What is the most memorable single All-Star Game moment?
| 1934: Carl Hubbell strikes out five in a row |  5 (4.55%) |
| 1950: Red Schoendienst ends game with 14th-inning homer | 1 (0.91%) |
| 1961: Stu Miller blown off mound | 1 (0.91%) |
| 1967: Tony Perez ends game with 15th-inning homer | 0 (0.00%) |
| 1970: Pete Rose bowls over Ray Fosse | 38 (34.55%) |
| 1971: Reggie Jackson hits massive homer in Detroit | 5 (4.55%) |
| 1983: Fred Lynn slams Atlee Hammaker | 5 (4.55%) |
| 1989: Bo Jackson homers, climbs the wall | 11 (10.00%) |
| 2001: Cal Ripken Jr. homers in final All-Star Game | 15 (13.64%) |
| 2002: Bud Selig declares game will end in 7-7 tie | 29 (26.36%) |
110 votes | 16 featured comments
Freddie Lynn's slam was great (it's hard to explain to someone now how much the ASG meant in those days... especially when the AL had lost some ungodly number of consecutive games) but I know I will always remember Bo Jackson in '89.
Bo remains one of the great "might-have-beens" in the game's modern history. I still miss him.
Bo remains one of the great "might-have-beens" in the game's modern history. I still miss him.
I guess you had to be there for Hubbell's feat, right Magpie.
Rose bowling over Fosse was memorable not so much because of the game but for what it said about Rose, both good and bad. It does make it difficult to imagine him betting against a team he managed.
Rose bowling over Fosse was memorable not so much because of the game but for what it said about Rose, both good and bad. It does make it difficult to imagine him betting against a team he managed.
One of my fond memories was Randy Johnson throwing at John Kruk's head in the 93 game.
Poor John...
Poor John...
I see someone voted for the 2002 tie (it wasn't me) -- I wondered if anyone would. It's the reason I changed the wording of the question to "most memorable" rather than "best."
My most meorable feat that I've seen live is either Kruk in 93 or Hunter robbing Bonds in 2003. That catch was pretty spectacular.
However, I've seen video of the Rose play and that probably tops those both.
However, I've seen video of the Rose play and that probably tops those both.
I voted for the tie. It stands out in my mind as a symbol of all that I hate about Bud Selig, and how whiny professional athletes have become.
There were two choices on that list for extra-inning home runs, but there will never be another because of Bud.
I may be wrong here, and I can't remember which reliever it was in that 2002 game, but didn't someone refuse to pitch a second inning while sitting in a clubhouse easy chair with an open beer?
There were two choices on that list for extra-inning home runs, but there will never be another because of Bud.
I may be wrong here, and I can't remember which reliever it was in that 2002 game, but didn't someone refuse to pitch a second inning while sitting in a clubhouse easy chair with an open beer?
I voted for Cal because I wanted to vote for my most memorable positive all-star game memory. That and I was long asleep when the tie was declared.
I voted for Hubbell's 5 Ks, but the most memorable moment for me *personally* was Bud Selig declaring the tie.
I was working as an usher at Miller Park for that game, and I've never heard louder and more instantaneous boos than when the PA announcer notified the crowd of the impending tie in the top of the inning. I also remember the several projectiles that were hurled from my own section and sections above me after the game ended, as I struggled to both maintain order and contain my own rage.
I was working as an usher at Miller Park for that game, and I've never heard louder and more instantaneous boos than when the PA announcer notified the crowd of the impending tie in the top of the inning. I also remember the several projectiles that were hurled from my own section and sections above me after the game ended, as I struggled to both maintain order and contain my own rage.
It'll be tough for the tie game not to be the most memorable, at least for me. It's why we have 'This Time It Counts!' now.
I thought 2003 was the best game in recent memory (I guess the 90s sucked for ASGs), partly because there was an effort to win, and not just rolling all the players out there. There's nothing more annoying than seeing a top player pulled for the guy that only makes it because his team had to be represented.
I thought 2003 was the best game in recent memory (I guess the 90s sucked for ASGs), partly because there was an effort to win, and not just rolling all the players out there. There's nothing more annoying than seeing a top player pulled for the guy that only makes it because his team had to be represented.
Once again, I'm being my annoyingly literal self; while Hubbell's five straight K's was quite a feat, it wasn't a "moment" -- it was an accomplishment recorded over two innings. Accordingly, my vote went to the Fosse Crunch. Second-place and third-place would be Bo's catch and Reggie's light-tower blast.
That "moment" thing really bugged me when MLB did its "Most Memorable Moments" a few years back and actually placed "Ichiro wins MVP" on the list. That was an entire season, not a moment -- unless they mean the moment the press release announcing the award was issued from MLB headquarters, which I'm pretty sure wasn't memorable at all.
Fred Lynn's 1983 homer seems a little quiet now, but at the time, it was a huge deal, because the American League couldn't buy an All-Star win; they'd lost something like 13 of the previous 14 games. Lynn was kind of an unfortunate case, because he was an amazing talent who exploded on the scene as a rookie but could never stay healthy enough to fulfill his tremendous promise -- the Eric Davis of his day. Equally sad is that that homer is pretty much all anyone remembers Atlee Hammaker for.
That "moment" thing really bugged me when MLB did its "Most Memorable Moments" a few years back and actually placed "Ichiro wins MVP" on the list. That was an entire season, not a moment -- unless they mean the moment the press release announcing the award was issued from MLB headquarters, which I'm pretty sure wasn't memorable at all.
Fred Lynn's 1983 homer seems a little quiet now, but at the time, it was a huge deal, because the American League couldn't buy an All-Star win; they'd lost something like 13 of the previous 14 games. Lynn was kind of an unfortunate case, because he was an amazing talent who exploded on the scene as a rookie but could never stay healthy enough to fulfill his tremendous promise -- the Eric Davis of his day. Equally sad is that that homer is pretty much all anyone remembers Atlee Hammaker for.
For this (somewhat) old Blue Jay fan, it's hard not to think of the 1981 game... bottom of the ninth inning, trying to avoid yet another defeat at the hands of the arrogant NLers... striding confidently to the plate?
Dave Stieb, of course.
Dave Stieb, of course.
it's hard to explain to someone now how much the ASG meant in those days
Yeah, no kidding. It's fun but meaningless to me. What's the deal, free agency? Interleague play? Probably the latter.
Oh, how I wish they would turf interleague play.
That's funny.. my most memorable moment isn't on there. I'm surprised Jordan and Craig didn't mention it.
For me it was the 1987 game when Tim Raines hit a triple in the 13th inning, leading the NLers to a 2-0 victory.
For me it was the 1987 game when Tim Raines hit a triple in the 13th inning, leading the NLers to a 2-0 victory.
Some thoughts while brushing my teeth:
The greatest watershed moment in of modern BASEBALL history, not just ALL-STAR history was Hank Blalock's pinch-hit homerun in the 2003 All-Star Game.
Cal Ripken homering in his final All-Star Game is one big boo-hoo for that pasty fellow and all the sorry fans who voted him in far too often, out of habit. Ripken, along with Robin Yount, earned MVP awards with some of the weakest offensive numbers ever simply because they had been around so long, were nice to children and reporters, and were white. And save me the iron-man crap, I can't believe the fatigue of playing all 162 games really carries over to the following April. Nobody raises this point because Ripken is sacred, he is so kind to children at the ballpark. He drinks milk. He stole all of the aura of Lou Gehrig with none of the sacrifice.
This year's fan voting really shows the fans are more enlightened, or perhaps also have more at stake in this new format. And nobody brought the message of this new format more than Hank Blalock, and Mike Scoscia.
That one swing by Blalock changed how all future All-Star Games would be managed. It's no longer Little League for grown-ups where everyone has to have an at-bat. You save some great bats for the right situations.
And Blalock's HR let everyone know that for the bulk of this decade you can expect Texas to have baseball's best infield: yes, the very year after A-Rod left.
Baseball is a game of individuals. And the individualists had their era: Ripken, Young, Griffey, Boggs, Canseco, perhaps A-Rod is the last of the Great Individualists.
Today, TEAMS are what excite people. The Red Sox, White Sox, Padres, Nationals, Cardinals, Rangers, all get it down with exciting role players.
I could go on, but I must be off to sleep... Final thought: pre-Blalock All-Star Games were a joke; post-Blalock, I can't wait to watch.
The greatest watershed moment in of modern BASEBALL history, not just ALL-STAR history was Hank Blalock's pinch-hit homerun in the 2003 All-Star Game.
Cal Ripken homering in his final All-Star Game is one big boo-hoo for that pasty fellow and all the sorry fans who voted him in far too often, out of habit. Ripken, along with Robin Yount, earned MVP awards with some of the weakest offensive numbers ever simply because they had been around so long, were nice to children and reporters, and were white. And save me the iron-man crap, I can't believe the fatigue of playing all 162 games really carries over to the following April. Nobody raises this point because Ripken is sacred, he is so kind to children at the ballpark. He drinks milk. He stole all of the aura of Lou Gehrig with none of the sacrifice.
This year's fan voting really shows the fans are more enlightened, or perhaps also have more at stake in this new format. And nobody brought the message of this new format more than Hank Blalock, and Mike Scoscia.
That one swing by Blalock changed how all future All-Star Games would be managed. It's no longer Little League for grown-ups where everyone has to have an at-bat. You save some great bats for the right situations.
And Blalock's HR let everyone know that for the bulk of this decade you can expect Texas to have baseball's best infield: yes, the very year after A-Rod left.
Baseball is a game of individuals. And the individualists had their era: Ripken, Young, Griffey, Boggs, Canseco, perhaps A-Rod is the last of the Great Individualists.
Today, TEAMS are what excite people. The Red Sox, White Sox, Padres, Nationals, Cardinals, Rangers, all get it down with exciting role players.
I could go on, but I must be off to sleep... Final thought: pre-Blalock All-Star Games were a joke; post-Blalock, I can't wait to watch.
Quite a long time to be brushing your teeth, Keith.
I wholeheartedly agree with you about Ripken, who took the Pete Rose Excellence in being Overrated Award of the 90s. Regarding Cal's final ASG, didn't Chan Ho Park call his soft toss Ripken hit the HR off of a "retirement gift?"
But you're wrong about Yount. In 1982 he led the league in SLG, OPS, hits, TB, XBH, and 2B. In 1989 he led the league in RC, was 2nd in 2B and TB, and 3rd in OPS. So there were other reasons for him getting MVP besides being nice to children.
I wholeheartedly agree with you about Ripken, who took the Pete Rose Excellence in being Overrated Award of the 90s. Regarding Cal's final ASG, didn't Chan Ho Park call his soft toss Ripken hit the HR off of a "retirement gift?"
But you're wrong about Yount. In 1982 he led the league in SLG, OPS, hits, TB, XBH, and 2B. In 1989 he led the league in RC, was 2nd in 2B and TB, and 3rd in OPS. So there were other reasons for him getting MVP besides being nice to children.
Hmm. Too bad Blalock didn't actually make the AL team this year.