The Rangers beat the defending World Series champion New York Yankees, while the Giants took the National League crown away from the reigning champion Philadelphia Phillies.
It waddled towards the pool, looking less like a predator than like an elderly sumo wrestler tottering uncertainly towards a bout with a reigning champion.
The first prolonged and impassioned controversy in the Congress involving a pure food issue took place in 1886, pitting the reigning champion, butter, against a challenger, oleomargarine.
In 1976, however, just prior to his Nurburgring accident, with Niki the reigning champion and a dominant leader of the '76 title race, Ferrari wanted to extend his contract.
Reading, who held reigning champions Manchester United on Sunday, had appeared on course for a second surprise result thanks to Andre Bikey's opener.
A day after derby rivals Middlesbrough had opened the door for the reigning champions, the Magpies slammed it shut to leave United three points clear at the top.
Six years on from their triumph at Canada 2002, USA defeated the reigning champions to take the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup crown, as well as the lion's share of individual and team accolades.
