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. It is sometimes called "The Latino Series," "The Hispanic Series" and "The Latin Series" because of the many players of Latin-American descent that figured prominently in this World Series.

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)

Team	1	3	4	5	6	8	9	R	H	E
Cleveland	1	0		1	1	1	0	4	11	0
Florida		1	4	2	0		x	7	7	1
W: Livan Hernandez (1-0) L: Orel Hershiser (0-1) S: Robb Nen (1)
HR: CLE – Manny Ramirez (1), Jim Thome (1) FLA – Moises Alou (1), Charles Johnson (1)

Game 1 featured a youngster versus a veteran facing eachother on the mound. Fresh off his NLCS MVP performance, Livan Hernandez took the hill for the Marlins and quickly gave up a run in the 1st thanks to a double by leadoff man Bip Roberts and an RBI single by David Justice. Indian starter Orel Hershiser got by the first two innings unscathed. However, after the Marlins tied the game in the 3rd they scored 4 runs in the 4th. The inning climaxed when Moises Alou and Charles Johnson hit back-to-back homers (Alou's was a three run shot off the left field foul pole). The Fish added two in the 5th to knock Orel out of the game. The Indians crept back in the game slowly thanks to solo shots by Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome and entered the 9th down 7-4. Florida closer Rob Nen came in and was able to get out of a jam by striking out Sandy Alomar and Thome with two men aboard.

Game 2

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

Team	1	3	5	6	9	R	H	E
Cleveland	1	0	3	2	0	6	14	0
Florida	1	0		0	0	1	8	0
W: Chad Ogea (1-0) L: Kevin Brown (0-1)
HR: CLE – Sandy Alomar Jr. (1)

Game 2 matched up Florida ace Kevin Brown against little known Chad Ogea who had lost 2 games in the ALCS. Both teams scored in the first, thanks to RBI singles by Justice and Jeff Conine. However, Ogea barely escaped when Alou got under a hanging curveball and flying out to the warning track thus missing his second three-run homer in as many nights by inches. After that, Ogea settled in and did not allow any more runs. Brown pitched well until the 5th when the Indians strung together three straight singles by Matt Williams, Sandy Alomar, and Marquis Grissom. Later in the inning, with runners on second and third, Bip Roberts drove in a pair with a single up the middle giving the Tribe a 4-1 lead. The three run lead ballooned to five when Alomar hit a laser into the left field stands for a two run homer in the 6th.

Game 3

October 21, 1997 at Jacobs Field (Cleveland Indians)

Team	1	3	4	5	6	7	9	R	H	E
Florida	1	1	1		2	2	7	14	16	3
Cleveland	2	0	3	2	0		4	11	10	3
W: Dennis Cook (1-0) L: Eric Plunk (0-1) S: Robb Nen (2)
HR: FLA – Gary Sheffield (1), Darren Daulton (1), Jim Eisenreich (1) CLE – Jim Thome (2)

Game 3 was a wild affair that ended with the Marlins grabbing a 2-1 series lead. In the top of the 1st, Gary Sheffield started the scoring with a solo shot to left. In the bottom half, the Indians retaliated with two runs thanks the two broken bat RBI singles by Matt Williams and Sandy Alomar. Florida took the lead 3-2 on a Darren Daulton homer in the 3rd and four walks delivered by Indians starter Charles Nagy in the 4th. However, the Indians got a gift in the bottom of the 4th, when they drew four consecutive free passes by Marlins starter Al Lieter and then a throwing error by thirdbaseman Bobby Bonilla allowed two more runs to score. The Tribe went up 7-3 on Jim Thome's 2run blast to right in the 5th inning. His homerun was nullified in the 6th by Jim Eisenreich's 2 run homer that cut the lead to 7-5. In the 8th, the Marlins finished their comeback with Edgar Renteria and Sheffield each driving in a run making the score 7-7. In the 9th, it all fell apart for Cleveland thanks to three errors and seemingly one hit after another by the Marlins, with Bonilla and Sheffiled driving in a pair of runs each. When the carnage was over the Marlins led 14-7. Even though the Indians came back with 4 runs of their own in the 9th it was not enough.

Game 4

October 22, 1997 at Jacobs Field (Cleveland Indians)

Team	1	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Florida		0	1		2			0	3	6	2
Cleveland	3	3		2	1	1	2	X	10	15	0
W: Jaret Wright (1-0) L: Tony Saunders (0-1)
HR: FLA – Moises Alou (2) CLE – Manny Ramirez (2), Matt Williams (1)

This back and forth World Series continued that way in Game 4. Both teams were greeted by snow during batting practice and freezing temperatures throughout the contest. Two rookies would oppose eachother on the mound this night; Jaret Wright for the Indians and Tony Saunders for the Marlins. The Indians stormed out of the gate with three in the 1st capped by Manny Ramirez's opposite field 2run homer. The Indians got three in the third as well and never looked back. Matt Williams turned out to be the offensive hero by reaching base six times which included a 2run blast in the 8th to close the scoring.

Game 5

October 23, 1997 at Jacobs Field (Cleveland Indians)

Team	2	3	6	8	9	R	H	E
Florida	2	0	4	1	1	8	15	2
Cleveland	1	3	0		3	7	9	0
W: Livan Hernandez (2-0) L: Orel Hershiser (0-2) S: Robb Nen (3)
HR: FLA – Moises Alou (3) CLE – Sandy Alomar Jr. (2)

Game 5 was a rematch of Game 1's starting pitchers Livan Hernandez and Orel Hershiser. The Marlins jumped out to a quick 2-1 lead heading into the 3rd. Indians catcher Sandy Alomar then turned the game around by launching a towering 3run bomb. It remained 4-2 until the 6th, when Moises Alou hit his second 3run homer off Hershiser in as many games and his 3rd homerun of the series. Livan pitched terrifically in the middle innings not allowing any runs until the 9th. Florida scored what seemed at the time to be two meaningless runs late in the game to extend their lead to 8-4 (Alou scored one and drove in the other). However, the 9th inning was a nailbiter with Livan and Rob Nen struggling to hold the lead. Omar Vizquel drove in one run with a hit, then Justice drove in two with a single up the middle. Jim Thome smashed a double in the leftcenter field gap to drive in Justice and make the score 8-7. With Thome at second, Alomar came up, having already driven in 20 RBIs throughout the playoffs and 4 in the game. Sandy flied out to right field to end the game thus giving the Fish a 3-2 series lead.

Game 6

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

Team	2	3	4	5	6	9	R	H	E
Cleveland	2	0	1		1	0	4	7	0
Florida		0		1	0	0	1	8	0
W: Chad Ogea (2-0) L: Kevin Brown (0-2) S: Jose Mesa (1)

The series returned to the warmer climate of Miami for Game 6. Kevin Brown opposed Chad Ogea again and again Brown inexplicably struggled while Ogea flourished. Chad himself drove in the first two runs with a bases loaded single in the 2nd. Manny Ramirez hit a pair of sac flies in the middle innings (one in the 4th and the other in the 6th). With the Tribe leading 4-1 in the 6th, Ogea ran into serious trouble. The Marlins put runners on second and third with two out as reliever Mike Jackson replaced Ogea. Marlins catcher Charles Johnson stepped to the plate and proceeded to hit a sharp grounder that was headed for left field. Indians gold glove shortstop Omar Vizquel dove for the ball, grabbed it, sprung to his feet, and hurled a perfect strike to 1st base just before Johnson arrived. The play ended the threat and broke the Marlins spirits. In the 9th, closer Jose Mesa wrapped up the win thus evening the series at 3-3.

Game 7

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

Team	3	6	7	9	11	R	H	E
Cleveland	2	0			0	2	6	2
Florida	0	0	1	1	1	3	8	0
W: Jay Powell (1-0) L: Charles Nagy (0-1)
HR – FLA: Bobby Bonilla (1)

Game 7 turned out to be a classic World Series seventh game with the Marlins capturing the Crown. Early on it didn't look promising for Florida however. In the third inning, starter Al Lieter allowed a walk to Jim Thome and a hit by Marquis Grissom. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third and with two outs Tony Fernandez laced a 2run single to center. Indians starter Jaret Wright was lights out for 6 innings holding the 2-0 lead. Bobby Bonilla blasted a titanic homerun off Wright in the 7th cutting the lead to 2-1. In the 9th, Jose Mesa was brought in to close out the series and bring Cleveland its first title since 1948. Moises Alou led off the inning with a single. With one out, Charles Johnson lined a single to right that advanced Alou to third base. Then Craig Counsell hit a sacrifice fly to right that tied the score at 2 consequently sending the contest into extra frames The Indians blew a golden chance in the 10th, when with 1 out and Alomar on third, Grissom grounded to short. With the infield drawn in, shortstop Edgar Renteria fired home to catcher Charles Johnson who tagged out Alomar trying to score. The bottom of the 11th started with a one out single by Bobby Bonilla off game 3 starter Charles Nagy. Counsell then hit a roller toward second. Fernandez moved in and to his left to field the ball but it skipped under his glove for an error. As the ball headed for right field, Bonilla scampered to third. A necessary intentional walk filled the bases with one out. Devon White then hit into a force play (shortstop to catcher) for out number two of the inning. But the next batter, Edgar Renteria, was able to deliver the series winning tally with a line single into center. Counsell came home with his both fists raised in the air as the Marlins took the series and won the Championship.

Trivia

Game 7 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 seventh game 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 seventh game 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).

Indians pitcher Chad Ogea became the first pitcher since Mickey Lolich in 1968 to have at least two hits and two RBIs in a World Series.

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).

The 1997 World Series marked the first time (during the television era at least) that the trophy presentation ceremony was done on the field as opposed to in the victors' clubhouse.

The fall-out of Indians' closer José Mesa failing to save Game 7 ultimately ignited a heated fued between Mesa and his teammate Omar Vizquel. In Vizquel's autobiography, the Indians' shortstop publicly blamed Mesa for being a "choker" and blowing the 1997 World Series for the Cleveland Indians. Soon afterwards, Mesa and Vizquel ended their longtime friendship. Mesa has since vowed to "...hit him every time he faced him" and also stated that he wanted to kill Vizquel. On April 22, 2006, when pitching to Vizquel, now a member of the San Francisco Giants, Mesa, now a member of the Colorado Rockies, made good on his promise and plunked Vizquel in the back. As of June 11, 2006, Mesa has kept his promise and beaned Vizquel all three times the two have faced off.

1997 World Series was highly profiled as the Latino World Series. 22 Latino players participated.

On October 31, 1997 most of the fan favorites of the 1997 Marlins were traded, including Moisés Alou who was traded to the Houston Astros, and Marlins ace Al Leiter to the New York Mets, World Series MVP hurler Liván Hernández was lucky enough to stay with the team for two more years.

Jeff Conine and Luis Castillo would be the only two memebers from the 1997 Marlins to be part of the 2003 World Champion Marlins.

Liván Hernández's brother Orlando Hernández would enter the United States about a month later, and sign with the New York Yankees. His Major League debut would be on June 3, 1998 at Yankee Stadium in New York, he would win three World Series with the Yankees (1998, 1999, 2000) he would also win his fourth World Series Ring with the Chicago White Sox in 2005.

The 1997 World Series was the first series played in the state of Florida (the Tampa Bay Devil Rays would make their debut one year later).

Quotes of the Series

"Thome hits it into deep right field, Gary Sheffield is back, at the wall, leaps, he got it!!....its the play of the series, is the play of the 1997 World Series." - Bob Costas (NBC Sports) commentating on Marlins right rielder Gary Sheffield robbing a home run from Cleveland Indians first baseman Jim Thome.

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

"I love you Miami!!!"-- Liván Hernández while lifting the 1997 World Series MVP Award

External links

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