> The Chicago Bulls beat the Utah Jazz in June 1997 for their fifth NBA championship in seven years. Michael orld Series Series arlins es. Jordan is chosen Powell, Allsport Finals MVP a record fifth time. ©Mike @® When the college football season ends, two teams share the national championship. Michigan (12-0) is named No. | by the sports writers’ poll, and Nebraska (13-0) by the coaches’ poll. DetroitRed Wings captain. teve Yzerman powers his _ team to the 1997 Stanley up champion hip, its first see i ‘Poe@ inet yf Evander alified in atch in June $3 million evoked. Women officiate in an all-male professional sports league for the first time. The pioneers, In its debut season, the are referees in the NBA. expectations for success. The Houston Comets’ championship win over the New York Liberty caps the 1997 season. _{@ Mark McGwire, of the St. Louis Cardinals, slams 52 homers in 1996 and 58 in 1997. McGwire becomes only the second player in baseball history with back-to-back, n’s versatile s the first to win the n December. ©Jed Jacobsohn, Allsport Dee Kanter and Violet Palmer, WNBA exceeds all league 50-home-rnun seasons, the other being Babe Ruth. Dean Smith, winningest coach in college basketball history, retires in October after 36 seasons at North Carolina. Sports Illustrated names him 1997 Sportsman of the Year.