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When fans reflect on the all-Missouri World Series between St. Louis and Kansas City in 1985, first base umpire Don Denkinger is certain to be a focal point in the conversation. In what has become one of the most controversial and famous plays in Series history, Denkinger called Kansas City's Jorge Orta safe on a bang-bang play at first base as Orta led off the ninth inning of Game 6 with the Cardinals up 1-0 and on the brink of a championship.

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Listen to the radio broadcast Starters: Cox vs. Leibrandt WP: Dan Quisenberry LP: Todd Worrell

The Royals came into Game 6 with an ample dose of momentum and confidence. With a 3-1 edge, the Cardinals had designs on wrapping up the Series in five games. But a 6-1 Kansas City victory in Game 5 at Busch Stadium gave the Royals comfort in the knowledge that their season would end at home.

In Game 6, Royals' left-hander Charlie Leibrandt was on a roll early. Leibrandt retired the first 15 St. Louis hitters and had a two-hitter going through seven innings. But St. Louis right-hander Danny Cox matched Leibrant zero for zero and the Cardinals finally broke the scoreless tie in the eighth.

Terry Pendleton produced a one-out single and Cesar Cedeno coaxed a walk. Leibrandt got Darrell Porter on strikes, but pinch-hitter Brian Harper made a bid for World Series hero status with a bloop single to center that gave the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.

Once the Cardinals reached the bottom of the ninth with the dominant closer Worrell on the mound, that one run seemed like 10. Kansas City manager Dick Howser and St. Louis manager Whitey Herzog made a series of substitutions and the end result of that battle of wits was the left-handed-hitting Orta going against the righty Worrell.

The Cardinals got what they wanted from Orta -- a slow bouncer to the right side. First baseman Jack Clark fielded the ball with a somewhat tricky angle and flipped to Worrell covering as Orta flashed by. Denkinger emphatically flashed the safe sign, prompting a vigorous protest from Herzog and the Cardinals.

Although the replays showed that Worrell had the ball with his foot on the bag before Orta arrived, Denkinger's call stood. The Cards seemed rattled, as Clark couldn't reel in Steve Balboni's popup in front of the Royals' dugout. Given a second chance, Balboni singled through the hole on the left side. After Worrell cut down Orta at third on Jim Sundberg's attempted sacrifice bunt, the Cards were breathing a bit easier. But Porter's passed ball moved the runners to second and third with one out.

The Cardinals decided to intentionally walk Hal McRae, loading the bases and setting up a force play at every base. But pinch-hitter Dane Iorg, who was batting for Pat Sheridan, looped a two-run single to right, forcing Game 7. Right fielder Andy Van Slyke made a valiant attempt to throw out the trail runner, but Sundberg arrived with a slide just ahead of Porter's tag.

From the brink of World Series elimination, the Royals had fought back to force Game 7. They rolled over the deflated Cardinals in the deciding game 11-0, leaving Game 6 as the one sports historians would focus on as the crucial juncture in the series.

The Royals finished with a 1.89 ERA in the World Series while hitting .288. But if not for the favorable bang-bang call at first in the ninth inning of Game 6, all that good work might have been wasted.

One call, that's all.

Denkinger's call turned out to be the Royal break that Kansas City desperately needed to become a World Champion.

Copyright 1985 by the Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball