Dan Driessen of the Reds became the first National League player to be used as a designated hitter during the first game of the 1976 World Series. From 1973 to 1975, though the DH had been employed in the American League, all World Series games were played under National League rules, with no DH and pitchers batting.
Starting in 1976, the DH rule applied to all games in the World Series, regardless of venue, but only in even-numbered years. Beginning in 1986, the DH rule was used in games played in the stadium of the American League representative.
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