Rangers, Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Rays and Seattle Mariners are among the teams that have never won a World Series.

The New York Yankees have won the most World Series titles, at 27.