1997 World Series

The 1997 World Series was widely regarded as one of the most exciting Series in recent memory. It featured the Cleveland Indians, who were heading to their second World Series in three years. Their opponents were the Florida Marlins, who had set a record by reaching the Series in only their fifth season of operation. The Marlins were huge underdogs as they capped a stunning season by beating the Indians in seven games, four games to three. The final of Game 7 was decided in extra innings on an Edgar Rentería single. This World Series was the first won by a wild card team.

Managers: Mike Hargrove (Cleveland), Jim Leyland (Florida)

Umpires: Ed Montague (NL), Dale Ford (AL), Joe West (NL), Greg Kosc (AL), Randy Marsh (NL), Ken Kaiser (AL)

Series MVP: Liván Hernández (Florida)

Television: NBC (Bob Costas, Joe Morgan and Bob Uecker announcing)

Game 1
October 18, 1997 at Joe Robbie Stadium (Florida Marlins)

Game 2
October 19, 1997 at Joe Robbie Stadium (Florida Marlins)

Game 3
October 21, 1997 at Jacobs Field (Cleveland Indians)

Game 4
October 22, 1997 at Jacobs Field (Cleveland Indians)

Game 5
October 23, 1997 at Jacobs Field (Cleveland Indians)

Game 6
October 25, 1997 at Joe Robbie Stadium (Florida Marlins)

Game 7
October 26, 1997 at Joe Robbie Stadium (Florida Marlins)

Trivia

 * One of the games was played on Indians manager Mike Hargrove's birthday.


 * This was third time in the 1990s that the World Series-winning run was scored on the final at-bat (as was the case in 1991 and 1993).


 * NBC commentators made light of Indians outfielder Bip Roberts' bout with the flu during the course of the series.


 * Soon after Game 7 was complete, rumors on the internet started to spread that the 1989 (released four years before the Florida Marlins made their debut) film Back to the Future Part II accurately predicted their 1997 World Series victory. In reality, the movie stated that, in 2015, a Miami team would lose to the Chicago Cubs.


 * Midway through one of the games in Miami, "surprise guest" Joe DiMaggio joined NBC's Bob Costas, Joe Morgan, and Bob Uecker in the television booth. DiMaggio joked that Morgan was a "Hall of Famer", Costas was a "Future Hall of Famer", but he didn't know what to think of when it came to Uecker.  Ironically enough, the Baseball Hall of Fame would present Uecker with its Ford C. Frick Award several years later.


 * NBC's West Coast president Don Ohlmeyer disturbed Major League Baseball when he publicly wished the World Series to end in a four game sweep so that it wouldn't derail NBC's fall entertainment schedule. (Game 5 fell on a Thursday, which had long been the highest rated night on NBC's schedule, if not on all of television.)


 * Many Marlins players wrote the #32 on their caps in support of pitcher Alex Fernandez, who tore his rotator cuff during the first round of the playoffs.


 * The Game 4 temperature in Cleveland, Ohio was fifteen degrees Fahrenheit (minus 9 degrees Celsius), setting a new record for the coldest game in World Series history.


 * Game 7 of the 1997 World Series was the second longest game seven ever played in any World Series to date.


 * Liván Hernández's mother, who resided in Cuba at the time, was permitted to attend Game 7 on a visa before having to leave early for security reasons.


 * Even though Liván Hernández was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1997 World Series, Moisés Alou in retrospect, was the true star as he led the Marlins by hitting .321 with three home runs and nine RBIs.


 * Game 7 forced the scheduled National Football League game between the Chicago Bears and the Miami Dolphins to be played the following night.


 * The Marlins became the first team ever to win a World Series Game 7 after trailing entering the 9th inning.


 * If the Indians had held on to win, the MVP likely would have been either Sandy Alomar, Jr. (.367 batting average, 2 home runs, 10 RBI) or Chad Ogea (2 wins, 1.54 ERA).


 * Unless you count the 1995 World Series (which was broadcast under the short-lived revenue sharing joint-venture The Baseball Network), then the 1997 World Series marked the first time that NBC televised a World Series in 9 years (the last being in 1988).

Quote of the Series
''"A liner off of Nagy's" glove, into center-field. The Florida Marlins have won...the World Series!!!"'' - NBC Sports announcer Bob Costas