1951 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1951 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 18th 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 10, 1951, at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan the home of the Detroit Tigers of the American League. The game resulted in the National League defeating the American League 8–3.
  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date | July 10, 1951 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Briggs Stadium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| City | Detroit, Michigan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 52,075 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ceremonial first pitch | Ty Cobb | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Television | NBC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TV announcers | Jack Brickhouse and Jim Britt | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Radio | Mutual | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Radio announcers | Al Helfer and Mel Allen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Summary
The 1951 game was originally awarded to the Philadelphia Phillies. The City of Detroit was celebrating the 250th anniversary of its founding in 1701 and requested to host the year's All-Star Game. Although the National League was scheduled to host the game in '51, the game was moved to Detroit.[1] The Phillies hosted the 1952 Game.
Long-time Tigers player and broadcaster Harry Heilmann died at age 56 in Detroit the day prior to the game. A moment of silence was observed in Heilmann's memory prior to the game's start.
The American League was 7–5 favorites to win the game. The ceremonial first pitch was delivered by Ty Cobb. Chico Carrasquel became the first Latin American player in Major League history to start in an All-Star game.[2]
Opening Lineups
| National League | American League | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Pos | Player | Team | Pos |
| Richie Ashburn | Philadelphia Phillies | CF | Dom DiMaggio | Boston Red Sox | CF |
| Alvin Dark | New York Giants | SS | Nellie Fox | Chicago White Sox | 2B |
| Stan Musial | St. Louis Cardinals | LF | George Kell | Detroit Tigers | 3B |
| Jackie Robinson | Brooklyn Dodgers | 2B | Ted Williams | Boston Red Sox | LF |
| Gil Hodges | Brooklyn Dodgers | 1B | Yogi Berra | New York Yankees | C |
| Bob Elliott | Boston Braves | 3B | Vic Wertz | Detroit Tigers | RF |
| Del Ennis | Philadelphia Phillies | RF | Ferris Fain | Philadelphia Athletics | 1B |
| Roy Campanella | Brooklyn Dodgers | C | Chico Carrasquel | Chicago White Sox | SS |
| Robin Roberts | Philadelphia Phillies | P | Ned Garver | St. Louis Browns | P |
Rosters
Players in italics have since been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
| 1951 National League All-Star Game roster | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pitchers
Catchers
|
Infielders
Outfielders
|
Manager
Coaches * = Did not play | |||||||
| 1951 American League All-Star Game roster | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pitchers
Catchers
|
Infielders
Outfielders
|
Manager Coaches
* = Did not play | |||||||
Line Score
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 12 | 1 | |||||||||||
| American League | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 2 | |||||||||||
| WP: Sal Maglie (1–0) LP: Eddie Lopat (0–1) Sv: Ewell Blackwell (1) Home runs: NL: Stan Musial (1), Bob Elliott (1), Gil Hodges (1), Ralph Kiner (1) AL: Vic Wertz (1), George Kell (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| How the runs scored | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Inning | Play | NL | AL | |
| NL | 1st | Ashburn scored on E4 | 1 | 0 | |
| AL | 2nd | Fain tripled, Berra scored | 1 | 1 | |
| NL | 4th | Musial homered; Elliott homered, Hodges scored | 4 | 1 | |
| AL | 4th | Wertz homered | 4 | 2 | |
| AL | 5th | Kell homered | 4 | 3 | |
| NL | 6th | Hodges homered, Robinson scored | 6 | 3 | |
| NL | 7th | Robinson singled, Ashburn scored | 7 | 3 | |
| NL | 8th | Kiner homered | 8 | 3 | |
Play-by-play at Retrosheet
Notes
- The National League won its second straight contest for the first time in All-Star Game history, and hit a record four home runs.
- Venezuelan shortstop Chico Carrasquel became the first Latin American player to appear in an All-Star Game.
- Ralph Kiner became the first All-Star player to hit a home run in three consecutive games.
- Both leagues combined to hit six home runs, an All-Star record which has been tied but not broken.
- Joe DiMaggio, who did not play due to a leg injury, would announce his retirement at the end of this season, making this his final All-Star selection.
- Casey Stengel chose Bob Lemon instead of Bob Feller for his team, then Feller pitched his third no-hitter on July 1; the New York Times quoted Stengel as saying, "That cooks me. How could I know the guy was gonna pitch a no-hitter?"
References
- Vincent, David; Lyle Spatz, David W. Smith (2001). The Midsummer Classic: The Complete History of Baseball's All-Star Game. University of Nebraska Press. p. 111. ISBN 0-8032-9273-2.
- Chico Carrasquel Obituary at The New York Times
Further reading
- Hand, Jack (July 11, 1951). "National Leaguers Slam Four Home Runs To Beat American League Stars, 8 To 3". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved July 10, 2009.
- "Jubilant Nationals See End of American Loop 'Reign of Terror'". Ellensburg Daily Record. July 11, 1951. p. 8.