“Life is a journey, not a destination.” American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson passed away in 1882, far too soon to enjoy the 1997 Florida Marlins. Even so, his quote seems applicable here. Twenty years removed from that championship, we’ll be reliving their peaks and valleys as a reminder of the triumphs and adversity that all teams experience during a long season.
Jim Leyland had a lot of friends and fans in attendance when the Marlins manager brought his team to Pittsburgh for a weekend series at Three Rivers Stadium. Leyland worked the previous 11 seasons in the Steel City, winning more games in that ballpark than any other Pirates skipper ever would, a run that included three straight NL East titles (1990-1992).