Jackie Robinson played his first organized ball with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American League in 1945, two years before he broke baseball’s color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers. George Brett rocketed a home run off Goose Gossage into the Yankee Stadium upper deck, closing out a three-game sweep of the American League playoffs, and for many, it was Brett who put Kansas City baseball on the map. In the days when pitchers finished what they started, the Royals used just six pitchers in that entire Series, led by 20-game winner Bret Saberhagen. All that and Redwood High School’s Buddy Biancalana, too, not to mention Steve “Bye-Bye” Balboni, Bud Black (now the Padres’ manager) and the greatest combination of talent and hilarious wit ever displayed by a relief pitcher, Dan Quisenberry. Leading the Series 3-2, the Cardinals took a 1-0 lead into the ninth inning of Game6 at Royals Stadium. Pinch-hitter Jorge Orta led off with a grounder to first baseman Jack Clark, who threw to pitcher Todd Worrell for the out — or so it appeared.