How about that exciting All-Star game? Yeah, the game that was over after Detroit's Justin Verlander sunk the AL's chances with one bad inning. Onto this week's info...
Roster Moves
7/5/12
Rubber Band Men: Dropped C.C. Sabathia (NYY) and picked up S. Starsburg (WAS).
This week's Three Trivial Things- All Star Edition
1. Last night's 8-0 win by the National League in the All-Star Game was not the largest margin of history in the history of the midsummer classic. In the 1946 contest, the AL whipped the NL, 12-0. Bob Feller, Hal Newhouser, and Jack Kramer (of the St. Louis Browns), starred on the hill for the AL, while Ted Williams was the big hitter on the day. Ted went 4 for 4 with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs to lead the Junior Circuit to victory.
2. Everyone looks forward to the All Star Game being played in July, but the game has been played in August twice. Back in the strike season of 1981, the game was played on August 9th at Cleveland Stadium where Mike Schmidt's eighth inning, two-run blast off Rollie Fingers gave the NL a 5-4 win. The other game took place on August 3, 1959 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. It was the second All-Star Game played that year. From 1959-62 there were two All-Star Games a year, (why? I don't know). Anyway. the AL won, 5-3. Here's the two lineups form the game:
AL NL
Pete Runnels 1B Johnny Temple 2B
Nellie Fox 2B Ken Boyer 3B
Ted Williams RF Hank Aaron RF
Yogi Berra C Willie Mays CF
Mickey Mantle CF Ernie Banks SS
Roger Maris RF Stan Musial 1B
Frank Malzone 3B Wally Moon LF
Luis Aparicio SS Del Crandall C
Jerry Walker P Don Drysdale P
3. Everyone likes seeing the players in their individual team uniforms in the All-Star Game. However, this wasn't always the case for the National League. In the first midsummer classic back in 1933, the National League wore special uniforms with "National League" stitched across the jerseys and caps that read "NL." I understand that the uniforms were road grey with with dark blue trim, lettering, stirrups, and caps. Here's a picture of Chuck Klein of the NL checking out bats with AL sluggers, Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, and Jimmie Foxx.
Baseball Card of the Week
He's the guy whose triple basically put the All Star Game out of reach for the American League. yup, it's the Kung Fu Panda, Pablo Sandoval. Here's a look a the Panda's 2012 Topps Heritage issue.
Now, a little housekeeping. With only a short schedule this week in the bigs, the next Longball League report won't be until July 23rd. Hey, by that time, NFL teams will be back in camp! Woo Hoo!
Until next time folks, remember you can't give up five runs early and expect to win the midsummer classic.
-The Commissioner
