The baseball all-star game is sill one of the more enjoyable nights of the summer.
Unilike other all-star events, the baseball all-star game is an actual game. It is competitive. The players actually care about winning. There is league pride involved. Not to mention the home field advantage for the World Series.
Maybe it is the nature of the game of baseball that makes it more conducive to an all-star game than any other major sport. At any rate, it is still "the Mid-Summer Classic" and it is still a fun event.
In our regions, Reds fans will take great pride in the fact that Joey Votto will hit clean-up for the National League. Pittsburgh Pirates fans will hope that the rest of the country will discover what they already know, that Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutcheon is one of the best young outfielders in the game today.
In the old days it was a thrill to see a Ted Williams and a Joe DiMaggio playing in the same American League outfield. It was also special in the National League in the 60’s to see a National League outfield of Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Roberto Clemente. Throw in a young Billy Williams of the Cubs and a young Frank Robinson of Cincinnati and it was an incredible array of talent.
Unlike other sports, we remember great all-star moments in baseball. Moments such as Johnny Callison’s game winning home run for the N.L. in the 1964 game. We also remember Tony Perez hitting a game winning homer in the 15th inning of the 1967 game. We remember Pete Rose barreling over Ray Fosse in the 1970 game, Reggie Jackson hitting the light tower above Tiger Stadium in the 1971 game and even Josh Hamilton’s home run derby display at the 2008 game in New York.
It was always fun to watch a Bob Gibson, a Sandy Koufax and a Juan Marichal be in the pitching line-up for the National League.
Do you know when the first all-star game was played? It was 1933. Do you know who hit the first home run in all-star game history? Babe Ruth.
The baseball all-star game is still fun. Enjoy it.