When I think back to 1985, it’s hard for me to pinpoint a favorite memory. Actually, it’s impossible for me to pinpoint a favorite memory, mainly because I was not alive yet. But for Kansas City baseball fans (who were alive) in 1985, the memory of their beloved Royals winning the World Series probably feels like it was yesterday…yesterday, 29 years ago.
After Tuesday night’s dramatic, 12th inning, come-from-behind win over the Oakland Athletics in the AL Wild Card playoff, Royals fans probably woke upon Wednesday morning feeling like it was 1985 all over again, and for good reason. The team battled back from an all-but-insurmountable 7-3 deficit in the 6th inning, despite what appeared to be manager Ned Yost’s best efforts to deliberately lose the game. Yost pulled starter James Shields from the game in the 6th with a 3-2 lead after he threw only 88 pitches. His replacement, Yordano Ventura, gave up a three-run homer to Brandon Moss shortly after. But the Royals found a way to win, like all teams of destiny tend to do. With the cards stacked against them in the ALDS against the red-hot Los Angeles Angels, only time will tell if the Royals have any more magic up their sleeves.
