BASEBALL ALL STAR GAME STILL SPECIAL

The second half of the baseball season is now officially underway. But many players and fans are still rubbing their eyes and catching their breath from last Tuesday’s classic All-Star game in Yankee Stadium. It was the longest All-Star game in history in terms of length of time. It rivaled the 1967 Mid-Summer Classic in terms of innings played—both games were one run affairs that were decided in 15 innings in an American League Park.

The 1967 game was played in the shadows of Disneyland in Anaheim, Calfornia and was won 2-1 by the National League on a home run by Tony Perez of the Cincinnati Reds. The wining pitcher for the N. L. that night was a young rookie for the New York Mets by the name of Tom Seaver.  

Last Tuesday’s game was won by the American League 4-3 in the bottom of the 15th on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Michael Young. It was a game that proved why the baseball All-Star game is still the best. The NFL Pro Bowl can not compare. Neither do the NBA or NHL All-Star games. They’re all played with flair and show, but with little intensity. 

With baseball you can see the pride, intensity and emotion on the players faces. If you watched the game last Tuesday, you could feel the drama in each team’s dugout. It meant something and it had nothing to do with home field advantage for the World Series. It had everything to do with league pride and the history of the game. No other sport has that with its all-star game.

Just when we thought the game couldn’t get any better. We were able to see and enjoy a game like Tuesday night’s in New York and we’re reminded just what’s special about baseball. 

Frank Giardina