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Bret Saberhaen was one of the aces of the
Kansas City Royals pitching staff,
and the most valuable player of the 1985 World Series.
Source: sportsposterwarehouse.com/products
(may be subject to copyright)
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That was the last, and only time, the Royals had ever
won the World Series, and it was a thriller.
Cross-state rivalry
After defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Championship Series, awaiting the Royals in only their second ever World Series was the
St. Louis Cardinals, managed by Whitey Herzog. He had led the Royals to three straight
division titles from 1976 to 1978. He was then hired by the Cardinals in 1980, and led them
to a World Series championship in 1982. Both teams were from Missouri, also making
this a cross-state rivalry.
The Cardinals seemingly took control early, winning the first two
games, held at Royals Stadium. St. Louis took Game 1 on Oct. 19 by a 3-1 score,
then beat the Royals 4-2 the next day to take a 2-0 series lead.
Kansas City won the first of three straight in St. Louis, by a score
of 6-1 on Oct. 22. The Cardinals won the pivotal Game 4 by a score of 3-0,
putting a stranglehold on the series on Oct. 23.
Kansas City rebounded in Game 5 on Oct. 24, winning 6-1, sending the
series back to Kansas City for the last two games, if necessary.
The series would turn on Game 6. The Cardinals led 1-0 going into the
bottom of the ninth. Jorge Orta was involved in a close play at first where he
was called safe by First Base Umpire Don Denkinger. Replays showed Orta was
clearly out. That base runner would eventually come around to score the tying
run, then ALCS hero Jim Sundberg came around later to score the winning run.
The Royals again had come from behind to force Game 7 the next night.
That win in Game 6 demoralized the Cardinals. Game 7 was held in Kansas City on
the night of Oct. 27. The Cardinals did not even seem to show up, surrendering
two runs in the second inning, three in the third and five in the sixth, as the Royals cruised to an 11-0 win in the game and 4-3 in the series.
Pitcher Bret Saberhagen was named World Series most valuable player
for allowing one run in Game 3 and zero runs in Game 7, both wins for the Royals.
It had become cliché to say, but improbably the Kansas City Royals had
come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the World Series.
Parting thoughts
When the Royals put the finishing touches on their 11-0 win in Game 7
of the World Series, it was the culmination of years of success for the Kansas
City Royals.
They had come close in the 1970s, making it to three straight League
Championship Series, then even closer in 1980 when they advanced to their first
ever World Series. Yet that final victory kept eluding them.
They remained competitive. By 1985, they had already won another
division title in 1984, and were back in the playoffs.
This time around though, something was different. In all those other
years, they ran into superior teams who all but once went on to win the World
Series. Now, they had re-tooled their pitching staff with young arms, and still
got veteran leadership and strong play from veterans such as George Brett and
Frank White.
It would be manager Dick Howser’s last year with the club, after four
years, and they went out with a bang.
What made this team different was they never gave up. They faced six
elimination games, the maximum a team could play in that era. They fought them
all off, and won the championship.
It was an amazing October, and one to remember.
It would take the Royals exactly 30 years to win their next World
Series. It really was time to party like it was 1985, not only to celebrate the
2015 championship, but to remember one of the best teams, and greatest playoff performances,
of the 1980s.
*This is from the vault
*This is from the vault
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