1971 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

MLB All-Star Game


year=1971
visitor=National League
top1=0
top2=2
top3=1
top4=0
top5=0
top6=0
top7=0
top8=1
top9=0
visitor_r=4
visitor_h=5
visitor_e=0
home=American League
bot1=0
bot2=0
bot3=4
bot4=0
bot5=0
bot6=2
bot7=0
bot8=0
bot9=X
home_r=6
home_h=7
home_e=0
date=July 13, 1971"Total Baseball, 5th ed.", 1997, Viking Press, Thorn, John et.al. ed, p. 253]
venue=Tiger Stadium
city=Detroit, Michigan
VisitorManager=Sparky Anderson [http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/all_star_event.jsp?story=8 "All-Time All-Star Managers", @mlb.com; accessed 20 September 2008] ]
VisitorManagerTeam=CIN
HomeManager=Earl Weaver
HomeManagerTeam=BAL
MVP=Frank Robinson [http://www.baseball-almanac.com/asgbox/yr1971as.shtml "1971 All-Star Game", baseball-almanac.com; accessed 21 September 2008] ]
MVPTeam=BAL
TVstation=
TVcommentators=
attendance=53,559
firstpitch=Unknown
The 1971 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, the 42nd such game, was played on July 13, 1971. The all-stars from the American League and the National League faced each other at Tiger Stadium, home of the Detroit Tigers. The American League won by a score of 6-4.

This was the third time that the Tigers had hosted the All-Star Game (at the previous two in 1941 and 1951, Tiger Stadium had been called "Briggs Stadium"). This would be the last time Tiger Stadium hosted the All-Star Game, as when it returned to Detroit in 2005, the Tigers had moved to their new home at Comerica Park.

This was the first American League win since the second All-Star Game of 1962, and would be their last until the 54th All-Star Game in 1983. Over the twenty game stretch from 1963–1982, the American League would go 1–19; the worst stretch for either league in the history of the exhibition.

National League roster

The National League roster included 11 future "Hall of Fame players". [http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/mlb_asgrecaps_story_headline.jsp?story_page=recap_1971 "All-Star Game Results-1971", mlb.com; accessed 20 September 2008] ]

Elected starters

Coaching staff

Reserve position players

Umpires

Jake O'Donnell would retire from umpiring after the 1971 season, after only three years on the job, but would go on to work as a long time referee in the NBA. His work in this game makes him the only person to officiate in a Major League Baseball All-Star Game, and an NBA All-Star Game.

coring summary

The NL opened the scoring off of AL starter Vida Blue in the second inning. Willie Stargell was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Two batters later, with one out, Johnny Bench hit a two-run home run. [http://www.baseball-almanac.com/asgbox/1971_all_star_game_play_by_play.shtml "1971 All-Star Game Play-by-Play", @baseball-almanac.com; accessed 21 September 2008] ]

In the third inning, Hank Aaron launched a two out solo home run (his first career All-Star Game home run) off of Blue to give the NL a 3-0 lead.

The AL responded in the bottom of the third inning. With Dock Ellis still pitching for the NL, Luis Aparicio singled to lead off the inning. Reggie Jackson was sent up to pinch hit for the pitcher, Vida Blue, and hit a two run home run. Rod Carew walked. Three batter later, with two outs, Frank Robinson hit a two run home run to give the AL a 4-3 lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, Ferguson Jenkins, pitching in a relief role for the National League, gave up a single to Al Kaline. The next batter, Harmon Killebrew, launched the third two run home run of the game for the American League.

In the bottom of the eighth, Mickey Lolich of the home town Tigers came in to pitch. In what would be his final All-Star Game at-bat, Roberto Clemente hit a solo home run as the second batter of the inning.

Game notes and records

* All of the scoring came via the home run, and all six home runs hit in the game were by future Hall of Fame players The six total home runs hit by both teams tied an All-Star Game record.
* Frank Robinson became the first player in All-Star Game history to hit home runs for both leagues over the course of his career.
* Jackson's home run is described as "especially memorable", as it hit one of the light standards on the roof of the stadium, credibly estimated to have landed 520 feet from home plate.
* Clemente would be named to the 1972 National League squad, but would be replaced due to injury. This game marked his final All-Star Game appearance. [ [http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/mlb_asgrecaps_story_headline.jsp?story_page=recap_1972 "All-Star Game Results-1972", mlb.com; accessed 20 September 2008] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.baseball-almanac.com/asgbox/yr1971as.shtml 1971 All-Star Game summary]
* [http://www.baseball-almanac.com/asgbox/07131971.shtml 1971 All-Star Game box score]
* [http://www.baseball-almanac.com/asgbox/1971_all_star_game_play_by_play.shtml 1971 All-Star Game play-by-play]
* [http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/mlb_asgrecaps_story_headline.jsp?story_page=recap_1971 1971 All-Star Game results @mlb.com]