Yankees' 5 greatest All-Star Game moments

July 5th, 2021

From Babe Ruth to Derek Jeter and Aaron Judge, the All-Star Game has provided a showcase for Yankees greats to strut their stuff in front of a national audience.

With Judge, Gerrit Cole and Aroldis Chapman set to attend the July 13 festivities at Denver’s Coors Field, it’s a perfect time to take a look back at some of the Yankees’ top Midsummer Classic performances:

1) Babe Ruth hits the first All-Star Game homer, 1933

Dubbed “The Game of the Century,” the first All-Star Game was held at Chicago’s Comiskey Park and was intended to be a one-time event, part of a Windy City centennial that included a World’s Fair. Ruth delivered on the grand stage, swatting a third-inning home run off the Cardinals’ Bill Hallahan. That two-run blast gave the American League an early lead; Ruth also contributed a running grab to rob the Reds’ Chick Hafey of an extra-base hit later in the game, preserving a 4-2 AL win. Lefty Gomez was the winning pitcher.

2) Derek Jeter is the Yankees’ first All-Star Game MVP, 2000

Getting the starting nod at shortstop as a replacement for the injured Alex Rodriguez, Jeter contributed a 3-for-3 performance to the AL’s attack at Turner Field. Jeter doubled in the first inning off Randy Johnson, then later singled off Kevin Brown and Al Leiter, collecting two RBIs and a run scored. Jeter said it was “kind of baffling” that he was the first Yankee to win All-Star MVP, adding, “You just want to be in the right place at the right time. And obviously I was tonight.”

3) Lou Gehrig steals the show, 1937

Playing before a crowd of more than 31,000 that included President Franklin D. Roosevelt at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C., the “Iron Horse” cracked a two-run homer in the third inning off the Cardinals’ Dizzy Dean, then contributed a two-run double in the sixth inning off the Dodgers’ Van Mungo. Gehrig’s four RBIs and six total bases paced the Junior Circuit attack in an 8-3 AL win.

4) Yankee Stadium takes center stage, 2008

In its final year of service, the original Yankee Stadium played host to the longest All-Star Game in history, a 15-inning contest that spanned four hours and 50 minutes. The Home Run Derby is remembered for Josh Hamilton’s remarkable display, though Justin Morneau was crowned champion. The AL won, 4-3, on Michael Young’s sacrifice fly. Jeter said that night: “It seemed like the Stadium didn’t want it to end.”

5) Mariano’s farewell, 2013

Entering to his familiar “Enter Sandman” theme across borough lines, Mariano Rivera pitched a perfect eighth inning in his final All-Star Game, helping preserve the AL’s 3-0 victory at Citi Field. The all-time saves leader and future unanimous Hall of Fame inductee became the first pitcher to win All-Star MVP honors since Pedro Martinez in 1999. Rivera later said that night was the best moment of his career, outside of his five World Series rings. Added Rivera: “I told them, I was honored. It was a privilege for me to play with all of them.”

Honorable mention: All rise, again and again

Tino Martinez (1997), Jason Giambi (2002) and Robinson Cano (2012) have all reigned supreme at the Home Run Derby, but Aaron Judge’s display at the 2017 festivities at Miami’s Marlins Park arguably stands tallest. Judge lived up to the hype of his remarkable rookie campaign, hitting 47 homers against 29 ‘outs.’ Combined, Judge launched 3.9 miles of homers -- enough to reach from home plate to Miami’s Biscayne Bay. Said Judge: “I was having fun out there and just had to go to work.”