1985 World Series

The 1985 World Series began on October 19, 1985 and ended October 27. The American League champion Kansas City Royals played against the National League champion St. Louis Cardinals, winning the series four games to three. The Series was popularly known as the "Show-Me Series", or the "I-70 Showdown Series," as both cities are in Missouri, separated by the connecting Interstate 70.

The Cardinals won the National League East division by three games over the New York Mets, then defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers, four games to two, in the National League Championship Series. The Royals won the American League West division by one game over the California Angels then defeated the Toronto Blue Jays, four games to three, in the American League Championship Series.

The Cardinals were seeking to win their NL-leading tenth World Series title, while the Royals were seeking to become the first AL expansion team to win the World Series.

This was the first World Series in which all games were played at night. This was also the first World Series that featured commentator Tim McCarver, who called the 1985 World Series with Al Michaels and Jim Palmer for ABC. Howard Cosell was originally supposed to be in the booth, but he was removed from his assignment just prior to Game 1 because of the controversy surrounding his book I Never Played the Game.

This World Series was also the last time to date that the DH was not used at an American League ballpark.

After winning seven West Division Titles, two American League pennants and participating in five out of the last ten Championship Series (76, 77, 78, 80, 85) the Kansas City Royals were still searching for that first elusive World Series title. The National League's St. Louis Cardinals had played in thirteen Fall Classics, won nine of them and entered the '85 contest #2 on the all-time world titles list (thirteen behind the New York Yankees).

With two powerhouses on the scorecard, the mid-eighties Classic promised to be a close race and most experts believed that it would all come down to pitching. The theory proved feasible as both clubs boasted stacked rotations including the Royals' Bret Saberhagen (20-6 record) and the Cards' John Tudor (21-8). As the Series opened up at Royals Stadium, Tudor set the pace with a dominant debut that sent the home team home with a 3-1 defeat. The following day Charlie Leibrandt turned the tables and was throwing a 2-0 masterpiece going into the final inning with three more outs to go. What appeared to be the sweet taste of victory for manager Dick Howser's Royals quickly turned sour as Jack Clark knocked in Willie McGee and it was all down hill from there. Tito Landrum followed with a double down the right field line that sent Clark to third and as the threatening Cesar Cedeno stepped to the plate, the Royal ace was forced to intentionally walk him. Now with the bases loaded, the strategy proved costly as Terry Pendleton doubled down the line in left, sending Clark, Landrum and Cedeno across the plate for the 4-2 comeback.

Now down two games to none, the sinking Royals entrusted Saberhagen to right their course as they entered the hostile waters of Busch Memorial Stadium. The sophomore right-hander got right down to business despite the distraction of his pregnant wife who was due any minute with their first child. In between flashing messages from the team's bench to his spouse, the expectant father tossed a brilliant si...