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MLB Playoff Losing Streaks Reported Incorrectly

It was reported during Thursday's division series telecasts that the Phillies have the all-time longest postseason losing streak at 14. This was repeated today by the Tribune's Phil Rogers:

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One benefit to the Cubs missing the playoffs the last two years: They haven't added to their nine-game post-season losing streak. They were tied with Texas and Minnesota when the playoffs arrived, and the Twins have stretched their streak to 11 while the Rangers ended theirs with authority in Tampa Bay.↵

↵There have been only five post-season losing streaks of at least 10 games, including a 10-game by the Cubs from 1932 through '38. The record is 14 by the Phillies from 1915 through '77, with the Red Sox suffering through a 13-game losing streak from 1986 through '95. The other 10-gamer was by the Royals from '80 through '86.

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The Phillies lost the last four games of the 1915 World Series (their first postseason appearance, four straight losses), then got swept in the 1950 World Series (four more, total of eight), got swept in the 1976 NLCS by the Reds (since that was a best-of-five at the time, three more losses, 11 straight)... but then WON the first game of the 1977 NLCS against the Dodgers before losing that series three games to one.

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There's no way that adds up to 14 consecutive losses. The report was wrong. The record belongs to the Red Sox. Rogers is also wrong about the Royals -- their streak ended when they won the 1985 ALCS, and about the Cubs -- they lost the last two games of the 1929 World Series, then got swept in 1932, but won Game One in 1935, ending that streak at six, not ten. The Cubs have had enough losing; let's not make it worse.

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