by Jerry Feitelberg
photo file tensportsclub.com: New York Yankee Babe Ruth dominated the All Star game with his multiple appearances back in the 30s
Major League Baseball takes a breather for the next four days. The only game of consequence will be the All-Star game, and the National League will play the American League on Tuesday, and the team that wins will determine home-field advantage for the World Series. It wasn’t always that way. Since the first All-Star game in 1933 and until the tie game in 2002, the winning team would not determine which league would have home field advantage. One year it would be played in the home of the American League champs and the next year it would be played in the National League park. That changed in 2002 when the teams ran out of players and the game ended in a tie. Former Commissioner, Bud Selig, mandated the change as he wanted a game with an outcome with consequence.
In the early years of play, the American League dominated. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Al Simmons, Hank Greenberg, Ted Williams, Joe Dimaggio, and Jimmy Foxx all contributed to the AL’s domination. In the 50s, 60s and 70s, the National League was superior. The had players like Stan Musial, Red Schoendients, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Roberto Clemente, Hank Aaron and pitchers such as Robin Roberts, Warren Spahn, Steve Carleton, Sandy Koufax, Juan Marichal and Don Drysdale. Many of the position players played the entire game, and the pitchers went a maximum of three innings.
Things changed in the 70s. With the advent of free agency, many players switched leagues and a player such as Frank Robinson became an All-Star in one league one year and in the other league the next year. The number of players on the rosters increased to thirty-five and the managers of both teams try to have every player get into the game.
The starting position players, including the DH, are selected by the fans. The managers pick the reserves and pitchers, and the fans have one last vote to pick one more reserve for each team. There was a time when ballot-stuffing occurred. MLB changed the rules, and the players voted for the men that would represent them in the game. That didn’t last long, and voting was returned to the fans.
The players selected to the team are thrilled to be there and play with and against the best players in the game. While the game is just an exhibition, the players want to win. These people are competitive animals and losing is not something they like to do. The game is for the fans so pull up a seat and watch the best in the business go at it Tuesday night in San Diego.
Sports Radio Service 