1997 – Craig Biggio is named the winner of the sixth annual Branch Rickey Award for outstanding community service. Biggio lends his name and time to several charitable organizations in Houston, particularly those who help with childrens diseases.
1997 – The Florida Marlins move within one win of their first World Series title as Moises Alou hits his second three-run home run of the Series against Cleveland Indians pitcher Orel Hershiser. Rookie Livan Hernandez pitches into the 9th inning of Game 5 and Florida holds off the Indians, 8 – 7.
With the Jacobs Field game-time temperature hovering at 35 degrees, the coldest start of any postseason game on record, the Indians’ bats come out smoking in Game 4 of the World Series, scoring three runs in the first and another trio of tallies in the third inning in their 10-3 rout of the Marlins. The contest,,which includes third baseman Matt Williams reaching base six times, marks matchup of two rookie starters on the mound, 21 year-old right-hander Jaret Wright for Cleveland and 23 year-old southpaw Tony Saunders for Florida, making it only the sixth time in the history of the Fall Classic that two freshman hurlers have opposed one another.
1997 – In a slugfest, the Florida Marlins plate seven runs in the 9th inning to outscore the Cleveland Indians, 14 – 11, and take Game 3 of the World Series. Gary Sheffield has five RBI for Florida on three hits, including a double and home run. Darren Daulton and Jim Eisenreich also homer for the Marlins, while Jim Thome connects for Cleveland.
1997 – The Cleveland Indians bounce back with a 6 – 1 victory over the Florida Marlins in Game 2 of the World Series. For the Indians, pitcher Chad Ogea gets the win, Sandy Alomar connects for a home run, and Marquis Grissom has three hits.
1997 – The first World Series game ever played in Florida belongs to the Marlins. Moises Alou and Charles Johnson hit back-to-back home runs against Cleveland’s Orel Hershiser to make a 7 – 4 winner of Livan Hernandez in Game 1.
1997 – For the second straight night‚ Rafael Palmeiro knocks in the winning run to beat the stumbling New Yorkers‚ as the Orioles whip the Yankees‚ 9 – 7. The Yanks had tied the game at 7 apiece on Charlie Hayes’ pinch grand slam. The O’s Chris Hoiles has two RBIs and Cal Ripken‚ showing no effects from signing (a major-league record?) 2200 copies of his new book after last night’s game‚ hits a homer. Ripken did not get through with the autographing until 3:01 a.m. The Orioles extend their winning streak to seven games and move 9 1/2 games ahead of the second-place Yankees in the AL East.
1997 – In the ALCS, Mike Mussina pitches two-hit baseball for eight innings, but the Baltimore Orioles can’t score. Starter Charles Nagy and three relievers of the Cleveland Indians strand 14 Baltimore baserunners. Tony Fernandez hits a home run in the 11th inning off Armando Benitez for the only run of the game as the Indians win the American League pennant for the second time in three years. Anderson is the winning pitcher in relief and Jose Mesa has the save.
Major League Baseball approves a resolution creating a 16-team National League and a 14-team American League for the upcoming season. The plan puts the expansion Devil Ray in the AL Eastern Division, and the NL’s newest team, the Rockies, will play in the circuit’s Western Division.
At Turner Field, Kevin Brown tosses an 11-hit complete game to capture the Marlins’ first National League pennant. The flag, captured in only the fifth year of the team’s existence, is clinched in Game 6 of the NLCS when Florida beats Tom Glavine and the Braves, 7-4.
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