Synopsis
In the annals of MLB history, the 1985 World Series is remembered almost solely for “The Call.” In the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 6, umpire Don Denkinger errantly ruled Kansas City Royals pinch hitter Jorge Orta’s groundout a hit, leading to a rally that enabled Kansas City to win the game and later defeat the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 7. In Interstate ’85: Whitey’s Cardinals, Howser’s Royals, The Call, and the Battle for the Heart of Missouri Baseball, author Marshall Garvey shows the 1985 series was so much more than just “The Call.” The seven-game battle between Kansas City and St. Louis served as the culmination of a decade of direct and indirect cross-pollination between Missouri’s esteemed franchises, as if they were beckoning to each other for a meeting in October one day. It’s rife with human stories, including Royals shortstop Buddy Biancalana’s ascension from David Letterman punchline to postseason hero, reliever Steve Farr saving Kansas City’s season after nearly being out of baseball, and St. Louis outfielder Tito Landrum completing his arc from mall security guard to clutch World Series hitter. Includes brand-new interviews with Denkinger, Biancala, George Brett, Ozzie Smith, and many others.