The 1985 World Series began on October 19 and ended on October 27….when the American League champions Kansas City Royals played the National League champions St. Louis Cardinals….as with the Royals upsetting the heavily favored Cardinals in seven games. The Series was popularly known as the “Show-Me Series“ or the “I-70 Showdown Series“….as both cities are in the state of Missouri and are connected by 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 10th World Series title…..while the Royals were seeking their first World Series title. The Royals were completing one of the most successful decades by any expansion team….with six division titles and two pennants from 1976 to 1985.
This was the first World Series in which all games were played at night. Also, this was the first World Series to feature television commentator Tim McCarver…..who called the games for ABC with Al Michaels and Jim Palmer. Howard Cosell was originally scheduled to be in the booth with Michaels and Palmer…..but was removed from his assignment just prior to Game 1 because of the controversy surrounding his book I Never Played the Game…..as McCarver would go on to call a record 24 World Series telecasts for various networks.
This was the second Missouri-only World Series…..with the first being the 1944 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the St. Louis Browns…..when the Browns later would move and become the Baltimore Orioles. The 1985 World Series marked the 5th time in World Series history that a team came back from a three games to one deficit to win a championship….as Bret Saberhagen’s victories in Games 3 and 7….where he allowed only a single run on both starts….would earned him the World Series Most Valuable Player award.
This was the last World Series in which the designated hitter was not used in an American League baseball park. From 1976 to 1985, in even-numbered years, the DH would be used in all games. In odd-numbered years, like this World Series, the pitchers from both were required to bat for themselves throughout the series. Beginning with the next World Series, the DH rule would be used only in games played at the American League representative’s park.
The Kansas City Royals became World Series champions for the first time in their history…..as they would return to the Series in 2014….in which they played the 2014 World Series against the San Francisco Giants….but lost in seven games….but a year later in the 2015 World Series, the Royals would win their 2nd title against the New York Mets.
The 1985 World Series began on October 19 and ended on October 27. The American League champions Kansas City Royals played the National League champions St. Louis Cardinals, with the Royals upsetting the heavily favored Cardinals in seven games. The Series was popularly known as the “Show-Me Series” or the “I-70 Showdown Series,” as both cities are in the state of Missouri and are connected by 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 10th World Series title, while the Royals were seeking their first World Series title. The Royals were completing one of the most successful decades by any expansion team, with six division titles and two pennants from 1976 to 1985. This was the first World Series in which all games were played at night. Also, this was the first World Series to feature television commentator Tim McCarver, who called the games for ABC with Al Michaels and Jim Palmer. (Howard Cosell was originally scheduled to be in the booth with Michaels and Palmer, but was removed from his assignment just prior to Game 1 because of the controversy surrounding his book I Never Played the Game.[1]) McCarver would go on to call a record 24 World Series telecasts for various networks.
This was the second Missouri-only World Series, with the first being the 1944 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the St. Louis Browns (the Browns later moving and becoming the Baltimore Orioles). The 1985 World Series marked the 5th time in World Series history that a team came back from a three games to one deficit to win a championship. Bret Saberhagen’s victories in Games 3 and 7, with him allowing only a single run on both starts, earned him the World Series Most Valuable Player award.
This was the last World Series in which the designated hitter was not used in an American League baseball park. From 1976 to 1985, in even-numbered years, the DH would be used in all games. In odd-numbered years, like this World Series, the pitchers from both were required to bat for themselves throughout the series. Beginning with the next World Series, the DH rule would be used only in games played at the American League representative’s park.[2] The Royals became World Series champions for the first time in their history; they would return to the Series in 2014, in which they played the 2014 World Series against the San Francisco Giants but lost in seven games. A year later in the 2015 World Series, the Royals would win their 2nd title against the New York Mets.
