Royals' full rally in bottom of the 9th in Game 6 in 1985 WS

10/26/85: Watch the Royals' full rally in the 9th inning to score two runs and force a Game 7 after Dane Iorg's walk-off single
About Major League Baseball: Major League Baseball (MLB) is the most historic professional sports league in the United States and consists of 30 member clubs in the U.S. and Canada, representing the highest level of professional baseball. Led by Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr., MLB currently features record levels of labor peace, competitive balance and industry revenues, as well as the most comprehensive drug-testing program in American professional sports. MLB remains committed to making an impact in the communities of the U.S., Canada and throughout the world, perpetuating the sport’s larger role in society and permeating every facet of baseball’s business, marketing and community relations endeavors. With the continued success of MLB Advanced Media and MLB Network, MLB continues to find innovative ways for its fans to enjoy America’s National Pastime and a truly global game.
The American League consists of the following teams: Baltimore Orioles; Boston Red Sox; Chicago White Sox; Cleveland Indians; Detroit Tigers; Houston Astros; Kansas City Royals; Los Angeles Angels ; Minnesota Twins; New York Yankees; Oakland Athletics; Seattle Mariners; Tampa Bay Rays; Texas Rangers; and Toronto Blue Jays. The National League, originally founded in 1876, consists of the following teams: Arizona Diamondbacks; Atlanta Braves; Chicago Cubs; Cincinnati Reds; Colorado Rockies; Los Angeles Dodgers; Miami Marlins; Milwaukee Brewers; New York Mets; Philadelphia Phillies; Pittsburgh Pirates; San Diego Padres; San Francisco Giants; St. Louis Cardinals; and Washington Nationals.
Visit MLB.com: mlb.mlb.com
Subscribe to MLB.TV: mlb.tv
Download MLB At Bat: mlb.mlb.com/mobile/atbat
Download MLB Ballpark: mlb.mlb.com/mobile/attheballpark
Download MLB Clubhouse: mlb.com/clubhouse
Play Beat The Streak: mlb.mlb.com/bts
Play R.B.I. Baseball: www.rbigame.com
Play Home Run Derby: mlb.mlb.com/mlb/fantasy/hr_der...
Get MLB Tickets: mlb.mlb.com/tickets
Get Official MLB Merchandise: www.mlbshop.com/
Check out MLB.com/video for more!
Connect with us:
Facebook: / mlb
Instagram: / mlb
Twitter: / mlb

[@part1801]

I've lived in St. Louis my entire life and watching this, even with blown call, the cardinals blew it. Clark should have made that catch.

[@DaDitka]

Yep. If Clark catches that ball, the Cardinals likely win and no one remembers the blown call.

[@kim0755]

Sure Keith Hernandez makes that catch but without Jack Clark's bat they don't make it to the post season in 85 or 87. Darrell Porter is to share so blame on the foul ball.Clark looks to avoid him and lost track of the ball

[@danielrivera2365]

Don't forget Porter's fumble that allowed the runners to advance. The Cards just imploded in this inning. Royals used Worrell as batting practice.

[@kev6141]

That bad call changed momentum and everything about that 9th inning… if anything that passed ball was the killer

[@hanoverfist1008]

Clark not catching that foul ball and the pass ball that Porter let by is really what cost them. Even if they called Orta out at first, at the point the game ended, it would have been a tie game with a man on1st & 2nd with 1 out. They probably would have walked Mcrae anyway so they could have a force at any base but home.

[@redpillfreedom6692]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="240">4:00</a> The blown call <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="347">5:47</a> The foul ball mishap <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="679">11:19</a> Orta out at third <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="783">13:03</a> The passed ball <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="958">15:58</a> Dane Iorg's game winner

[@markcourtneylindhorst4051]

Thanks

[@jmoneymaker96]

Other than that blown call at 1st the rest was the cardinals self destructing on themselves. No excuses.

[@wildmercuryfilms]

Orta was still out at third. That bunt would have been a tough play at First, so: He was out anyways.

[@marymacdonell4707]

I was at that game. Best sporting event I’ve ever been to. Nothing will ever compare to it.

[@musicaficionado3805]

It was an exciting event but I don’t think it matches up to what the Mets did in game 6 of the next World Series.

[@boogitybear2283]

They need to stay at Kauffman Stadium! Some iconic history has been there!

[@PaulC-ss5uo]

I would have been going crazy

[@vinnies.5512]

Great call by Al Michaels

[@TheBurgerrKing]

I love Al Michaels’ baseball announcing. Better than Football

[@paulzickler4736]

Yeah, this was 35 years ago, I wasn't a big fan of either team, but I swear I still remember so much of Michaels' call clearly. "Balboni tried to hit that one onto the freeway." :-)

[@markfroman738]

Dude has been around forever. It’s gonna be weird whenever he hangs it up. The best to ever do it.

[@tomdulle1707]

2nd greatest. "Do you believe in miracles? Yes!"

[@magnum427]

Bad call by Don Denkinger though!

[@hskr44]

This was the biggest change of emotion I had as a child. From utter despair, to total joy with that base hit.

[@jeffclark2675]

you and me both! i was a senior in high school and the royals were my team. had a poster of george brett on my bedroom wall along side the obligatory poster of the lamborghini countach with the bikini model draped all over it

[@keepingitreal940]

Cards had this won. Worst call in WS history. Any royals fan that claims this is kidding themselves. 🤣🤣🤣

[@saveus228]

first "base hit" was an out

[@hskr44]

@@saveus228 and that base hit ended up as a force out at 3rd base. Didn’t even score.

[@youarepredictable]

@@keepingitreal940 Also, not the reason St. Louis lost.

[@frenchydawg]

For 1985 the camera work is amazing

[@jameslisle7775]

What an underrated walkoff!

[@graciemaemarie11jones16]

by a total bum

[@capinkevarino9674]

You know, for years I've heard from St. Louis fans and baseball fans in general about how the Royals were gifted this game due to the blown call at first. But they never mention that later in the inning, Jorge Orta gets thrown out at third. So that runner never scores. Then Clark misses the easy pop-up in foul ground and Porter allows a passed ball. I mean, they choked. Plain and simple.

[@shawnfitzgerald818]

It was a choke job Worrell got some bad luck

[@2riverageo]

Thank you.....yes, KC got a gift on the Orta play, and that was just what was needed for STL to un-ravel and force a Game 7......which they UN-RAVELED even more......TY Cardinals

[@Captwalker70]

True but had he been called out at first there would have been 2 outs which might have changed the way they pitched to Dane Iorg, knowing he could no longer hit a Sac fly….but either way they won 11-0 in game 7 which to me really shows which team deserved to win.

[@capinkevarino9674]

@@Captwalker70 Yeah, that's a fair point. I wish it had played out differently.

[@Scott80847]

I always felt similar. But the Cardinals just didn't make some easy plays too. This call caused them to meltdown.

[@holtridge7337]

That old man dancing in the crowd was funny. He was a Royals fan.

[@nk5350]

What a throw by Van Slyke… Nearly got him at the plate…..

[@SladeBling]

I know it's rarely mentioned, if ever. There were 3 throws in this inning that were very close but still hard to believe Dekinger made such a collosal error.

[@SladeBling]

Back in 1985 had a new 27 inch Sony Trinitron and thought this broadcast was crystal clear ..and that it would never get better. I do applaud ABC Sports they did a fantastic job with this WS. I think back in the 80's they rotated the WS between the 3 big networks each year.

[@Memorex996]

Great call by Micheals

[@thomascahill8932]

On the winning hit, he stops talking for over a minute and let the crowd tell the story. Love that.

[@smoothALOE]

Thomas Cahill he learned from the best.

[@smoothALOE]

He’s a legend for a reason. He proved that he could cover multiple sports. I wish he could’ve done more basketball, though.

[@skip3778]

Best of all time..

[@graciemaemarie11jones16]

@@skip3778 AT WHINING.

[@mehuldoshi486]

Young Al Michaels was so good

[@RainaEmms]

Say what you will about the blown call, I always recall what Bill James wrote in his 1986 Abstract about this which is that after that play the Cardinals essentially fell apart over a game and an inning.

[@dr.johnsuarez2330]

True but the World Series is over if the call is made. I will never be fully not slightly pained over this game. I was 14 years old at the time. I still think about when the cards play the royals.

[@RainaEmms]

@@dr.johnsuarez2330 yeah but that wasn't the point. The point is what the two teams did with what happened. It wasn't the final play of the game.

[@wildmercuryfilms]

@@dr.johnsuarez2330 Are you on crack? Yes, The Call was Incorrect, I agree. BUT: That is ONE OUT. The Royals still had 2 Outs Left. THE GAME WOULD NOT BE OVER. Orta was out at 3rd anyway. That play would have been DIFFERENT if Orta wasn’t on 2nd base. IE: The Batter would not have been told To Bunt. He would have Swung Away, meaning he may have hit a Single or Double or Triple or Homer. We will never know.

[@tomdulle1707]

@@dr.johnsuarez2330 no it's not. If the play is called, the Royals are still at bat with only one out in the inning. And Orta never scored. The only decent play by the Cards after that was Van Slyke's rope to home and it was too late. Cards got beat by a seldom used hitter batting .190. It was Herzog's fault having his outfield play way too deep with his infield in for the double play leaving tons of open space to bloop a pitch, which is what Iorg did. I know this because unlike you I was at this game. The Cards lost and they deserved to lose. The Cards lost 2 of 3 at Busch in that series. Had they won 2 of 3 at home the series would have never returned to KC. Putting the ticking time bomb Juaquin Andujar for game 7 was another mistake by Herzog in the series. Whitey got flat out outmanaged the final three games. That's the truth. Deal with it. BTW the '85 series the Cards became the only team in World Series history to this very day with a team bayting average below 200. If you don't believe me look it up. And go look at Whitey's interview after game 7 where he tells the reporter "Well, it's kinda hard to win the thing if you can't hit .200.". You're an adult now. You can move on.

[@carycary5824]

Brings back wonderful memories when I was 27. Just a kid.

[@ChrisBakerauthor]

Lonnie Smith and Dane Iorg played for the Cardinals in 1982 World Series and for the Royals in the 1985 World Series.

[@pronkb000]

Lonnie played in 5 World Series, for 4 different teams ('80 Phillies, '82 Cards, '85 Royals, '91-'92 Braves). For awhile he was the only one to play for 4 WS teams--I don't think anyone has matched it in the past few years.

[@Captwalker70]

Yeah and Smith had a whole lot better luck with those teams than he did in the '91 series!!

[@DaDitka]

Darrell Porter, the St. Louis catcher, also started for Kansas City in 1980.

[@robertshonk518]

The situation here is very similar to the more famous game 6 the following year. In both games the home team was down 3 games to 1, and trailing in the bottom of the 9th or 10th. Both featured a shocking collapse - for St. Louis had the ump's blown call, Clark's miss, Porter's pass, for Boston it was Buckner's error and another passed ball (officially wild pitch). Both winners closed the deal in game 7.

[@kevinbradshaw1420]

Not a fan of either team. But man I'd love to see another Missouri World Series.

[@dentonyoung4314]

ONE hard-hit ball the whole inning (the Balboni single), and they manufacture two runs.

[@groofoot]

lol Balboni fouled that one pitch Straight back ... he almost got to be Carlton Fisk ....

[@PaulC-ss5uo]

Basically the same kinda team only a little bit better 30yrs later, the only ball that left the yard was Gordons home run.

[@stevenguevara2184]

Brett is The Man. He is baseball’s Ric Flair. Wooo

[@jeffstell9146]

Crazy that two years in a row in Game 6 in 85 and 86, the road team was 3 outs away from a championship and blew it. Add to it that both final innings included an infamous World Series historical moment...Denkinger's blown call at 1st base and Buckner's error the next year

[@PoliticallyIncorrect90]

Amazing how people still view the Buckner ground ball in '86 (because of the media), but the game was already tied at that point. It went from 2 outs and 2 strikes with nobody on to a 3-run comeback for the Mets because McNamara refused to take out Schiraldi. That refusal lost the series, not Buckner. Add to that, the Red Sox led 3-0 the next night in Game 7 and blew that too. Schiraldi also lost Game 7.

[@davidshaneck7403]

Not to mention 2 critical wild pitch/pass ball plays

[@drs5552]

The cardinals made so many mistakes. Even if the blown call at first had not happened, the royals still would have won this game. Cards fans harp on that blown call, but there were so many other reasons the cards lost this game

[@PoliticallyIncorrect90]

The passed ball was huge.

[@ChrisBakerauthor]

Sundberg scores with the head-first slide. I've never understood why baseball players would slide any other way.

[@drummer1965usa]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="351">05:51</a> This, more so than Denkinger's safe call, is the moment when the Cardinals lost the game. If Clark doesn't look at Porter and keeps his eyes on the ball, he makes the catch, there's one out, the steam goes out of KC's momentum, and the Royals rally very likely never happens.

[@saveus228]

probably still upset about the call. lost his concentration. it all goes back to the Denkinger

[@jimsmith6603]

That missed foul ball was actually coke head Darrell Porter's fault. He was calling for it until the last split second.

[@smaxked_]

He was thrown out…also the cardinals missed a foul ball and gave a up a single anyways

[@PoliticallyIncorrect90]

The passed ball was almost as critical as the blown call. The foul ball miss was still a tough play.

[@furnitureconsortium]

@@PoliticallyIncorrect90 That was a rarity as Porter was a very good catcher.....I do believe he got crossed up and was expecting a fastball and not a curve, which is why he was slow to react until it was too late. I saw this game originally as it happened when I was a kid and I couldn't believe that St. Louis lost the game, they were cruising for a victory.

[@johnyvico]

You know what’s worse then this bad call The damn 3 commercial I had to watch to get here Bad call KZbin

[@garylobo348]

Worrell had the first two batters at 0-2, and could strike out neither.

[@steveprestegard5151]

And then he couldn't find the strike zone after that.

[@us-Bahn]

The yips

[@frankfurlacker5219]

Denkinger must have thought that Worrells foot came off the bag, it's the only explanation I can think of for calling him safe on that play.

[@SladeBling]

someday I'm going to watch all of this Game 6 and count how many whistles I hear. Probably in excess of 500.

[@benjaminwellington8297]

On the bright side the Cards had one more chance in Game 7. Nobody blows a 3-1 series lead to the Royals right?

[@usctrojans001]

Good thing for KC there wasn't Instant Replay back then.

[@michaelwoods9005]

So Orta would've been out at 1st instead of 3rd. Big deal.

[@peartist2]

@@michaelwoods9005 I'm a big Royals fan but that doesn't mean objectivity goes out the window. The dynamic would have changed enormously with that blown call and there's no way to know who would have won. The bunt would have resulted in a runner at second w two out. The game winning hit would have tied the game w a runner on first w two out. Who knows if the Royals win in the ninth or if they win/lose in extra innings after that. It was a big deal because it cost the Cardinals extra opportunities to get out of the inning without a loss

[@DoubleStar92]

@@peartist2 go back to the 4th inning when Frank White was called out trying to steal second. Replays show he was safe. NO CARDINALS FAN EVER REMEMBERS… LMAO White would easily score on Sheridans single and the denkinger call is irrelevant. But by not bringing up the bad call on White Cards fans and the rest can keep the legend of denkingers call alive. It’s truly pathetic! But what do you expect from those who can’t accept losing??!! 😉

[@richardosburn7319]

@@DoubleStar92 outstanding that you remember this. I have had this argument with Cardinal fans a few hundred times over the years. I thought the play that you mention happened in the 5th or 6th, but it did in fact happen. And for those that want to make a big deal out of the fact that it was an American umpire that incorrectly called Orta safe, it was a National league umpire that incorrectly called White out. 😳

[@youarepredictable]

@@peartist2 And if they didn't blow the call earlier in the game and call White out at 2nd, he would have scored on the next single and we'd have had one more out then and another run. This call wasn't as important as people think it was.

[@donkraemer50]

Your two catchers: one bunting, one a pinch runner. Think you'd ever see that again? Lol

[@vincentgirardi401]

how about a team bringing in 5 bench players (including Motley) in one inning - do teams even have 5 players on the bench anymore?

[@mikeinhubcity7433]

@@vincentgirardi401 with the 26 man roster, yes. Most NL teams carry a 5 man rotation, 8 in the bullpen & 13 position players.

[@ChrisBakerauthor]

I can understand now why Denkinger blew the call. He couldn't see both the ball and Orta's foot. He said that he never heard the ball go into the glove because of the crowd noise. Yes, it's a bad call. It's also understandable why he blew the call. Denkinger later admitted that he blew it.

[@cavalierfan1995]

steve balboni the mike moustakas of the 80s

[@Izzbadd]

You don't bat .185 and win the World Series

[@stevenguevara2184]

McRae is sitting on the fastball

[@smoothALOE]

Between this finish in ‘85 and the finish in ‘86, I don’t know which is better, but I think I prefer this one.

[@us-Bahn]

Iorg got more congrats in game 6 than Mazeroski got in game 7.

[@izaaksochinski5847]

“We LoSt tHe SeRiEs BeCaUsE oF oNe BaD cAlL.”

[@TheNickstar]

People forget that there was a horrible call on the royals earlier in the game, too. Frank white was called out at second and would have scored easily on Sheridan’s single afterward 😉

[@johnhanka6220]

No you didn’t

[@georgekauffman1169]

Orta was throw out at third 2 plays later.

[@kim0755]

Vince Coleman was a huge reason they made it to the post season. Same with Clark in 87 . Had they both been healthy, I believe they would have won both of those series.

[@us-Bahn]

Tough

[@edamnaf9265]

Totally blown call....and I'm a Royals fan. he was out.

[@pep590]

Yes, but was irrelevant as it turned out. Dropped pop up, passed balls and a wild pitch. Cards Blew it.

[@toothybj]

That was a horsecrap call at first, but that same guy ended up getting out at 3rd on a force (1-5), so who knows if a good call would have changed the outcome.

[@saveus228]

that bunt doesn't happen if there was just a runner at 1st with 1 out, instead of 2 runners on and 0 outs. it completely changed the situational baseball strategy.. instead of a bunt into a force, the bunter could have ended up hitting into a game ending GIDP.

[@arsenal-slr9552]

If the call had been made, there would've been one out and a ground ball hit right to the pitcher to set up a DP which would've ended the series

[@chekhov4215]

@@saveus228 Or a walk off home run.

[@ericbuessing3999]

@@saveus228 Or the bunter could have hit a game tying hit; that's the problem with what if's, the fact that your scenario is better in your head doesn't mean that's what would have happened.

[@bubbadump8676]

Dude it tottaly changed the dynamics of the inning lol

[@StFidjnr]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="233">3:53</a> sparky was doing the color with Jack buck on CBS radio

[@martym.6274]

Dankeger blew that call big time. How he missed that I’ll never understand, the play wasn’t ever close. He should have been suspended for the rest of the series and into the 1986 season. That being said the Cardinals manager should have came out and calmed his team down. The team totally melted down and I blame that on Whitey.

[@charlesmurphy3222]

I could see why Porter wanted no business calling a slider with runners on. That pitch looks like trying to catch a 90 mph bowling ball. And Darrell Porter is a defensive stud. This is a great educational video on how to win (and lose) a one run game in the 9th inning with everything to gain. And nothing to lose. Optimum situational baseball. Tons of measures and countermeasures by both teams. Blowing the Orta call? Yeah, I get it. Can't give away outs when they're handed to you. Orta without a runner at 1st and the bunt is now a tag play, not a force. Like I said, tremendous baseball played here. And it wasn't Denkingers fault St. Louis didn't show up for Game 7.

[@jimsmith6603]

Porter was a coke head. Whitey never should've traded Hall of Famer Ted Simmons to the Brewers.

[@redpillfreedom6692]

Apparently when Porter touched his mask at 12:57, he was simply adjusting his glasses but Worrell mistook it as a call for a pitch change. The replay suggests Porter was expecting a fastball and was completely caught off guard by the sudden dip the ball took.

[@furnitureconsortium]

@@jimsmith6603 Did Porter like his powder? yes....I'm not gonna argue that fact....it ultimately killed him at a young age 😞 Did it affect Porter's skills on the field? not a chance....if it wasn't for Porter, they wouldn't have won it all in 82'. Ted Simmons was past his prime when that trade went down, Porter gave St. Louis some good years and a championship. Porter got crossed up, plain and simple....that happens sometimes in baseball. The whole team got rattled with the bad call at first, it was just a bad situation that snowballed as the inning went on.

[@bigal1024]

Back when baseball was awesome

[@groofoot]

2016 was pretty awesome ;-) (.... 'this is gonna be a tough play, Bryant ... the Cubs ... Win the World Series! Bryant! Makes the play! It's over!) ....

[@parkerkilen3526]

My biggest takeaway as a Cardinals fan is take away the missed call, the score is tied 1-1, and the royals either score and win later on in the bottom of the 9th, or the game goes into extra innings. All the same however, the momentum of the game and all of the World Series thoroughly shifted after that missed first base call. The foul ball mishap possibly might not have occurred if it weren’t for the missed first base call too.

[@RyansColoradoRailProductions]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="240">4:00</a> Denkinger calls Orta safe <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="959">15:59</a> Iorg walks it off

[@larryloveless2967]

The Don Denkinger call is why it is so good today there is instant replay. Many calls are just so close but this one was obvious I wonder how Denkinger missed it. That being said, Jack Clark sure blew an easy catch that would have been made by gold glove Keith Hernandez. Jack Clark was a very good hiter but not the gold glove of Hernandez. The Royals also beat the Cards closer Todd Worrell unable to strike out Royals batters at key moments. Dane Iorg was a fine hitter as he was part of the Cards prior 1982 world series winner.

[@trwent]

Calls at first base in which the pitcher is receiving the throw are always difficult, because instead of just two things moving (the ball and the runner), there are THREE things moving (the ball, the runner, and the pitcher as he receives the throw). A similar situation happened in the Jim Joyce blown call that ruined a perfect game.

[@larryloveless2967]

@@trwent Interesting. I cannot remember where Denkinger was positioned at the time for a view of the play wondering if any obstruction.

[@billdurr6829]

Dont care what Brett says, that call changed everything

[@tomdulle1707]

And trust me when I say you're not George Brett, and he could care less what you think. That call changes everything only if you let it. One out in one game does not cost a team a seven game World Series unless it's the final out in the ninth inning of game seven.

[@holtridge7337]

The Cardinals would hit paydirt in 2006 and 2011, though. I remember those Series well.

[@SN-nh6pq]

You can blame Dekinger all you want…bottom line Clark easily should have caught that foul ball which would have been the first out to go with the second out. Porter or Worrell had the cross up which lead to the runners advancing. Who knows what could have happened after that for the Cardinal defense

[@lethalmatches5883]

Both teams are in Missouri

[@joeoconnor8106]

If they only had Instant replay

[@manuginobilisbaldspot424]

Thank God KC won. It would've been pretty ominous for a black kid watching his first World Series if a manager named Whitey won it.

[@smoothALOE]

I would’ve been too young for it to matter, but as of now, I hate St. Louis, so watching this old series, it makes me happy, as well, haha!

[@killensalves]

Good thing no one cares about some racist black kid.

[@Tobtakular]

@@smoothALOE why?

[@smoothALOE]

@@Tobtakular I’m from Dallas. The 2011 WS stings.

[@Tobtakular]

@@smoothALOE oh ok I understand now. I’m sorry

[@matthewbulger5876]

What would have happened, had the blown call at first base, took place In St.Louis ,Instead of Kansas City? I await your reply.

[@TheBurgerrKing]

Whether in Kansas City or St. Louis, if that call isn’t blown, Cardinals win that game and the Series. Cardinals were robbed.

[@chuckHart70]

Royals still would have tied the game.

[@michellec3134]

The runner was thrown out at third anyway so it wouldn’t have mattered.

[@keepingitreal940]

@@michellec3134 its called momentum lmao! Thats one out with nobody on. Crowd isn't in the game. Thrown out after multiple runners on and the entire team is pissed. 🤦‍♂️

[@saveus228]

@@michellec3134 that bunt if it happened, would have been the 2nd out. and that bunt attempt probably doesn't happen if it was just a runner on 1st and 1 out. it changed the situational baseball strategy completely

[@dmannrocks]

We were robbed officer I saw the whole thing....his name is Don Deckenger

[@brianjones6887]

Man, I am glad when the Royals went to natural grass.

[@ropongi1008]

I remember this, and I remember feeling like the Cardinals were cheated out of their World Championship Title because of that controversial call.

[@thomasdeininger1605]

When they hate replay... I send em here

[@davidhagar9847]

Yes, the blown call, epically blown…but, didn’t catch the foul ball, and the throw to the plate was perfect and the catcher was not even remotely in the right position to make the tag.

[@dlong2870]

Not much Porter could do with that - he caught it in front of the plate just before it hit the ground and tried a swipe tag. If he stayed a step or two back on the plate, the throw would have short-hopped him, making for a dicey pick and tag attempt.

[@jimnfl7134]

I feel so sorry for a team that won 11 World Series (2006 and 2011) NOT!

[@oshea41]

Missed the pop up and a passed ball. Cards had their chances. Also - Worrell was a ROOKIE. Lot to ask there.

[@Scott80847]

Interestingly, he wasn't even technically a rookie that year! He didn't pitch enough innings to qualify. He did win ROY in 1986!

[@briancarroll8124]

The foul ball mishap…..never would have happened now…..Clark would have went to railing and caught the ball…..so dangerous for there not to be railing for so many reasons. Instant replay would have fixed bad call at first too. KC had all the luck on their side that game

[@mattfrommo2483]

The passed ball probably doesn't happen now either as pitch com eliminated most cross ups.

[@pep590]

The Cards had all the screw ups on their side. Never seen a team fall apart and blow it all over a call at first.

[@Jiltedin2007]

Had Major League Baseball have Instant Replay in 1985 like they have today Denkinger’s call would have been overturned and Jorge Orta would be called out.

[@smaxked_]

It doesn’t matter he was thrown out later anyways and they woulda won either way

[@Jiltedin2007]

@@smaxked_ Psychologically that hurt the Cardinals!

[@nedsackmann2215]

All made possible by the bad call at 1st base,and then Clark missing the foul ball.😂

[@nappy-headedknuckleheads9109]

1985 > 2025

[@marknutt6900]

2015?

[@brothermichael8442]

@@marknutt6900 I guess the Royals are winning another in 5 years.

[@DaDitka]

Yes, that was a terrible call with Orta. No one denies this. But I would remind all of you that it is still the job of the team to get the job done. If Clark catches the ball, if the passed ball doesn't happen, the Cardinals likely will win this game and the Series. I'm sure there have been times where a bad break happened to a team, and they didn't lose.

[@ChrisBakerauthor]

I've often said the Royals are the worst team to win the World Series. The Cardinals lost this series more than the Royals won.

[@tombradley37]

Had MLB decided not too expand the LCS too seven that year, it would be the Blue Jays in the Series (not the Royals)! And would could have been? Had Tom Neidenfeur decided too walk Jack Clark in Game 6?

[@jimsmith6603]

The Cardinals had the best record in all of Major League Baseball in 1985 so they deserved to be in the World Series more than anyone else. The Cardinals vs. the Blue Jays would've made a much better Fall Classic.

[@chuckHart70]

Yeah those Royals kept coming back though

[@chuckHart70]

​@@jimsmith6603 Trophy 🏆 sure looks nice at the K.

[@pep590]

If they alternated the WS home field every year like they did for decades, the Rangers would have had home field and beat the Cards in 2011.

[@1906ediediedi]

I just saw this for the first time and to me the 1st baseman made two bad plays back to back that cost them the game. If he makes a better throw to the pitcher the first base umpire doesn't have to look in one direction and then back down to the feet therefore missing the call.

[@ericgrove7755]

Umpire Don Denkinger blew the call at first base which eventually cost the St. Louis Cardinals the 1985 World Series championship.

[@pep590]

You are sooooooooooooooooooooo funny!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@brianjones6887]

Yeah, he was out. But after that, The Royals took advantage and the Cardinals came apart. The Cardinals still could have won the series but they didn't. The Royals did.

[@kennethgaribay9153]

Orta was safe at 1st base

[@garylobo348]

Blown call, Al Michaels:. "The first base umpire, Denkinger, American League ". Exactly Favoritism or incompetence? It was one or the other. You all realize that once replay came into existence, it showed the umpires are wrong on nearly 50% of the time on their base calls? Half the time! If replay only existed back then.

[@youarepredictable]

It wouldn't have made a difference. He was still out at third, on a force out, leaving that runner to not score and also that runner contributing to the out total. Also, earlier in the game Frank White was called out when he was obviously safe...by a NATIONAL LEAGUE umpire. He would have been on second when a follow up batter hit a single that would easily have scored him, thus adding an erroneous out to the Royals, and denying them one run. All that complaining for making absolutely zero difference on the outcome.

[@humanexpert2088]

George Orta was out! that was a gift

[@pep590]

The dropped pop up, passed ball, wild pitch were really gifts.

[@jacobjones5269]

Wanna see the real meltdown?.. Watch game 7..

[@ChrisBakerauthor]

Darrell Porter was the 1982 World Series MVP. Here is the least valuable player.

[@groofoot]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1056">17:36</a> = 'Can't make a better throw' .....?? gmab, Jim .... a Perfect throw would have nailed him; the throw was short and Porter had to lean slightly forward to catch it ... and that allowed Sundberg to slide in safely ....

[@redpillfreedom6692]

Porter didn't block the plate. That's on him, not Van Slyke.

[@groofoot]

@@redpillfreedom6692 That's a valid point (and I Love your handle) but, had Porter been blocking the plate in traditional style, he would have had to short hop the throw .... *** Red Pill forever! 8-)

[@kevinbradshaw1420]

If you don't want to lose, don't blame umps. Catch routine foul ball pop ups, don't commit passed balls.

[@arsenal-slr9552]

I blame the ump because if Orta been called out, then there could've been a DP at 2nd to 1st that would've ended the WS for St Louis

[@scott1564]

@@arsenal-slr9552 How? No one would have been on first after Orta had been called out. The Cardinals lost this game when they fell apart, and Denkenger's missed call had little or nothing to do with it. Herzog has said as much. Orta was thrown out at third on Sundburg's bunt -- something that wouldn't have happened. First, Orta wouldn't have been a base runner and second, Sundburg wouldn't have been bunting. Balboni's single would have been an out had the third basemen not been hugging the line. Was that Denkenger's fault too? No. Of course, we all know about the passed ball and the missed foul out. Van Slyke and the rest of the outfield was playing the last batter too deep (a ball hit any deeper would have scored one run easily anyway and there was only one out) and Porter was too far up to get a good tag on Sundburg. This doesn't get in to a blown call earlier in the game at second base involving Frank White. The Cardinals scored THIRTEEN runs in SEVEN games (less than 2 runs per) and anyone who blames an ump for a SINGLE call for the loss is an idiot.

[@kevinbradshaw1420]

@@arsenal-slr9552 I don't know how you figure. But if I were going to place more blame on the umpire, I'd say their chances would be a lot better with no on and 1 out. But still, Clark failed to get an easy out.

[@TruthDissident]

@@scott1564 To say Denkinger's call had nothing to do with it seems wrong. That said they still choked regardless.

[@graciemaemarie11jones16]

whose the whiny girl announcing?

[@evankoch2575]

That was the worst tag attempt I've ever seen

[@TyliteTonyGamingandTutorials18]

First hahahahhahahababahahhahabahahahaha ligma

[@nappy-headedknuckleheads9109]

Good ole days

[@garylobo348]

What are you laughing at? The incompetent umpire?

[@fbistatmajor5918]

0 championships

[@mealythenoob3940]

Clearly safe. Idk what's wrong 👨‍🦯👨‍🦯👨‍🦯#goroyals

[@thomasdeininger1605]

When they hate replay... I send em here

[@chuckHart70]

And they go ohhhhh Well what about the other calls that replay jacks up. Replay has made sports unwatchable.