Ah yes 37 years ago my entire family were divide going into the 1985 World Series. I was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri and of course grew up a Cardinals fan just like my dad, my mother and my older brother. I also had a handful of relatives at that time that lived in St. Louis and still do, that also grew up as Cardinal fans. In the Middle were my grandparents who were living in Springfield, Missouri at that time, who split their support, one was rooting for the Cardinals and the other was rooting for the Royals. Then some 250 miles west from I-70 are a chunk of my relatives that lived in Kansas City who were Royal fans. From Cousins, Aunts and Uncles. My oldest Uncle had a friend who played for the Kansas City Royals named Willie Wilson who played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball and part of the team that included Hall of Famer George Brett, Frank White, Hal McRae and Dan Quisenberry. At that time the Kansas City Chiefs were down in the dumps, the NBA Kansas City Kings moved to Sacramento in the summer of 1985 and the only talk during that period were the Royals who put up some great runs from 1976-78 only to lose to Yankees three straight years in the American League Championship Series. The manager of the Royals at that time was Whitey Herzog. In 1980 the Royals finally broke through the World Series only to lose to the Philadelphia Phillies in 6 games.
The Cardinals were down in the dumbs throughout the 70’s but in when Whitey took over in 1980 the Cardinals started winning and in 1982 won the World Series beating the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3. The Cardinals were in the mitts of a dynasty from players like Hall of Fame Shortstop Ozzie Smith, Willie McGee, Tom Herr, Jack Clark, Terry Pendleton and pitcher John Tutor. My family in St. Louis had every right to brag about the Cardinals because they were winning. Meanwhile in Kansas City for the Royals it was close but no cigar. During the 1985 Major League Baseball season both the Cardinals and the Royals were on top of their leagues and it was during that time that my mother made a prophetic prediction that two teams would meet and that the family on both sides of the state of Missouri were going to be divided and arguing with each other on who was going to win the World Series. I was 11 years at the time, so you know that it’s Cardinals all the way. We being my parents had just watch and celebrate the Cardinals beating the Dodgers in game 6 in the National Championship Series and we watched with joy when the Royals beat the Toronto Blue Jays in game 7 of the to win the American League Championship Series. So, we called from St. Louis to Kansas City and to Springfield to boost our teams for the 1985 I-70 World Series. It looked like the Cardinals were going win in 5 games, but the Royals won in impressive fashion. In fact, the Royals won 2 out of three games at Busch Stadium which was surprising. So, game 6 of the rolled on at Royal Stadium which the Cardinals had 3 games to 2 lead over the Royals. In the top of 8th inning with Brian Harper singled home Terry Pendleton to give the Cardinals the lead and a second World Series title in 3 years. I felt confident but nervous going into the bottom of the 9th inning which my parents were anticipating in calling my relatives in Kansas City and declare Cardinals winners of the 1985 World Series. Then the called that will be in my memory for fever and to this day have divided my entire family when Jorge Orta hit a routine bouncer to Jack Clark. He tossed it to pitcher Todd Worrell and got Orta which for what should had been the first out of the 9th inning but umpire Don Denkinger called him safe. I sat and watched on television with great shocked and disbelief. My parents of course were cussing at the umpire on television. And things just collapse, when both Jack Clark and Darrell Porter missed played a simple foul ball that dropped behind Clark. Then with the bases loaded and one out former Cardinal player Dane Iorg looped a single to right field and two runs scored giving the Royals a 2-1 victory. I ran into my room and started crying. I couldn’t believe that umpire made that called and snatched the victory out of the hands of my team. My mother and dad were cursing all night until the early morning. There was a Game 7, but it didn’t matter because I knew the Royals were going to win it which they did and won Series. Every year since Game 6 of the World Series we debated and argue about the call, we argue about other bad calls that were in favor of the Cardinals during the series. It didn’t matter, I still feel to this day that the Cardinals were robbed from the I-70 Series and sadly we may never get another series like we had in 85. The closet we had was in 2014 when both the Royals and the Cardinals were both in the League Championship which the Cardinals lost and Royals won only to the lose the World Series in 7 games against the San Francisco Giants. A year later the Royals won their first World Series in 30 years, beating the Mets 4-1. Perhaps we could see one in Major League Soccer Cup Championship which I believe could happen soon, but I’m not sure my family in Kansas City follow soccer like I do when St. Louis. All I wish for once is rematch of the 1985 World Series, so the Cardinals can rightfully win another World Series title against the Kansas City Royals.
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