REGIONAL #30:  This group was a very strong one, featuring four pennant winning squads that were legendary for their franchises.   Of these, the '54 Indians were listed as favorites according to the ELO ranks, as they were among the top 25 teams of all time in those rankings.  However, they would immediately have to face the World Champion Tigers from the Year of the Pitcher, and if they survived that challenge the M&M Boys Yankees or the Whiz Kids could be waiting for them in the finals.  Among the other squads were pretty good examples of the Rangers and Red Sox from the 70s, so it seemed like six of the eight entries could take the regional and it wouldn't be surprising.

The highly anticipated matchup of the 1968 Tigers and the 1954 Indians saw the Tigers making an unexpected move, starting swingman John Hiller against the Tribe’s Mike Garcia.  It didn’t work as planned as a 2-run homer by Larry Doby in the 5th gave Cleveland a solid lead that they wouldn’t relinquish, especially when Tigers reliever Don McMahon allowed a 3-run shot by Wally Westlake and the Indians took the 6-2 win, Garcia tossing a 5-hitter.  In a battle of double sevens, the 1977 Rangers demolished the 1977 Giants, with a Willie Horton homer and five Giants errors being all that Rangers starter Gaylord Perry would need in a 13-3 win.  The pennant-winning 1963 Yankees couldn’t put up a single run in 13 innings of trying against the 1975 Cardinals’ Bob Forsch and Al Hrabosky, and a Ted Simmons RBI single in the top of the the 13th was sufficient to give the Cards the 1-0 win.  Finally, the 1950 Phillies weren’t Whizzing much against 1972 Red Sox starter Luis Tiant, as a bases-loaded double by Doug Griffin sparked Boston to a 4-1 win.  

In the semifinals, the 1954 Indians put up three runs in the 3rd against Bert Blyleven and the 1977 Rangers, and that was sufficient with Early Wynn tossing a 5-hitter to lead Cleveland to the 4-2 win–even though they only managed four hits themselves.  In the other game, the 1975 Cardinals made up for their scoring drought in the first round with 4 runs in the 1st inning, en route to an easy 8-2 win over the 1972 Red Sox.  That set up a final between the #1 seed 1954 Indians and the #7 seeded 1975 Cardinals, a matchup that looked more lopsided than it quickly proved to be.  It was John Denny for the Cards against Bob Lemon for the Tribe, and both pitchers got nicked for a run in the 1st inning.  A 2-run Larry Doby homer put Cleveland up in the 3rd, but the Cards got one back in the bottom of the inning on a squib single by Ron Fairly; another Cleveland run in the 4th was answered by a St. Louis score in the 5th.  In the 8th, a Lou Brock RBI double off Don Mossi ties the game, but in the 9th Bobby Avila responds with an RBI single following a key Cardinal error, and Mossi survives the 9th to give the legendary 1954 Indians, winners of 111 games in the regular season, the regional crown, with Larry Doby named regional MVP for his pair of key two-run homers.