Back to the 1980s: What Life Was Like the Last Time Mets, Royals Won World Series

The Royals last won in 1985; the Mets last won in 1986.

ByABC News
October 27, 2015, 3:45 PM

— -- The New York Mets and Kansas City Royals prepared for the 2015 World Series this week, and the pressure is on both sides to take home the trophy, which neither team has done in more than 25 years.

The last time the Royals won was 1985, while the Mets last won in 1986.

In honor of the World Series, which starts tonight in Kansas City, Missouri, here is a glimpse at life in 1985 and 1986.

News headlines

On Oct. 27, 1985, ABC News' Sam Donaldson delivered the evening news from Washington, D.C., where the main story of the day was a U.S. investigation after a Ukrainian sailor jumped from his Soviet ship in U.S. waters.

Headlines that day also included an art theft in Paris and Hurricane Juan nearing the Texas-Louisiana coast.

PHOTO: U.S. officials investigate after a Ukrainian sailor jumped from his Soviet ship in American waters.
To something more generic, like Sam Donaldson delivers the ABC News, Oct. 27, 1985.

On Oct. 27, 1986, ABC News' Tom Jarriel filled in for Peter Jennings, delivering the evening news from New York.

The leading news of the day was a spy arrest in Palo Alto, California, in the "longstanding feud between the U.S. and the Soviet Union." FBI agents arrested a former Air Force member suspected of trying to smuggle classified information to the Soviet consulate in San Francisco.

President Ronald Reagan also signed a $1.7 billion drug bill that day, the "single biggest government commitment ever to try to fight drugs."

PHOTO: President Reagan announces a "major victory" after signing an anti-drug bill, Oct. 27, 1986.
President Reagan announces a "major victory" after signing an anti-drug bill, Oct. 27, 1986.

Box office hits

In 1985, when the Royals last won the World Series, the No. 1 movie of the year was Michael J. Fox's “Back to the Future,” according to boxofficemojo.com.

PHOTO: Michael J. Fox and Lea Thompson are seen in "Back to the Future" in 1985.
Michael J. Fox and Lea Thompson are seen in "Back to the Future" in 1985.

“Back to the Future” happened to be dominating the media this month, too, as last week's date, Oct. 21. 2015, marked the exact day to which Fox's character, Marty McFly, travels in the second “Back to the Future” film.

The next year, in 1986, the No. 1 movie of the year was Tom Cruise's “Top Gun,” according to boxofficemojo.com.

PHOTO: Tom Cruise is shown in a promotional still for the 1986 film, "Top Gun."
Tom Cruise is shown in a promotional still for the 1986 film, "Top Gun."

Top TV show

The last time the Royals and Mets were champs, the No. 1 show on television was “The Cosby Show.”

The NBC sitcom took TV's top spot in both 1985 and 1986.

PHOTO: Phylicia Rashad as Clair Hanks Huxtable, Keshia Knight Pulliam as Rudy Huxtable, and Bill Cosby as Doctor Heathcliff 'Cliff' Huxtable in a scene from The Cosby Show, 1985.
Phylicia Rashad as Clair Hanks Huxtable, Keshia Knight Pulliam as Rudy Huxtable, and Bill Cosby as Doctor Heathcliff 'Cliff' Huxtable in a scene from The Cosby Show, 1985.