The All Star Game Tradition

Although the tradition of All-Star Games in baseball dates back to an 1858 series between teams of stars from Brooklyn and NewYork (they were called "picked nines" in those days), the current All-Star series began when Arch Ward, sports editor of the Chicago Tribune, persuaded hesitant league owners to go along with his proposal for a game between stars from the American and National leagues, to be played in Chicago during that city's Century of Progress Exposition in 1933.

All-Star managers (who, except for the first game, have been the pilots of the previous year's pennant winners) shared with fans the selection of players for the first two games. From 1935 through 1946 the manager selected his whole squad. Since 1947, he has chosen his pitchers and all other players except the eight members of the starting lineup. The fans chose the starters in 1947-1957; after an incident of ballot-box stuffing by Cincinnati partisans in 1957, the major league players, coaches, and managers made the choice in 1958-1969; in 1970 the selection of starting lineups was returned to the fans.

The American League dominated the early years of the series, winning the first three games, and extending their winning margin to eight games (12-4) by 1949. The National League cut the lead in half with four straight wins, and by 1964 had drawn even in the series (17-17-1). From 1965 through 1985 the National Leaguers continued their drive, winning 19 All-Star Games while losing only two, to build a commanding 36-19 lead in the series. In recent years, though, the American Leaguers have begun to come back, winning in 1993 their seventh game in eight years, and their sixth in a row. The National League won in 1994, but it took extra innings to break the American League streak. The Nationals commenced to build their own streak in the 1995 game held in Texas, parlaying their three hits into three runs. In 1996, they continued their winning ways with a 6-0 white wash in Philadelphia. However, 1997 was the AL's turn to shine with a dramatic 3-1 win in Cleveland. They followed that up with wins in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001. The most bizarre incident in All-Star Game history occurred in 2002. After 11 innings in Milwaukee the teams were tied 7-7, but both mangers Joe Torre and Bob Brenly had run out of pitchers, forcing MLB Commissioner Bud Selig to call the game a tie.

In 2003, baseball looking to avoid the same situation as 2002, decided that the winning league would get home field advantage in the World Series. The AL won 7-6 when Hank Blalock hit a home run off of Eric Gagne in the eighth inning. The AL won again in 2004 with a score of 9-4. In 2005, the American League was lead by Orioles shortstop Miguel Tejada who hit a home run off of John Smoltz in the second inning, giving the AL a lead they would never give up during their 7-5 win over the National League.

National League leads series 41-33-2
Year  Result Site
2005 AL, 7-5 Comerica Park, Detroit 
2004 AL, 9-4 Minute Maid Park, Houston
2003 AL, 7-6 U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago
2002 7-7 (11 INN.) Miller Park, Milwaukee
2001 AL, 4-1 Safeco Field, Seattle
2000 AL, 6-3 Turner Field, Atlanta
1999 AL, 4-1 Fenway Park, Boston
1998 AL, 13-8 Coors Field, Denver
1997 AL, 3-1 Jacobs Field, Cleveland
1996 NL, 6-0 Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia
1995 NL, 3-2 The Ballpark at Arlington, Texas
1994 NL, 8-7 (10 INN.) Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh
1993 AL, 9-3 Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore
1992 AL, 13-6 Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego
1991 AL, 4-2 SkyDome, Toronto
1990 AL, 2-0 Wrigley Field, Chicago
1989 AL, 5-3 Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim
1988 AL, 2-1 Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati
1987 NL, 2-0 (13 INN.) Oakland Coliseum, Oakland
1986 AL, 3-2 Astrodome, Houston
1985 NL, 6-1 Metrodome, Minneapolis
1984 NL, 3-1 Candlestick Park, San Francisco
1983 AL, 13-3 Comiskey Park, Chicago
1982 NL, 4-1 Olympic Stadium, Montreal
1981 NL, 5-4 Municipal Stadium, Cleveland
1980 NL, 4-2 Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
1979 NL, 7-6 Kingdome, Seattle
1978 NL, 7-3 Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego
1977 NL, 7-5 Yankee Stadium, New York
1976 NL, 7-1 Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia
1975 NL, 6-3 County Stadium, Milwaukee
1974 NL, 7-2 Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh
1973 NL, 7-1 Royals Stadium, Kansas City
1972 NL, 4-3 (10 INN.) Fulton County Stadium, Atlanta
1971 AL, 6-4 Tiger Stadium, Detroit
1970 NL, 5-4 (12 INN.) Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati
1969 NL, 9-3 RFK Stadium, Washington D.C.
1968 NL, 1-0 Astrodome, Houston
1967 NL, 2-1 (15 INN.) Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim
1966 NL, 2-1 (10 INN.) Busch Stadium, St. Louis
1965 NL, 6-5 Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington
1964 NL, 7-4 Shea Stadium, New York
1963 NL, 5-3 Municipal Stadium, Cleveland
1962 NL, 3-1 D.C. Stadium, Washington D.C.
1962 AL, 9-4 Wrigley Field, Chicago
1961 1-1, rain after 9 Fenway Park, Boston
1961 NL, 5-4 (10 INN.) Candlestick Park, San Francisco
1960 NL, 6-0 Yankee Stadium, New York
1960 NL, 5-3 Municipal Stadium, Kansas City
1959 AL, 5-3 Memorial Stadium, Los Angeles
1959 NL, 5-4 Forbes Field, Pittsburgh
1958 AL, 4-3 Memorial Stadium, Baltimore
1957 AL, 6-5 Busch Stadium, St. Louis
1956 NL, 7-3 Griffith Stadium, Washington D.C.
1955 NL, 6-5 (12 INN.) Milwaukee Stadium, Milwaukee
1954 AL, 11-9 Municipal Stadium, Cleveland
1953 NL, 5-1 Crosley Field, Cincinnati
1952 NL, 3-2 Shibe Park, Philadelphia
1951 NL, 8-3 Briggs Stadium, Detroit
1950 NL, 4-3 (14 INN.) Comiskey Park, Chicago
1949 AL, 11-7 Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, New York
1948 AL, 5-2 Sportsman's Park, St. Louis