The Royals entered the league as an expansion team in 1969. They had early success under the leadership of Whitey Herzog, winning their division from 1976 to 1978, but lost each year to the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series (ALCS), finally exacting revenge with a sweep of the Yankees in 1980. The Phillies had a strikingly similar run entering this Series, as they were also divisional winners from 1976 to 1978, but lost three straight NLCS: to the Cincinnati Reds in 1976, and the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1977 and 1978. In 1980, they finally triumphed, rallying on the road to eliminate the Houston Astros.