MLB All-Star Game, Baseball All-Star Game, All Star Game MVP, All-Star Game voting

Sports Channel / Bullz-Eye Home

The “Midsummer Classic” was first introduced in 1933 as part of the World Fair in Chicago. The architect of the MLB All-Star game was Arch Ward who in 1933 was a sports editor of The Chicago Tribune.

The idea was simple: pit the best players from the National League vs. the best players from the American League and let the fans enjoy the best talent in the game at the same time.

At first thought, the All-Star Game was just supposed to be a one-time event. The game was so popular, however, that the All-Star Game is now a staple in MLB history.

Every year at the halfway point in the regular season, the fans decide which players to elect onto each All-Star roster. Interestingly enough, however, fans didn’t always have the luxury to vote for their favorite players.

In 1957, the All-Star game was to be held in Cincinnati. As part of showing their appreciate to the Reds, The Cincinnati Enquirer printed pre-marked ballots that went out with the Sunday newspaper so fans had an easier chance to vote.

The result turned into a National League team that featured seven Reds. Commissioner Ford Frick decided that enough was enough with letting fans vote, so he restricted their involvement until 1969. Up until that point, managers, players and coaches decided who was the most deserving to play in the game.

In 1985, the event evolved into not only the game itself, but also pre-game actives (like the Home Run Derby) were added as well.

The Home Run Derby is always played a day before the All-Star Game. The event is supposed to see who the best home run hitters are in the league, although sometimes, current home run leaders decide not to participate.

In 2002, a controversy sparked another change in the game, this time the change would effect even how the World Series is to be played.

Without much meaning to the game, managers of both squads play everybody on the roster in an effort to reward the players for being elected. With the 2002 game tied 7-7 heading into the 11th inning, however, both squads had run out of pitchers to use.

MLB rules state that once a pitcher is taken out of game, he cannot return. The same rules apply in the All-Star game, so when both squads ran out of pitchers, current commissioner Bud Selig decided to end the game as a tie.

In order to add more meaning to the event, every game played since 2003 has decided who gets home field advantage in the World Series. Some people love the idea; some think it is a black mark on the league and should be changed.

The MLB All-Star Game may change formats and venues every year, but Ward’s idea is still the same today as it was back in 1933:

One time a year, let the fans enjoy the best players in the game compete against each other on the same field at the same time.

This year, the venue shifts to New York and historic Yankee Stadium. See below for a complete web guide on event, including links to general information and a chance to re-live past All-Star games.  

Our latest sports content can be found in the Sports category in our new magazine format. Archived sports content can be found in the Sports category in our blog.


Top Information Websites

MLB.com
Official web site of Major League Baseball, with features like team pages, player profiles, stats and live game casts of every MLB event.

The Sporting News: History of the MLB All-Star Game
Select a year and The Sporting News will run down a game recap and give stats of every MLB All-Star Game since 1933.

2008 MLB All-Star Game
The 2008 MLB All-Star Game will be held at Yankee Stadium in New York this year. Check out top news, multimedia and the latest information on the event.


Videos

Top ASG Moments of All Time

Nolan Ryan 1979 All Star game


MLB All-Star Game Past Winners
 
Year Winner Score M.V.P. Venue
2007 AL 5-4 Ichiro Suzuki (Seattle) AT&T Park
2006 AL 3-2 Michael Young (Texas) PNC Park
2005 AL 7-5 Miguel Tejada (Baltimore) Comerica Park
2004 AL 9-4 Derek Lee (Texas) Minute Maid Park
2003 AL 7-6 Garret Anderson (Anaheim) U.S. Cellular Field
2002 Tie 7-7 None Miller Park
2001 AL 4-1 Cal Ripken (Baltimore) Safeco Field
2000 AL 6-3 Derek Jeter (Yankees) Turner Field
1999 AL 4-1 Pedro Martinez (Boston) Fenway Park
1998 AL 13-8 Roberto Alomar (Baltimore) Coors Field
1997 AL 3-1 Sandy Alomar (Cleveland) Jacobs Field
1996 NL 6-0 Mike Piazza (Los Angeles) Veterans Stadium
1995 NL 3-2 Jeff Conine (Florida) The Ballpark at Arlington
1994 NL 8-7(10 inn.) Fred McGriff (Atlanta) Three Rivers Stadium
1993 AL 9-3 Kirby Puckett (Minnesota) Oriole Park/Camden Yards
1992 AL 13-6 Ken Griffey Jr. (Seattle) Jack Murphy Stadium
1991 AL 4-2 Cal Ripken Jr. (Baltimore) SkyDome
1990 AL 2-0 Julio Franco (Texas) Wrigley Field
1989 AL 5-3 Bo Jackson (Kansas City) Anaheim Stadium
1988 AL 2-1 Terry Steinbach (Oakland) Riverfront Stadium
1987 NL 2-0(13 inn.) Tim Raines Montreal Oakland Coliseum
1986 AL 3-2 Roger Clemens Boston Astrodome
1985 NL 6-1 Lamarr Hoyt San Diego Metrodome
1984 NL 3-1 Gary Carter (Montreal) Candlestick Park
1983 AL 13-3 Fred Lynn (California) Comiskey Park
1982 NL 4-1 Dave Concepcion (Cincinnati) Olympic Stadium
1981 NL 5-4 Gary Carter (Montreal) Municipal Stadium
1980 NL 4-2 Ken Griffey Sr. (Cincinnati) Dodger Stadium
1979 NL 7-6 Dave Parker (Pittsburgh) Kingdome
1978 NL 7-3 Steve Garvey (Los Angeles) Murphy Stadium
1977 NL 7-5 Don Sutton (Los Angeles) Yankee Stadium
1976 NL 7-1 George Foster (Cincinnati) Veterans Stadium
1975 NL 6-3 Bill Madlock (Chicago), Jon Matlack (New York) County Stadium
1974 NL 7-2 Steve Garvey (Los Angeles) Three Rivers Stadium
1973 NL 7-1 Bobby Bonds (San Francisco) Royals Stadium
1972 NL 4-3(10 inn.) Joe Morgan (Cincinnati) Fulton County Stadium
1971 AL 6-4 Frank Robinson (Baltimore) Tiger Stadium
1970 NL 5-4(12 inn.) Carl Yastrzemski (Boston) Riverfront Coliseum
1969 NL 9-3 Willie McCovey (San Francisco) RFK Stadium
1968 NL 1-0 Willie Mays (San Francisco) Astrodome
1967 NL 2-1(15 inn.) Tony Perez (Cincinnati) Anaheim Stadium
1966 NL 2-1(10 inn.) Brooks Robinson (Baltimore) Busch Stadium
1965 NL 6-5 Juan Marichal (San Francisco) Metropolitan Stadium
1964 NL 7-4 Johnny Callison (Philadelphia) Shea Stadium
1963 NL 5-3 Willie Mays (San Francisco) Municipal Stadium
1962 NL 3-1 Maury Wills (Los Angeles) D.C. Stadium
1962 AL 9-4 Leon Wagner (L.A. Angels) Wrigley Field
19611-1 (9)(rain) None Fenway Park
1961 NL 5-4(10 inn.) None Candlestick Park
1960 NL 6-0 None Yankee Stadium
1960 NL 5-3 None Municipal Stadium
1959 AL 5-3 None Memorial Coliseum
1959 NL 5-4 None Forbes Field
1958 AL 4-3 None Memorial Stadium
1957 AL 6-5 None Busch Stadium
1956 NL 7-3 None Griffith Stadium
1955 NL 6-5(12 inn.) None Milwaukee Stadium
1954 AL 11-9 None Municipal Stadium
1953 NL 5-1 None Crosley Field
1952 NL 3-2 None Shibe Park
1951 NL 8-3 None Briggs Stadium
1950 NL 4-3(14 inn.) None Comiskey Park
1949 AL 11-7 None Ebbets Field
1948 AL 5-2 None Sportsman's Park
1947 AL 2-1 None Wrigley Field
1946 AL 12-0 None Fenway Park
1945 No game
1944 NL 7-1 None Forbes Field
1943 AL 5-3 None Shibe Park
1942 AL 3-1 None Polo Grounds
1941 AL 7-5 None Briggs Stadium
1940 NL 4-0 None Sportsman's Park
1939 AL 3-1 None Yankee Stadium
1938 NL 4-1 None Crosley Field
1937 AL 8-3 None Griffith Stadium
1936 NL 4-3 None Braves Stadium
1935 AL 4-1 None Municipal Stadium
1934 AL 9-7 None Polo Grounds
1933 AL 4-2 None Comiskey Park

You can follow us on Twitter and Facebook for content updates. Also, sign up for our email list for weekly updates and check us out on Google+ as well.

Around the Web