1985- A Heck Of A Year

There is a great video on the Cardinals' 1985 season.  My favorite year.

1985 was originally to be the year the Cardinals finished last.  Instead they finished on top of the baseball world (except for one umpire's psychotic call).

The Cubs had won the division the year before, for the first time ever.  Cubs fans were more obnoxious than usual.

It was supposed to be the year Whitey Herzog would be fired.  Instead he was manager of the year.

This was the most exciting brand of baseball I have ever witnessed, and probably ever will.  

Speed.  Defense.  Pitching.  Incredible highlights.

Just watch the video.  It's all there.

I went to one game that year.  The Saturday night Cubs game in mid-June shown in the video (the series starts at 10:48).  Sat in the left field loge section.  Cardinals won in their last at bat.  

A Cub-Cardinal game at old Busch was usually quite loud.  I remember Lou Brock's 2997th and 2998th hits against the Cubs in 1979 and how loud that was as he closed in on 3000.  But as Curt Ford's (his MLB debut) game winning hit fell that Saturday night in June 1985, and Ozzie streaked home after stealing on the play, I never heard old Busch so loud (11:02).  Definite was a whole lotta shaking going on of the whole Busch structure.

Excitement every play.  Virtually every inning that season.  

Heck of a year.

It was a special year.  The beginning of the whole Mets-as-pond-scum rivalry that would continue throughout the rest of the 1980s.

It was also the year I graduated college.  Got engaged.  Took off for more schooling.

Heck of a year.

I remember going out until late hours that summer, then heading home and tuning in to KMOX in my car to see if the game was over and if the Cardinals won.  

Sometimes after midnight, the game that night would still be the topic of discussion.

I remember moving in late summer, meeting new people and starting over again.  But the Cardinals remained the one constant in my new surroundings.

Heck of a year.

Meeting new Cardinals fans to share that late season with.  The last week showdown with the hated Mets.  I sweated out 3 straight nights listening to my radio and trying to study at the same time.

The clinching against the Cubs in the 161st game.

The falling behind in the NLCS out in LA, only to come roaring back to win the next four games.

The late Saturday morning game, the Sunday night where Vince Coleman was eaten by the tarp machine, Monday's Ozzie HR and Tuesday's Jack Clark moon shot (best home run trot in history).

Won't ever forget any of it.

The World Series that was won, until it was un-won by the event that shall never be mentioned again.

Heck of a year.

The arrival of Jack Clark and Vince Coleman.  NL MVP Willie McGee flying around in the outfield and the base paths.  Tommy Herr's career year.  Ozzie's defensive acrobatics.

So much fun to watch.  Getting to 101 wins after stumbling out of the gate to a 15-19 record.

And to listen to, with Jack Buck in his prime and Mike Shannon as his wingman.

I miss this type of baseball.  So much better than today's game.  

Truly a team for the ages.

Anyway, my favorite baseball year.  Although I guess I should qualify that with a "so far".  One can never know.