Eighteen Crazy Nights—Looking back at the 1997 Cleveland Indians

Each week during the 2012-13 offseason DTTWLN will take a look back at the 1997 Cleveland Indians season—specifically the 18 thrilling games of the postseason as the Indians made an improbable run to game seven of the World Series.

PART TWENTY-TWO:  WORLD SERIES GAME 7—THE BITTER END

By Steve Eby

Game Seven.

Cleveland had certainly been down a long and winding path that took them to baseball’s biggest stage.

The Indians had extremely lowered expectations heading into Spring Training, they traded their best and most popular player before camp broke and they underwhelmed all season with a pitching staff that looked more unwatchable than some Triple-A staffs.

They were huge underdogs when they faced the Yankees and Orioles on their unimaginable trip through the playoffs, yet they sent both foes packing.  They had battled through sloppy play and historically-cold weather in Cleveland to take the Marlins to the brink of elimination in a winner-take-all showdown in Miami.

For Marlins fans, the feeling was optimistic and fun-loving.  Their team was only in its fifth season of existence, and they were just waiting for good things to happen.  For Cleveland fans, things could not have been tenser.  For years, Cleveland had suffered through unbelievable and unbearable heartbreak. Read More

Eighteen Crazy Nights—Looking back at the 1997 Cleveland Indians

Each week during the 2012-13 offseason DTTWLN will take a look back at the 1997 Cleveland Indians season—specifically the 18 thrilling games of the postseason as the Indians made an improbable run to game seven of the World Series.

PART NINTEEN:  WORLD SERIES GAME 4—THE ROOKIE HAS THE WRIGHT STUFF

By Steve Eby

On October 22, 1997, a frigid air mass pushed south from Canada.  It swept across Lake Erie as lake-effect snow covered Cleveland and the temperature plummeted to 38°.  Huge gusts howled through the downtown area and the wind-chill dropped to a numbing 15°.

It was abnormally cold in Northeast Ohio, as the average temperature for October 22 in Cleveland was a mild 58°.  As Game Four of the 1997 Fall Classic was about to begin, however, the stage was set for an infamous showdown between the Florida Marlins and the Cleveland Indians in what became the coldest World Series game in recorded history.

As the players took batting practice, heavy snow showers fell in the ballpark and turned Jacobs Field into a winter wonderland.  Christmas carols echoed throughout the stadium, as the Indians creative staff blared them over the public address system. Read More

Eighteen Crazy Nights—Looking back at the 1997 Cleveland Indians

Each week during the 2012-13 offseason DTTWLN will take a look back at the 1997 Cleveland Indians season—specifically the 18 thrilling games of the postseason as the Indians made an improbable run to game seven of the World Series.

PART NINE:  ALDS GAME 5—GOODBYE, NEW YORK

By Steve Eby

The Cleveland Indians beating the New York Yankees is like Luke Skywalker defeating Darth Vader.

It’s like Rocky Balboa knocking out Ivan Drago.

It’s like the 13 Colonies defeating Great Britain.

Beating the Yankees is awesome.

Beating the Yankees is better than beating the Mariners, the Orioles or even the Red Sox.  It’s like when the Browns beat the Steelers or when Ohio State beats Michigan…it doesn’t matter how many wins they have just as long as they win the big one.

Heading into 1997, however, the thought of the Indians getting the best of the Yankees was more of a fantasy than a reality. Read More