All Star Moments

Of all the sports events of my childhood none stick out more than the All Star game, which is coming up on Tuesday of this week. Following David Letterman's lead once again here are my top ten All Star moments.



10. Any time Phil Niekro played. Ok that is personal but when your a Braves fan in the eighties the all star game is as good as it gets. Dad would let us stay up late to watch him run out of the dugout in the introductions and then to see if he would make it in the game. Most years that famous knuckleball floated through the air and thrilled some brothers in eastern N.C.


9.Same as above, with Dale Murphy inserted.


8. Pete Rose plowing into Red Sox catcher Ray Fosse. Only Rose would plow down a catcher in an exhibition game. Fosse was never right again but that picture is a part of all star history.


7. The throw. That is what I call a bullet Dave Parker let loose from right field in that ugly Pirates uniform. I don't know who was running but if memory serves it was Gary Carter, then with the Expos on the receiving end.

6. Bo knows baseball too. I guess it was the circus act of playing two sports but a Heisman trophy winner homering in an all star game was special. Jackson, who won the Heisman for Auburn, was wearing Kansas City uniform when he made his all star appearance. He started the 1989 game with a blast to left off Rick Reuschel. He was later named as the mvp of the game.

5. The tie. I am not sure what year it was but it was after the two teams tied that the All star game meant something. Now the winning league gets homefield advantage in the World Series. It makes managing the game a little more special.

4. Ted Williams in Fenway one more time. I can't leave Ted Williams last appearance at Fenway off any all star list. Him greeting modern stars only months before he died was special. I never had the experience of watching Willimas play but my dad did. He said it was an awesome show. That was certainly the case the last time he appeared in front of the Green Monster, throwing out one more pitch.

3. Ok I didn't see the last few selections but to complete my list, here are a few that have to here. For example I would have loved to see Reggie Jackson hit a light tower with one of his famous blasts. I have never been a big fan of Jackson but that is impressive.

2. If you want comedy you have to include John Kruk's little act when Randy Johnson threw a few fast balls under his chin. The look on his face was classic.

1. Babe Ruth homering in the first game. Seems only appropriate for the first homer to be included at the top of my list.