Indians Party Like It's 1997 After Winning Pennant
Indians party like it's 1997 after winning pennant Cleveland will host Game 1 of the World Series for first time in its history By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | 12:38 AM ET TORONTO -- They took turns passing the trophy around. A bottle in one hand and the hardware in the other, one by one, Cleveland's players savored their moment. They would stare at it, champagne dripping from the gold eagle that sits atop the black base, pausing for a moment before posing for photos. In that brief personal moment, the players probably thought about all that had to happen for the Indians to reach this stage, for that trophy to be placed in their arms. Wednesday's 3-0 win over the Blue Jays in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series, a victory that clinched the franchise's sixth AL pennant, gave the world a look at what has defined this Indians team all season long, and why it is now going to the World Series. "I'm just really happy that we're standing here today," said Indians president Chris Antonetti, as his players partied on the other side of Rogers Centre's visitors' clubhouse. "However we got here, I'm not sure I've reflected back on. But this team, the resiliency, the grit, the perseverance to overcome all that they've gone through over the course of the season ..." More champagne bottles popped behind him. "The guys we have are not focused on who's not here," he continued, "but focused on the guys that are here and [they] try to find a way to help them win.
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