In Kansas City, there are thousands of T-shirts celebrating the Royals’ only postseason run in the last 29 years, saying the team and its fans should “party like it’s 1985.” There’s even a video on YouTube roughly resembling the Prince song along those lines. But really, this is nothing like 1985. Not yet. But now, there’s hope. Real, bonafide, tangible hope that a championship can come to Kansas City. Twenty nine years ago, the Royals entered the playoffs for the seventh time in 10 seasons and were only a 16-year-old franchise. I grew up an hour west of Kansas City thinking baseball playoff appearances were standard operating procedure. I was a 20-something man when they won the World Series. I thought it would always be that simple for a team to win it all. It isn’t anymore. These days, world champions have to win more games against more teams to emerge on top. Back then, we Royals fans were used to success, maybe even spoiled. Excluding the franchise’s first two seasons, the Royals never lost more than 85 games in a season. By contrast, between the strike of 1994 and the end of 2011, Kansas City had one winning season, and even the most faithful Royals fan knew that was fluke. The team suffered four 100-loss seasons in a five year stretch. Hope was non-existent for a long time, and patience with new general manager Dayton Moore’s plan was in short supply. In 1985, the Royals never led in a series until they’d won Game Seven. This year they hadn’t even lost a game until they ran into Madison Baumgarner. Before 1985, Kansas City had swept only one other postseason series. Frustration crept in during the ‘85 postseason for Royals fans, as they went 4-4 in games decided by two runs or less. This year it’s been all about the thrill, with Kansas City going 8-0 in such games so far. There are some similarities between the 1985 Royals and this year’s run: outstanding pitching and an unhealthy reliance on timely hitting top the list. Above all, Royals fans are ecstatic about being in the World Series after a 29-year wait. It’s been exciting beyond imagination. Hope has finally met expectation. With all due respect to the 1985 World Champions, I think this party will be far more epic. A new generation of fans will have gone through years of awful baseball to become champs. And as big a deal as it would be in Kansas City to win tonight, it would be nothing compared to the celebration Cubs fans will one day put on when the North Siders win a pennant. I’d encourage Cubs fans everywhere to take a few minutes tonight and imagine the scenario. Hope. It’s a good thing. Maybe the best of things.
