Tuesday night’s 8–0 blowout in the 83rd All-Star Game ended up being short on memorable moments and exciting plays as the game was over after just half an inning. However there have been plenty of other exciting moments from baseball’s mid-summer classic. Maybe the most memorable of all-time happened in 1970 when Pete Rose ran over catcher Ray Fosse at the plate, giving Fosse what was later revealed as a separated shoulder.
Here are the most memorable from the past 25 years.
5. July 9, 2002: Tie game declared, leads to new rule—With both managers out of pitchers and the game headed for the 12th inning, Bud Selig declares a tie game for just the second time in All-Star game history. The resulting backlash leads to a new competitive rule—the league’s winner of the game gets homefield advantage in the World Series. The hope was that everyone would take it more seriously and plan accordingly.
4. July 11, 1989: Bo leads off with towering blast; wins MVP—Once upon a time, two-sport star Bo Jackson was right up there with Michael Jordan for the world’s most popular athlete. In his only All-Star game Jackson, hitting leadoff, led off the first inning with a mammoth 448-foot shot to center field off National League pitcher Rick Reuschel. Jackson who also singled and drove in a pair of runs, was named the game’s MVP.
3. July 9, 2002: Torii Hunter robs Bonds of a home run—Though the 2002 game is mainly remembered for its anti-climactic ending, it started off with one of the best defensive plays in All-Star game history. Twins centerfielder Torii Hunter went over the wall to bring back a certain home run off the bat of home run king Barry Bonds (fresh off his record-breaking 73-home run season) in the bottom of the first inning. Ironically, had he not made the run-saving catch perhaps the game would have ended in regulation and there would have been no rule change.
2. July 10, 2001: A-Rod switches with Ripken to play shortstop—In a sign of respect for one of the game’s all-time greats, shortstop Alex Rodriguez arranged for third baseman, and former shortstop, Cal Ripken to move back to his former position just as the players took the field in the first. Ripken, who had announced that this would be his last season before the season began, was the feel-good story of the game. His third-inning home run off Chan Ho Park put the American League on the board and led to his being named MVP in his final All-Star appearance.
1. July 13, 1993: The Big Unit nearly takes Kruk’s head off—In 1993 six-foot, 10-inch fireballer Randy Johnson had finally harnessed his fastball and it was devastating, to say the least. Though not always obvious to the fans just how intimidating his pitches were to the hitters, Phillies first baseman John Kruk gave them an idea in his only at-bat against the Mariner’s ace. After nearly having his head taken off by an errant Johnson fastball to start off the at-bat, Kruk playfully acted like his heart was palpitating before stepping back into the box and promptly striking out.
