40 Years Ago, St. Louis Went ‘Crazy’

On this date in 1985, Ozzie Smith unleashed an improbable home run that helped power the Cardinals to a playoff win and inspired one of the greatest calls of all-time

By Ryan K Boman | Oct 14, 2025

“Smith corks one into right, down the line… It may go... Go Crazy, folks! Go Crazy!”

In 1985, it felt really good to be a St. Louis Cardinals fan. The runnin’ Redbirds were winning big, and they were the most electric and exciting team in Major League Baseball. Just three years removed from their 1982 World Series win, the Gateway City held out hopes that Whitey Herzog and the Cards were on their way to another championship.

Led by Herzog, the team defined the term Whiteyball perhaps more than any other club he managed. With only one true power threat in Jack Clark, the rest of the lineup was built for speed: Willie McGee, Ozzie Smith, and a precocious young rookie named Vince Coleman were swiping bases on the fast track of Astroturf that adorned Busch Stadium II. The team’s theme song that year was Glen Frey’s ‘The Heat is On’, not only due to the Birds' blazing speed but also for the hot temperatures that the artificial turf created when July and August rolled around.

After toppling the Mets in the old NL East Division, the team would be facing the Los Angeles Dodgers - another storied franchise - for the right to go to the Fall Classic. It certainly looked as if the Cardinals might finally meet their match. The Dodgers had pitching and power, featuring superstars like Fernando Valenzuela, Pedro Guerrero, and Orel Hershiser.

But the Cards had enough offense of their own, albeit in a different way. Their baserunners were not only quick but clever, often forcing mistakes by their opponents. But by the end of the 1985 National League Championship Series, the Redbirds proved they could win with the occasional long ball now and then.

At the time, Ozzie Smith was known for his Gold Glove defense, but was still tagged with the familiar ‘light-hitting middle infielder’. But in Game 5 of the titanic tussle between the two teams, the little man proved that he had a hammer. With the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth, the Wizard of Oz stepped to the dish. What happened next was a massive moment in Cardinals lore, and a slice of St. Louis sports history.

The switch-hitting Smith was batting left-handed, which was notable. He didn’t hit as well from that side of the plate, and in fact, had never hit a home run as a lefty. After working against Dodgers closer Tom Niedenfuer, Ozzie roped one down the rightfield line that barely cleared the blue outfield wall. It may be one of the most improbable home runs in history.

With the stadium rocking and roaring, Cards announcer Jack Buck gave us one of the best calls ever, with his famous “Go Crazy, Folks!” line that fit the moment perfectly. As a little 10-year-old Cards fan, I cried tears of joy as I watched Ozzie Smith circle the bases.

Perhaps what made it so special was that it was a David vs Goliath type moment, or maybe just the improbability of Ozzie going yard at the most clutch time to do it. It’s certainly credited with propelling St. Louis to the World Series, and that’s also notable. But I believe it was even more than that.

Looking back, it’s the interlocking of two legendary STL sports figures and two of the best at what they did. From one future Hall of Famer to another, Jack Buck’s exclamation point on it all helped to define not only his own career, but Smith’s as well. It was a divergence of destiny, all played out under the shadow of the Arch. And in that brief moment, everything just seemed perfect.

Now and then, I look that clip up online and watch. It always makes me smile and reminds me of going to the old park as a kid, and how special the 1980s really were to this franchise and its community.  And I must admit… even this 50-year-old fan may shed a happy tear, even all these decades later.

Ryan Boman is a contributing writer for On SI at Sports Illustrated and the author of the 2023 book, Pop Music & Peanut Butter, a Collection of Essays Looking at Life with Laughter & Love. His previous work has appeared at MSN, Heavy, the Miami Herald, Screen Rant, and Yardbarker. Follow him on social media @RyanKBoman