| Memorable moments from the Midsummer Classic |
| 2007: Ichiro's Inside-the-park Homer |
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On a fifth-inning drive, Ichiro Suzuki hit the ball to the right-field wall for the first inside-the-park homer in All-Star Game history. Certainly deserving of the MVP honors, Ichiro finished the night going 3-for-3 in his 7th All-Star Game.
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| 2003: Hammerin' Hank Delivers Homefield |
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Hank Blalock's pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning off Eric Gagne,
one of baseball's top relievers, sent the American League to a 7-6
victory and ensured home-field advantage in the World Series. Blalock,
1-for-7 with a double as a pinch-hitter in previous attempts, hit a
3-1 pitch from Gagne for a two-run homer and sent the AL dugout into a
frenzy. The Rangers third baseman became the 12th player in All-Star
history to homer in his first at-bat.
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| 2001: Cal Goes Out In Style |
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Baseball's all-time ironman, Cal Ripken Jr., homered in his final
All-Star at-bat to earn Most Valuable Player honors. Ripken's
third-inning homer, a solo shot, snapped a scoreless tie. The
40-year-old became the oldest player Midsummer Classic. Ripken's
second All-Star homer ('91) helped him become the fifth player to be
named the game's MVP more than once.
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| 1999: MVP Pedro Martinez |
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Pedro Martinez became the first All-Star Game starting pitcher to
strike out the side in the first inning. He wound up with the victory
and the game's MVP award. Mark McGwire's strikeout was the fourth
consecutive after Martinez sent Barry Larkin, Larry Walker and Sammy
Sosa back to the dugout in the first inning.
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| 1997: Hometown Heroics |
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Has Cleveland ever been any louder? Doubtful. Catcher Sandy
Alomar Jr. made the most of his first All-Star Game appearance in five
seasons and only at-bat of the contest. The Indians slugger belted a
game-deciding homer off Shawn Estes in the seventh inning in front of
a thrilled home crowd. Alomar was named the game MVP as well, at the
first Midsummer Classic at Jacobs Field. American League pitchers did
their part too, limiting the National League lineup to three hits. In
the end, it was American League 3, National League 1.
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| 1996: Piazza Delivery |
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Dodgers' catcher Mike Piazza, who grew up in nearby Norristown, Penn.,
enjoyed quite a homecoming at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. Piazza
nailed a 445-foot home run off Cleveland's Charles Nagy his first time
up, then doubled home the National League's fourth run off Chuck
Finley in his second at-bat to go 2-for-3 and earn the game's MVP
award. In the first All-Star Game ever in which neither pitching staff
issues a walk, the National League shuts out the American League, 6-0.
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| 1995: All-World Star |
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Dodgers hurler Hideo Nomo was the center of the attention at The
Ballpark in Arlington, Texas. Nomo who went on to win 1995 Rookie of
the Year honors, became the first Japanese player to appear in the
Midsummer Classic and the first rookie to start an All-Star Game since
Fernando Valenzuela took the mound for the National League in
1981. Nomo allowed just one hit in two innings and struck out three
batters in a hard fought, 3-2 win by the National League.
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| 1993: The Curious At-Bat |
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It was one of the most memorable at-bats in the history of the
Midsummer Classic. John Kruk, the member of the Phillies least likely
to finish the game in a clean uniform, stepped into the batter's
box. At the first-ever All-Star Game to be held at Oriole Park at
Camden Yards, Kruk faced American League starter Randy Johnson, the
6-foot, 10-inch fireballer from Seattle, whose pitches sailed over and
around the pear-shaped first baseman.
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| 1989: Old, But Good |
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Not to be outdone by 40-year-old National League starter Rick
Reuschel, 42-year-old Texas Ranger Nolan Ryan fired his patented
fastballs at Anaheim Stadium, where he pitched for eight seasons with
the Angels. Ryan, the oldest player on either side, tossed two shutout
innings and helped his cause in becoming the oldest pitcher to win a
Midsummer Classic. Also, in a back-to-back All-Star first, Bo Jackson
led off the bottom of the first inning with a monstrous home run,
followed by Wade Boggs with his own moon shot, en route to a 5-3
American League triumph.
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| 1984: Smokin'! |
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On the 50th anniversary of Carl Hubbell's five consecutive All-Star
Game strikeouts, the Dodgers' Fernando Valenzuela and the Mets' Dwight
Gooden combine for six straight at Candlestick Park in San
Francisco. In the top of the fourth, Valenzuela sets down three Hall
of Fame hitters: Dave Winfield, Reggie Jackson, and George Brett. An
inning later, Gooden, who at 19 became the youngest player in All-Star
Game history, takes care Lance Parrish, Chet Lemon, and Alvin
Davis. Thanks in part to Valenzuela and Gooden, the National League
goes on to win the game 3-1.
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| 1983: The 50-Year Itch |
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As hard as it may be to believe, not one grand slam was hit in the
first half-century of All-Star Game play. But on the 50th anniversary
of the Midsummer Classic, in the place where it all started in 1933 --
-Comiskey Park -- -California's Fred Lynn ended the drought. With the
bases loaded in the third, Lynn sent a shot into the stands for his
fourth All-Star Game home run. The American League sets All-Star Game
records for runs (7) and hits (6) in one inning and goes on to blast
the National League, 13-3.
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| 1971: Mr. July |
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What happens when the wind is blowing out at an All-Star Game? Exactly
what happened at Detroit's Tiger Stadium. Six Future Hall of Famers --
Johnny Bench, Hank Aaron, Reggie Jackson, Frank Robinson, Harmon
Killebrew and Roberto Clemente -- registered home runs in the game to
account for every run scored by both teams. Jackson's blasts, however,
were especially memorable. With one on in the bottom of the third, the
A's slugger ripped a Dock Ellis pitch into a light tower on the roof
of Tigers Stadium -- 520 feet from home plate.
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| 1970: A Crushing Blow |
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Thanks to Brook Robinson's two-run triple, the American League took a
4-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth. But on the strength of Dick
Dietz's solo home run, three more singles and a sacrifice fly, the
National League put up three runs and forced extra innings. That set
the stage for one of the most memorable and controversial plays in
All-Star Game history. After getting a base hit in front of the home
crowd in Cincinnati and moving to second on Billy Grabarewitz's
single, the Reds' Pete Rose races home on yet another hit by Jim
Hickman. Without slowing down, Rose barreled into Indians catcher Ray
Fosse, knocked the ball loose and gave the National League a 5-4 win.
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| 1955: Stan The Man |
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In the greatest comeback in All-Star Game history, St. Louis' Stan
Musial, who would go on to appear in an amazing 20 consecutive
Midsummer Classics, hits a home run in the bottom of the 12th inning
off Frank Sullivan of the Red Sox to give the National League a
thrilling 6-5 victory at Milwaukee County Stadium. All Detroit
outfielder Al Kaline could do was watch Musial's ball sail into a
crowd of excited fans.
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| 1950: Ted's Miserable Adventure |
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Playing in the eighth of his 16 All-Star Games, Red Sox outfielder Ted
Williams crashed into the scoreboard at Comiskey Park in Chicago in
the first inning of the 1950 Midsummer Classic. Williams, who had just
snared a line drive off the bat of Pittsburgh's Ralph Kiner, broke his
left elbow in the mishap and would end up playing only 89 games that
year. The 1950 game was also notable because it was the first
extra-innings affair in All-Star Game history, with the National
League capturing a 4-3 win in 14 innings.
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| 1949: The Barrier Is Broken |
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Two years after Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby broke into the Major
Leagues, African-Americans make their All-Star Game debut with Roy
Campanella, Don Newcombe, Robinson and Doby in the lineup. The
American League wins the game 11-7.
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| 1934: A Real Fan Fest |
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National League starter Carl Hubbell shows that pitching can steal the
show when he strikes out Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al
Simmons and Joe Cronin in order in the first two innings. The National
League is unable to hold the lead once Hubbell leaves the game,
however, and eventually loses the game, 9-7.
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| 1933: The First Home Run |
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The baseball gods could not have planned it any better. With one man
on in the bottom of the third at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Babe Ruth
hits the first home run in All-Star Game history. Ruth, who at 38 was
just two years away from retirement, also robbed Cincinnati's Chick
Hafey of a hit with a spectacular catch in the eighth inning. Ruth's
Yankee teammate, Lefty Gomez, started the game for the American League
and became the All-Star Game's first winning pitcher in the 4-2
American League victory.
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