1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
National League 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 3 0
American League 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 3 7 0
Date July 8, 1997
Venue Jacobs Field
City Cleveland, Ohio
Managers National League - Bobby Cox (ATL)
American League - Joe Torre (NYY)
MVP Sandy Alomar, Jr. (CLE)
Attendance 44,916
First pitch Larry Doby
Television Fox
TV announcers Joe Buck, Tim McCarver and Bob Brenly
Radio CBS
Radio announcers John Rooney and Jeff Torborg
 < 1996 Major League Baseball All-Star Game 1998 > 

The 1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 68th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League (AL) and National League (NL), the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 8, 1997 at Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio, the home of the Cleveland Indians of the American League. The game resulted in the American League defeating the National League 3-1.

Contents

Rosters

Players in italics have since been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

National League

Starters
Position Player Team All-Star Games
C Mike Piazza Dodgers 5
1B Jeff Bagwell Astros 3
2B Craig Biggio Astros 6
3B Ken Caminiti Padres 3
SS Barry Larkin[1] Reds 9
OF Barry Bonds Giants 7
OF Kenny Lofton[1] Braves 4
OF Larry Walker Rockies 2
Pitchers
Position Player Team All-Star Games
P Rod Beck Giants 3
P Kevin Brown Marlins 3
P Shawn Estes Giants 1
P Tom Glavine[1] Braves 5
P Bobby Jones Mets 1
P Darryl Kile Astros 2
P Greg Maddux Braves 6
P Pedro Martínez Expos 2
P Denny Neagle Braves 2
P Curt Schilling Phillies 1
Reserves
Position Player Team All-Star Games
C Todd Hundley[1] Mets 2
C Charles Johnson Marlins 1
C Javy López Braves 1
1B Andrés Galarraga Rockies 3
1B Mark Grace Cubs 3
2B Tony Womack Pirates 1
3B Chipper Jones Braves 2
SS Jeff Blauser Braves 2
SS Royce Clayton Cardinals 1
OF Moisés Alou Marlins 2
OF Steve Finley Padres 1
OF Tony Gwynn Padres 13
OF Ray Lankford Cardinals 1

American League

Starters
Position Player Team All-Star Games
C Iván Rodríguez Rangers 6
1B Tino Martinez Yankees 2
2B Roberto Alomar Orioles 8
3B Cal Ripken, Jr. Orioles 15
SS Alex Rodriguez Mariners 2
OF Brady Anderson Orioles 3
OF Ken Griffey, Jr. Mariners 8
OF David Justice[1] Indians 3
DH Edgar Martínez Mariners 4
Pitchers
Position Player Team All-Star Games
P Roger Clemens Blue Jays 6
P David Cone Yankees 4
P Jason Dickson Angels 1
P Pat Hentgen Blue Jays 3
P Randy Johnson Mariners 5
P Mike Mussina Orioles 4
P Randy Myers Orioles 4
P Mariano Rivera Yankees 1
P José Rosado Royals 1
P Justin Thompson Tigers 1
Reserves
Position Player Team All-Star Games
C Sandy Alomar, Jr. Indians 5
1B Mark McGwire Athletics 9
1B Frank Thomas[1] White Sox 5
1B Jim Thome Indians 1
2B Joey Cora Mariners 1
2B Chuck Knoblauch Twins 4
3B Jeff Cirillo Brewers 1
SS Nomar Garciaparra Red Sox 1
OF Albert Belle White Sox 5
OF Paul O'Neill Yankees 4
OF Bernie Williams Yankees 1

Game

Umpires

Home Plate Larry Barnett
First Base Gerry Davis
Second Base Drew Coble
Third Base Jeff Kellogg
Left Field Terry Craft
Right Field Wally Bell

Starting lineups

National League American League
Order Player Team Position Order Player Team Position
1 Craig Biggio Astros 2B 1 Brady Anderson Orioles LF
2 Tony Gwynn Padres DH 2 Alex Rodriguez Mariners SS
3 Barry Bonds Giants LF 3 Ken Griffey, Jr. Mariners CF
4 Mike Piazza Dodgers C 4 Tino Martinez Yankees 1B
5 Jeff Bagwell Astros 1B 5 Edgar Martínez Mariners DH
6 Larry Walker Rockies RF 6 Paul O'Neill Yankees RF
7 Ken Caminiti Padres 3B 7 Cal Ripken, Jr. Orioles 3B
8 Ray Lankford Cardinals CF 8 Iván Rodríguez Rangers C
9 Jeff Blauser Braves SS 9 Roberto Alomar Orioles 2B
Greg Maddux Braves P Randy Johnson Mariners P

Game summary

The American League jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 2nd inning led by a home run by Edgar Martínez of the Seattle Mariners. No one would score after that until the 7th inning when Javy López of the Atlanta Braves would tie the game with a home run of his own. However, in the bottom of the 7th, Sandy Alomar, Jr. of the Cleveland Indians hit a two-run home run to give the American League the lead and the win, as they held on to defeat the National League 3-1.

The loudest ovation of the All-Star Game, which came early in the player introductions, was reserved for Kenny Lofton, whom the Indians had traded to the Atlanta Braves prior to the start of the 1997 season. Lofton was on the National League roster, but was injured and did not play. Also in the pregame ceremonies, Albert Belle, who was representing the Chicago White Sox, was booed for leaving the Indians as a free agent the previous winter.

Unlike past years, the performance of O Canada, this year by the McAuley Boys, was not televised. Instead, the Fox network, airing its first All-Star Game, went into a commercial break, resulting in angry phone calls from Canadian television viewers. The Canadian National Anthem was later shown on tape delay after the game in the Cleveland area. Country star LeAnn Rimes sang the National Anthem following the commercial break. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of baseball's breaking of the color barrier, the ceremonial first pitch featured former Indian Larry Doby, the first African-American player to play in the American League.

After the game, Major League Baseball CEO Paul Beeston presented Alomar with the All-Star Game MVP Award in lieu of the Commissioner of Baseball, who would not be named until after the next All-Star Game, when then-Chairman of the Executive Committee Bud Selig was officially named Commissioner.

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
National League 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 3 0
American League 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 - 3 7 0
WP: José Rosado (1-0)   LP: Shawn Estes (0-1)   Sv: Mariano Rivera (1)
Home runs:
NL: Javy López (1)
AL: Edgar Martínez (1), Sandy Alomar, Jr. (1)

Footnotes and references

  1. ^ a b c d e f Player declined or was unable to play.

External links