MLB All-Star Game Memorable Moments

From The Babe hitting the first home run in All-Star Game history, to Pete Rose colliding with Ray Fosse at the plate, to Red Sox legends young and old wowing the crowd at Fenway, to Derek Jeter's goodbye, here are some of the more memorable moments of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, or "Midsummer Classic," since the inaugural game in 1933.

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Jul 16, 2013

MLB All-Star Game Memorable Moments

July 6, 1933 | First Game's First Home Run

Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images

At 38 years old, Babe Ruth hit the first home run in All-Star Game history, a two-run shot off the Cardinals' Bill Hallahan in the third inning that made the difference in the AL's 4-2 victory.

July 10, 1934 | King Carl

Future Hall of Famer Carl Hubbell of the Giants made All-Star history by striking out Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmy Foxx, Al Simmons and Joe Cronin in succession at the Polo Grounds in New York.

July 8, 1941 | Walk It Off, Ted

Joe DiMaggio (5) was on base when Ted Williams hit a two-out, three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to lift the AL to a 7-5 victory in the midsummer classic in Detroit's old Briggs Stadium.

July 12, 1955 | Stan the Man

Stan Musial (left) broke a 5-5 tie with his walk-off home run in the 12th inning to cap a late comeback in Milwaukee by the National League, which had been down 5-0 through six innings.

July 14, 1970 | Down Goes Fosse

Herb Scharfman/Sports Imagery/Getty Images

In a play that came to epitomize the play-to-win attitude of All-Star Games past, Pete Rose scored the winning run in the bottom of the 12th by barreling into catcher Ray Fosse at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati.

July 13, 1971 | Reggie's Mammoth Shot

Reggie Jackson's pinch hit two-run homer that hit the light tower of Tiger Stadium in Detroit is believed to be one of the longest home runs ever hit, estimated at over 530 feet.

July 6, 1983 | First Grand Slam

The AL won for the first time since 1971 as the Angels' Fred Lynn hit the first grand slam in All-Star Game history. Lynn's shot off Atlee Hammaker came after the NL intentionally walked Robin Yount at old Comiskey Park.

July 11, 1989 | Bo Knows

Royals slugger and two-sport star Bo Jackson led off the bottom of the first at Anaheim Stadium with a home run off NL starter Rick Reuschel that keyed the AL's 5-3 victory and garnered Jackson MVP honors.

July 13, 1993 | Duck Kruk

One of the most vivid images of Randy Johnson's career is the first pitch fastball he flung over the head of John Kruk to the backstop. A spooked Kruk took the rest of his at-bat practically outside the batter's box and struck out.

July 11, 1995 | Mr. Marlin

Jeff Conine, the nascent Marlins' lone representative, hit a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning to give the NL a 3-2 win in Arlington, Texas, and stake a claim to the MVP trophy.

July 8, 1997 | Walker vs. Unit

Rockies slugger Larry Walker became a switch-hitter rather than face Randy Johnson from the left side of the plate at Cleveland's Jacobs Field.

July 13, 1999 | Splended Splinter

Boston legend Ted Williams was among 41 legends introduced before the 1999 game, but none elicited a bigger reaction than "The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived".

July 13, 1999 | Pedro Overpowers

Pitching in his home ballpark of Fenway, Pedro Martinez became the first pitcher to strike out the first four batters in an All-Star Game. The MVP struck out five of the six batters he faced, and the AL won 4-1.

July 10, 2001 | Cal's Farewell

Playing in his 18th and final All-Star Game, Cal Ripken Jr. went deep off Chan Ho Park to win his second MVP award in the midsummer classic.

July 9, 2002 | Hunter Robs Bonds

The infamous tie in Milwaukee might have turned out differently had AL center fielder Torii Hunter not robbed Barry Bonds of a home run in the first inning.

July 15, 2003 | Hammerin' Hank

Texas third baseman Hank Blalock gave the AL home field advantage in the World Series with a stunning two-run home run off Eric Gagne at U.S. Cellular Field. Blalock became the 12th player to go deep in his first All-Star at-bat.

July 13, 2004 | Soriano's Blast

AL second baseman Alfonso Soriano dealt the crushing blow early with a three-run home run that capped a six-run first inning off hometown starter Roger Clemens of the Astros. Soriano was named MVP.

July 11, 2006 | Young Saves The Day

MVP Michael Young drove in the game-winning runs with a two-out triple in the ninth inning against NL closer Trevor Hoffman.

July 10, 2007 | Ichiro's Inside-The-Park Home Run

MVP Ichiro Suzuki's drive off the right-field wall at quirky AT&T Park bounced away from Ken Griffey Jr. for the first inside-the-park home run in All-Star game history. His two-run homer off Chris Young in the fifth inning put the AL ahead and the Americans held on for a 5-4 victory.

July 15-16, 2008 | Young Gets It Done ... Again

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images; John Iacono for Sports Illustrated

The 79th Midsummer Classic was the longest in history, ending at 1:38 a.m. ET after four hours and 50 minutes of action. Two years after earning All-Star Game MVP honors by leading the American League to victory with a two-RBI triple in the ninth, Texas' Michael Young collected another game-winning RBI with a sacrifice fly in the 15th. Young hit the ball to right field, and Justin Morneau tagged up and just beat Cory Hart's throw to home, extending the AL's unbeaten streak to a record 12 games.

July 14, 2009 | President Obama Throws Out the First Pitch

Before the AL extended its unbeaten streak to 13 at the 2009 All-Star Game in St. Louis, President Obama, wearing a jacket of the White Sox, his favorite team, became the fourth president to throw out the first pitch at an All-Star Game and the first since George H.W. Bush in 1992 in San Diego.

July 13, 2010 | McCann's game-winnng double

John W. McDonough for Sports Illustrated

The NL snapped a string of 13 consecutive years without an All-Star Game victory thanks mostly to Braves catcher Brian McCann, whose three-run double in the seventh gave the Senior Circuit the lead for good in a 3-1 win. The game was played the same day longtime Yankees owner George Steinbrenner died at age 80.

July 16, 2013 | One Mo Time

In his 13th and final All-Star Game, baseball's all-time saves leader, Mariano Rivera, took his cue from Metallica's "Enter Sandman" and jogged on to a conspicuously empty field in the 8th inning. His American League teammates had delayed taking the field so the 43-year-old Rivera, who is retiring at year's end, could enjoy a prolonged and deserved standing ovation from 45,186 fans and nearly six-dozen of his playing peers at Citi Field. Although he didn't close the game, Rivera did pitch a perfect 8th inning and took home MVP honors after the AL's 3-0 win.

July 15, 2014 | Jeter's Fitting Farewell

The 2014 All-Star Game in Minnesota was about the Yankees' shortstop more than anything else. There was the voice of Bob Sheppard announcing Jeter's at-bats; there was “New York, New York” blaring over the stadium speakers; there were ovations you could hear all the way in Kalamazoo. Before his 14th and final All-Star Game, Jeter told his teammates "Remember every time you put your uniform on,” Jeter said as he stood in front of his locker, “because trust me, it goes quickly." The Yankees' captain went 2-for-2 with a run scored in the 5-3 AL win.

MLB All-Star Game Memorable Moments