The All-Stars of the All-Stars
What was originally thought of as a one-shot deal in 1933 has been turned into the annual mid-summer night baseball event. Of course, the All-Star Game pits the best players in each league against each other, but even among these high-profile contests, some shine brighter than others—and make up our All-Star “All Stars.” C: Gary […]
Cast Your Vote for the 1916 All-Star Games
Every baseball fan knows that the first All-Star Game was played in Chicago in 1933. But calls for a midseason All-Star contest go back to the offseason of 1915-16, starting with this article that appeared in Baseball Magazine. We can’t go back in time to change history and replay those lost potential All Star Games on the […]
MLB All Star Game Shouldn’t Matter
This month’s Major League All-Star Game marked the 10th anniversary of it counting, and it’s time that it stopped. This time ‘it counts’ is one of commissioner Bud Selig‘s bad ideas that just won’t go away. There is so much wrong with an all-star game playing a role in deciding the outcome of that […]
All-Star Angst: Taking Our Nation’s Pulse on Baseball
As spring fades into summer, one can feel the anticipation for the Midsummer Classic building through the baseball community. The Commissioner’s Office makes sure we go batty over our ballots, and articles on ideal All-Star squads flood cyberspace. I wrote a few columns of my own about my ideal assemblage […]
“It’s Not a Break:” My Selections for the 2012 National League All-Star Team
“I am a Major League Baseball All-Star. I didn’t get here by chance. I did not take the road of easy or the path of the painless. I worked hard to take this field, for my team, and for my league… Some call it an All-Star break. It’s not a break: we play on, because […]
“It’s Not a Break:” My Selections for the 2012 American League All-Star Team
“I am a Major League Baseball All-Star. I didn’t get here by chance. I did not take the road of easy or the path of the painless. I worked hard to take this field, for my team, and for my league… Some call it an All-Star break. It’s not a break: we play on, because […]
Pitch in for Baseball Joins the State Farm “Go To Bat” Campaign
Pitch In For Baseball is delighted to have been selected to participate in State Farm‘s ‘Go To Bat’ campaign. Now we need your help! ‘Go To Bat’ was launched nationally during the State Farm Home Run Derby. ‘Go To Bat’ gives entrants a chance to win tickets to the upcoming World Series and selected charity […]
The Japanese All-Star Series
Image via Wikipedia While watching the recent MLB All-Star game, I started thinking about what the All-Star game is like in Japan. Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann and Chicago Cubs outfielder Marlon Byrd performed late-inning heroics, propelling the National League to victory. Now that the MLB’s mid-summer classic “counts,” the win assures a National League […]
All-Star Shame; Prospects Flame
Image by Evan Wohrman via Flickr I’m going to go on my annual rant about the All-Star Game albeit somewhat less harsh. This game is at a crossroads. What is it really and what has it become? Historically the All-Star Game was created to offer some excitement during the Great Depression. No fewer than 19 […]
Steriods, It’s Not All Equal!
On Monday night, July the 13th., we managed to see 7 of the best home run hitters in baseball and Brandon Inge get together in an attempt to put on a power display where batting practice pitchers grooved balls at 70—75 MPH and in turn the likes of Pujols, Fielder, Cruz, and Howard deposited them […]
Great Moments in All-Star Game History: Part 3 (1990-2008)
Over the last two decades, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game has transformed from being simply a game to being a multi-day extravaganza where the game itself is simply one component. For that reason, the game has at times seemed to be anti-climatic, but has still produced some great memories. After the National League dominated […]
Great Moments in All-Star Game History: Part 2 (1960-1989)
After becoming an American tradition following its inception in 1933, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game evolved into the “Midsummer Classic” through some memorable moments in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. The exhibition eventually moved beyond being just a game to include a home run contest and many other activities that gave fans the opportunity […]
Great Moments in All-Star Game History: Part 1, 1933-1959
Since its inception in 1933, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game has provided fans an annual opportunity to see most of the great stars of the game on the same field. While the game is an exhibition and has withstood periods of indifference by some players, management and fans, it remains a special mid-season moment. […]
