All-Star Game takes pause for Stand Up To Cancer

A game steeped in tradition added a new one nearly 15 years ago, and ever since then, it has sparked a poignant singular moment at every Major League Baseball jewel event -- including Tuesday night’s All-Star Game in Seattle.

After the fifth inning of every Midsummer Classic and Game 4 of the World Series, play stops in a perfectly abrupt manner as the ballpark grows silent, and the broadcast turns its attention to the Stand Up To Cancer moment, a regular feature since the first one took place in 2009.

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“Major League Baseball, its fans, players and coaches are united in our determination to defeat this disease, for our friends, our families and our community,” FOX lead announcer Joe Davis said. “Please stand together, with Major League Baseball, Mastercard, FOX and the entire baseball family in support of all those this disease has touched.”

Players, coaches, managers, umpires and fans in attendance at T-Mobile Park stood together in a unifying effort to honor those afflicted with cancer. Most held placards featuring names of someone who was either currently in the fight, or in memory of someone who succumbed to the illness.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson’s placard honored Corey Phelan, the Phillies’ Minor League pitcher who died from cancer at age 20 last October.

Cal Ripken Jr. held up a card that said, “my dad,” honoring Cal Ripken Sr., who passed from cancer in 1999.

Davis’ placards said, “Aunt Rosemary” and “Ober.” His broadcast partner, Hall of Famer John Smoltz, held up his placard that read, “Wolfie.”

Braves All-Star second baseman Ozzie Albies’ card said “Norma Laurens.”

D-backs shortstop Geraldo Perdomo’s placard contained several names -- among them, Nicole Hazen, the wife of general manager Mike Hazen, who passed in August 2022 from brain cancer; and Mike Bell, the former Major League player and coach, and brother of Reds manager David Bell, who passed from kidney cancer in March 2021.

Fans were invited to write the names of loved ones on their placards, or to hold up prewritten ones that said “patients,” “those we’ve lost,” “those in the fight” and “survivors.”

Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) is a groundbreaking initiative created to accelerate innovative cancer research that gets new therapies to patients quicker. Since its inception, SU2C has announced nine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals for new cancer therapies supported by SU2C research.

MLB and its 30 clubs have donated tens of millions of dollars to SU2C since the partnership was first formed in 2009. As a founding donor, MLB has conducted significant awareness-building efforts through public service announcements, in-stadium promotions and various fundraising events.

Learn more about SU2C at StandUpToCancer.org/MLB.