Game Five, 1985

YouTube will sometimes throw out random suggestions for you based on your viewing history. Sometimes their suggestions are out of left field, others right on the mark.

This suggestion came up and immediately caught my eye. Game Five of the 1985 American League Championship Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Kansas City Royals. It caught my eye not only because it involved the Royals, it caught my eye because I was there, in person with my Dad, for the game.

I have never seen a re-broadcast of this game. I didn't even think to look for this game on tape. Of course it was on YouTube.

On October 13th, 1985, on a cloudy yet pleasant Sunday afternoon, my Dad took me to see the Royals in the playoffs. This was a huge deal for me. I was only twelve years old and the playoff format was much simpler at the time. There was no wild card game or divisional series. Only two teams from each league made "The Playoffs." The American League East winner vs the American League West winner and the same for the National League. Four teams total.

My Dad had scored tickets from one of my wife's bosses who had season tickets to the Royals. Season ticket holders had been given a certain allotment of tickets and they had two extra. So, after church on Sunday morning, we ate lunch and headed out to what was then called Royals Stadium. It was super exciting for me and my Dad. We sat in the upper deck along the first base line. There are no bad seats in that stadium and we had a great view.

I remember thinking the crowd was different than other Royals games I had attended. We went to a lot of games because my Mom's boss often gave us left over season tickets. This upper deck crowd was different than the normal crowd, more upper crust. I could sense that as a 7th grader. I remember one guy, dressed in a sports jacket and button down shirt watching an NFL game on his tiny portable black and white TV just a few rows over from us. Those little TV's were expensive back then. I also remember thinking this game must not be all that big of a deal to that guy if he was watching a game that didn't involve the Chiefs (who stunk that year anyway).

The Royals had dug them selves out of 2-0 hole in the series and now it was tied up 2-2. It was essential they win this one before heading back to Toronto. This was the first year the ALCS had been expanded to seven games and the format was 2-3-2. The Blue Jays had home field advantage so KC needed a win.

Young twenty-three year old Danny Jackson pitched a gem: a 2-0 complete game shutout. I don't remember too many of the details of the actual game. I remember Lonnie Smith stealing third and then Brett getting him in on a sacrifice. I remember Balboni hustling his heart out to second when George Bell threw the ball to third trying to get Frank White out. Balboni couldn't run and that was amazing base running.

I remember having a great time with my Dad on a day that was intermittently cloudy and sunny on a fine October day in Kansas City. I remember buying a pennant and a program which I still have. Of course KC would win the ALCS and go on to win the World Series in dramatic fashion. Thirty years later I took my son to Game Two of the 2015 World Series.

I'm thankful to whoever posted this video. It's been fun watching this game and knowing that my Dad and I are there up in the upper deck on the first base side about even with the base. What a great day.