The Spirit of Missouri Part 3 (1971-1999)

As the tempestuous 20th Century began its final 30 years, the United States had just survived a decade of change and devastation. In the 1960s, a president and prophet were both assassinated, man had just made it to the moon, the abolition of slavery had celebrated its centennial, and four major sports organizations- the National Football League, Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, and the National Hockey League were succeeding all across the country.

From 1970 to 1999, the state of Missouri, also known as the ‘Show Me State,’ remained a land of opportunity and success.

Missouri fielded numerous individuals whose accomplishments enshrined them forever in sports lore; it saw a quick-witted manager impose his will of speed on the ball field while guiding his team to three pennants in six years; it hosted the first championship series played between the cross-state rivals of Kansas City and St. Louis; it witnessed some of the most dramatic and heartbreaking losses between two of the state’s most popular teams, and at the end of the 20th Century, was the center of attention for baseball’s most exciting summer ever.