Tonight’s All-Star game should be a treat. Mike Trout is every bit as good as the stars from the 1950s and 1960s who are recognized as the greats of the game. Jacob deGrom has put up a better first half than Tom Seaver in 1969 or 1971 or Dwight Gooden in 1985. We’ll get to see stars in the prime of their careers square off against each other.
The 1968 All-Star game featured four future Hall of Famers in the starting lineups for both leagues. Seven of the 18 NL reserves would go on to make the Hall and if not for his gambling problems, Pete Rose would make it eight. The AL reserves included Mickey Mantle and Denny McLain, in the season where he became the last guy to win 30 games in the majors.
Which one is more appealing to you?
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There will be a Game Chatter on the site for tonight’s All-Star game.
I may be showing my age or I’m dreaming. But, I recall as a kid in the 50’s there were 2 All Star games each year…
True?
Yes, from 59-62 there were two per year.
Thanks for the quick reply..I thought I was right…
Thinking about the state of the game today, I couldn’t imagine it being possible or even wanted by the fans nowadays
Not even close. In those days, the games, while exhibitions, actually had some meaning, especially to the fans, who for the most part grew up as fans of the League in which their favorite team played. The players certainly wanted to win to collect the winner’s share and the Leagues also wanted bragging rights.
Big contracts, inter-league play and increased injuries has turned the game into a yawn-fest with literally nothing on the line.
It’s a real shame that this “mid-summer classic” has morphed into nothing more than the Pro Bowl, NBA and NHL All-Star games, all of which never had any real meaning.
As a youngster just seeing Met player taking the field was treat. Just thinking that the guys (and the team)was competitive was something special.
Similar to the young players getting rookie of the year award was equally special such as Jerry Koosman being the runner up to a nobody like Johnny Bench.
Koosman was a really good pitcher. He had some solid years.
Can you imagine if they didn’t trade Ryan.
Seaver, Koosman, Matlack and Ryan
1968 was the year of the pitcher, and the game reflected it. It was 1-0 win for the NL, with the only run being unearned.
Gibson went 22-9 and had a 1.12 ERA.
9 losses with an ERA like this, amazing.
Not even close. Whatever the ASG turned into is a travesty against Nature.
Nothing beat the punch cards to mail in. Sorry, just felt a lot more like votes were more serious. Now the newspaper and web campaigns, voting 35 times, its just digital gross.
There is no novelty in NL versus AL anymore as they play so many regular season games against each other these days.
Maybe they should drop the one player per team rule. Just pick the best players, period.