The Royals were just two years removed from the ultimate high—their 1985 World Series title that capped off a decade of consistent winning. But they couldn’t be blamed if it seemed like longer. 1986 had turned into a long nightmare. The team slipped under .500. Manager Dick Howser was diagnosed with a brain tumor and […]
After winning the World Series in 1985 and capping off a decade of dominance in the old AL West, the Royals slipped over the next three years. They suffered through a losing season in 1986 and were barely over .500 in 1987 and 1988, although what was then the weakness of the division kept them […]
The ten-year period from 1976-85 was a great one for the baseball fans in Kansas City. The Royals won the old AL West six times, the American League pennant twice and the World Series in 1985. The 1983 Kansas City Royals were the outlier in this otherwise outstanding era, finishing under .500 and unable to […]
The mid-1970s through the mid-1980s were a great time to be a baseball fan in Kansas City. The Royals were a perennial contender. They won division titles in 1976, 1977 and 1978. They ran second in 1979 and won the American League pennant in 1980. Even though 1981 saw them slip, the strange dynamics of […]
There are times when a perceived mismatch leads to a magical upset or at least a riveting moment when a favorite has to turn back a determined challenger. The 1984 ALCS between the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals was not one of them. The Tigers came in a heavy favorite, and while the Royals […]
The 1984 Kansas City Royals weren’t one of the stronger teams in the franchise’s halcyon days from 1976-85. The season looked lost several times and the final record was a mediocre 84-78. But in a year where the AL West was weak, the Royals put together a September surge that won them a division title. […]
It was a year of change in the MLB postseason structure for 1985. The League Championship Series expanded from a best-of-five to a best-of-seven and it had an immediate impact. The Kansas City Royals lost three of the first four games to the Toronto Blue Jays before rallying to win the 1985 ALCS.
… it was a Series that was ready for prime-time as the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals gave America a fun regional rivalry, the Show-Me State Showdown, and a seven-game series, replete with controversy, as the Royals ultimately won their first, and thus far, only title.
They made it back to the postseason in ’81, but it took a lot of unusual circumstances—a players’ strike in mid-season and subsequent expansion of the playoffs opened the door for the Royals, who still needed a managerial change to help get over the top.
…the first Division Series came about by accident and it produced an ironic result–not only did the New York Yankees advance, but so did their old manager, who moved on with the Oakland A’s.
The Philadelphia Phillies and Kansas City Royals each had been through their share of trials to get the World Series. The Phils and Royals made the League Championship Series each year from 1976-78, and lost all three times. They both broke through together and it was the Phillies who took the final step in the 1980 World Series.
The Royals were the pre-eminent team of the old AL West in the late 1970s. They won the division each year from 1976-78, but lost the League Championship Series to the New York Yankees each time. After a step back in 1979 resulted in a second-place finish, the organization made changes. Whether it was by cause or coincidence, the changes resulted in a breakthrough. The 1980 Kansas City Royals finally made the World Series.