Today in All-Star Game history: Watch Ruth hit the first ASG homer
Guess what? It's almost time for the All-Star Game! In preparation, we're taking a look back into All-Star Game history and showcasing some epic and memorable plays from Midsummer Classics of yore. Check back each day from now until July 12 for more This Day in All-Star Game History.
In 1933, Arch Ward, then the sports editor of the Chicago Tribune, hatched a plan. The Windy City was playing host to the 1933 World's Fair -- titled "A Century of Progress" -- and Ward thought it would be the perfect opportunity to organize a celebration of baseball to show off the game to visitors from across the globe.
Eventually, after negotiating with the owners of the American and National League clubs, the plan was shared with the world. In its May 19 article announcing the game, the New York Times referred to the first All-Star Game as "the baseball fans' dream," and went on to explain how the game, pitting the elite talents of the American and National League against each other at Chicago's Comiskey Park, would work.
"The fans of the country will select the teams by vote to help settle arguments over the relative merits of the players in the two leagues for the first time in the history of the game."
That's right -- the very first All-Star Game rosters were decided by the fans -- and they did a fantastic job. The NL roster included Hall of Famers Frankie Frisch, Chuck Klein, Chick Hafey, Bill Terry, Paul Waner, Pie Traynor, Carl Hubbell and Gabby Hartnett, and was managed by John McGraw, who came out of retirement to skipper the exhibition squad. Meanwhile, the AL's formidable lineup, managed by Connie Mack, included the likes of Lou Gehrig, Al Simmons, Lefty Gomez, Lefty Grove and some guy named Babe Ruth.
When the day finally came, July 6, the contest was every bit as dramatic as advertised. And, in the bottom of the third inning, the Bambino came to the plate in front of 49,000 fans hoping to see Ruth do his thing against Cardinals pitcher Bill Hallahan. Well, Ruth did his thing, alright:
And with that swing, Ruth hit the first home run in All-Star Game history.
The Times recapped it fittingly, saying, "The National League is still trying to catch up with Babe Ruth, but apparently with no more success than in recent world's series conflicts." Ouch. And, unsurprisingly, the AL won, 4-2.
But Ruth's homer isn't the only amazing play that happened on this day in All-Star Game history.
In the 1983 Midsummer Classic, again held in Comiskey Park to honor the 50th anniversary of the first All-Star Game, the Harvey Kuenn-led American League routed the National League, 13-3. How they got there, though, was nothing short of dramatic.
After NL starter and Reds right-hander Mario Soto allowed just two unearned runs through two innings, Giants pitcher Atlee Hammaker came out to the mound to start the bottom of the third inning. His outing was ... not so good. In his first battle, against Red Sox left fielder Jim Rice, Hammaker gave up a home run out to deep left field. He followed that up with a triple to the Royals' George Brett, and things spiraled from there.
After giving up three more runs -- while recording only two more outs -- Hammaker found himself with runners at second and third and with a choice to make: Either pitch to Robin Yount, the reigning AL MVP, or intentionally walk Yount to face a 30-year-old Fred Lynn. Hammaker and his team decided to give Yount the base -- but when Lynn came to the plate, he did this:
Well, you win some, you lose some.
A version of this piece originally ran on July 6, 2015.
