The 85th MLB All-Star Game, to be played Tuesday night at Target Field in Minneapolis, has resonance in the present (home-field advantage in the World Series goes to the winning league) and the past, as the final All-Star appearance of Derek Jeter’s legendary career provides an occasion for nostalgia.
Jeter’s 14 appearances in the Midsummer Classic put him behind only Mickey Mantle (20) and Yogi Berra (18) in Yankees history. With the Yankees’ playoff odds dwindling, this could be the Captain’s final farewell on the national stage.
Jeter is known for coming up big in important moments, and all eyes will be on him to put on an unforgettable farewell performance. With that being said, let’s take a look at some of baseballs’ most memorable All-Star Game moments:
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1. Teddy Ballgame, Pedro's ballgame (1999)
Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez strikes out five of six batters in his two innings of work at Fenway Park. Before the game, All-Century nominees were introduced to the crowd, which went wild for Boston legend Ted Williams as he was driven to the mound in a golf cart to throw an emotional first pitch.
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2. Charlie Hustle hurts (1970)
Pete Rose flaunted the conventions of the exhibition and collided with catcher Ray Fosse to score the game-winning run in the bottom of the 12th inning at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium in 1970. Fosse suffered a separated shoulder and was never the same player.
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3. Cal's curtain call (2001)
Cal Ripken Jr., voted in as the starter at third base, shifts to shortstop — with some help from A-Rod. His third-inning homer, on the first pitch he saw, propelled him to MVP honors in his final season.
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4. Hubbell's scope (1934)
Carl Hubbell’s five consecutive strikeout victims were Hall of Famers: Babe Ruth, Lou Gerhig and Jimmie Foxx in the first inning and Al Simmons and Joe Cronin to start the second. The Giants screwballer was playing at his home park in the Polo Grounds.
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5. Mr. July (1971)
Before he made his mark on the October stage with the Yankees in 1977, Oakland’s Reggie Jackson hit a monster All-Star Game homer off of Dock Ellis (of LSD fame) at Tiger Stadium in 1971. The moonshot a transformer about 100 feet above Tiger Stadium for a projected distance was 530 feet, which would make it one of the longest home runs ever. It gave the American League its lone win in the span from 1963 to 1982.
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6. Lob City (1946)
Ted Williams hits a home run off of Rip Sewell’s famous high-arcing eephus pitch in 1946 at Fenway Park — on his second try. Williams went 4-for-4 with five RBIs in his first All-Star appearance since returning from serving in World War II. It lacked the drama of his earlier All-Star home run, when he hit a two-run game-winning blast for the American League in 1941.
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7. Midsummer mismatch (1993)
Phillies lefty-swinging first baseman John Kruk was woefully overmatched against flame-throwing Mariners lefty Randy Johnson. After the 6-foot-10 Johnson threw the first pitch over Kruk’s head, Kruk stepped away from the plate and flailed his way to a strikeout. “When I first stepped in the box, all I wanted to do is make contact and after the first pitch, all I wanted to do is live. And I lived. So I had a good at bat,” Kruk said.
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8. Stan's the man (1955)
The story goes: Yogi Berra greeted Cardinals outfielder Stan Musial at the plate in the 12th inning and said, “My feet are killing me.” Musial responded, “Relax, I’ll have you home in a minute,” and then homered the first pitch he saw for a 6-5 National League victory.
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9. Bo knows (1989)
Bo Jackson, one of the most versatile athletes in MLB history, put his full range of skills on display in the 1989 All-Star Game. The Royals outfielder was named the game’s MVP after hitting a long home run to center field, stealing a base and making a spectacular catch that prevented two runs from scoring.
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10. Summer slam (1983)
In 1983, the 50th anniversary brought the first grand slam in All-Star Game history. Amazingly, right before the pitch to Fred Lynn, NBC televised a graphic that stated no player had ever hit a grand slam in the All-Star Game.