1997 World Series

1997 World Series
1997 World Series
Dates	October 18–26
Venue	Pro Player Stadium (Florida); Jacobs Field (Cleveland)
MVP	Liván Hernández (Florida)
Umpires	Ed Montague (NL, crew chief), Dale Ford (AL), Joe West (NL), Greg Kosc (AL), Randy Marsh (NL), Ken Kaiser (AL)
Hall of Famers	Marlins: Jim Leyland (manager); Indians: Jim Thome;
Broadcast
Television	NBC (United States); MLB International (International);
TV announcers	Bob Costas, Joe Morgan and Bob Uecker (NBC); Gary Thorne and Ken Singleton (MLB International);
Radio	CBS; WQAM (FLA); WKNR (CLE);
Radio announcers	Vin Scully and Jeff Torborg (CBS); Joe Angel and Dave O'Brien (WQAM); Herb Score and Tom Hamilton (WKNR);
ALCS	Cleveland Indians over Baltimore Orioles (4–2)
NLCS	Florida Marlins over Atlanta Braves (4–2)
World Series program

The 1997 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1997 season. The 93rd edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (AL) champion Cleveland Indians and the National League (NL) champion Florida Marlins. The Marlins, who were underdogs, defeated the Indians, four games to three, to win their first World Series championship. Game 7 was decided in extra innings on a walk-off single hit by Édgar Rentería. The series began on October 18 and ended on October 26 (though Game 7 ended just after midnight local time October 27). Marlins pitcher Liván Hernández was named the World Series Most Valuable Player.

The Indians advanced to the World Series by defeating the New York Yankees in the AL Division Series, three games to two, and then the Baltimore Orioles in the AL Championship Series, four games to two; it was Cleveland's second World Series appearance in three years. The Marlins advanced to the World Series by defeating the San Francisco Giants in the NL Division Series, three games to none, and then the Atlanta Braves in the NL Championship Series, four games to two; the Marlins set an MLB record by reaching a World Series in just their fifth season of existence. This was the fourth time in World Series history a Game 7 went into extra innings, and was the most recent occasion until the 2016 World Series, in which the Indians also lost in extra innings. The Marlins' championship made them the first wild card team to ever win the World Series.

This was the only World Series that Paul Beeston would preside over as CEO of MLB. The previous four World Series had been presided over jointly by the league presidents (first Dr. Bobby Brown and then Gene Budig for the AL, Leonard Coleman for the NL).