2002 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

The 2002 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 73rd playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League (AL) and National League (NL), the two leagues that make up Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 9, 2002 at American Family Field (formerly Miller Park) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the home of the Milwaukee Brewers of the NL. The game controversially ended with a 7–7 tie due to both teams running out of available pitchers. Beginning the next year, home field advantage in the World Series would be awarded to the winning league to prevent ties (this rule would stay until 2016).

2002 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
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American League000110410007120
National League013010200007130
DateJuly 9, 2002
VenueAmerican Family Field
CityMilwaukee, Wisconsin
Managers
Attendance41,871
Ceremonial first pitchWarren Spahn, Hank Aaron, Robin Yount and Paul Molitor
TelevisionFox (United States)
MLB International (International)
TV announcersJoe Buck and Tim McCarver (Fox)
Gary Thorne and Ken Singleton (MLB International)
RadioESPN
Radio announcersDan Shulman and Dave Campbell

No player was awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award due to the game ending in a tie. The roster selection for the 2002 game marked the inaugural All-Star Final Vote competition (then known as "The All-Star 30th Man" competition). Johnny Damon and Andruw Jones represented the American and National Leagues as a result of this contest.

Rosters

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

Final roster spot
Player Team Pos. Player Team Pos.
American League National League
Johnny Damon BOS CF Andruw Jones ATL CF
Jim Thome CLE 1B Brian Giles PIT RF
Eric Chavez OAK 3B Larry Walker COL RF
Magglio Ordóñez CHW RF Albert Pujols STL 1B
Darin Erstad ANA CF Ryan Klesko SD 1B

Notes

  • a Player declined or was unable to play.
  • b Player replaced vacant spot on roster.
  • FV Player was voted onto roster through the All-Star Final Vote.

Starting lineups
American LeagueNational League
OrderPlayerTeamPositionOrderPlayerTeamPosition
1Ichiro SuzukiMarinersRF1José VidroExpos2B
2Shea HillenbrandRed Sox3B2Todd HeltonRockies1B
3Alex RodriguezRangersSS3Barry BondsGiantsLF
4Jason GiambiYankees1B4Sammy SosaCubsRF
5Manny RamírezRed SoxLF5Vladimir GuerreroExposCF
6Jorge PosadaYankeesC6Mike PiazzaMetsC
7Torii HunterTwinsCF7Scott RolenPhillies3B
8Alfonso SorianoYankees2B8Jimmy RollinsPhilliesSS
9Derek LoweRed SoxP9Curt SchillingDiamondbacksP

Game

Umpires
Home PlateGerry Davis
First BaseTim Tschida
Second BaseChuck Meriwether
Third BaseJerry Meals
Left FieldMarty Foster
Right FieldPaul Emmel

Game summary
Tuesday, July 9, 2002 7:05 pm (CDT) at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Team1234567891011RHE
American League000110410007120
National League013010200007130
Starting pitchers:
AL: Derek Lowe
NL: Curt Schilling
Home runs:
AL: Alfonso Soriano (1)
NL: Barry Bonds (1)

National League starting pitcher Curt Schilling was sharp early on, striking out three through two innings pitched. In the bottom of the first, Barry Bonds hit a deep fly ball off AL starter Derek Lowe, which looked to be deep enough to be a home run. Instead, center fielder Torii Hunter reached over the wall and caught Bonds' drive, denying the NL an early lead. Bonds playfully picked up Hunter as the NL took the field the next inning.

The NL would get on the board in the bottom of the second, when a Mike Piazza groundout scored Vladimir Guerrero from third. They'd score three more runs the next inning, when Todd Helton singled home Jimmy Rollins. Barry Bonds would get revenge for having his first-inning home run taken away by belting a two-run shot to give the NL a 4–0 lead. The AL would finally score in the fourth, on the strength of a Manny Ramírez RBI single.

The AL would cut the NL lead in half in the fifth, when Alfonso Soriano hit a homer off Éric Gagné to cut the lead to 4–2. The NL got a run back with Damian Miller's RBI double to put the NL up 5–2. The AL put together a big inning in the seventh to take the lead. An RBI groundout from Garret Anderson, an RBI single from Tony Batista, and a two-run double from Paul Konerko scored four runs for the AL, giving them a 6–5 lead after their half of the seventh.

The NL regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh, on a two-run single from Lance Berkman, which scored Mike Lowell and Damian Miller. The AL quickly tied the game back up in the eighth with Omar Vizquel's RBI triple. Neither team scored in the ninth, and the game went into extra innings. Vicente Padilla and Freddy García each pitched scoreless tenth innings, keeping the game tied.

A serious problem arose at this point, as Padilla and Garcia were the last available pitchers on each team. After a scoreless top of the 11th inning, AL and NL managers Joe Torre and Bob Brenly met by the first base dugout with Commissioner Bud Selig to discuss the situation.

It was controversially ruled that if the NL did not score in the bottom of the 11th, the game would be declared a tie.[1] After the decision was announced over the stadium's public address system, fans loudly booed and jeered, with beer bottles being thrown onto the field, and chants of "Let them play!", "Refund!", "Bud must go!" and "Ripoff!" were heard.[2] Garcia retired the side in the 11th, and the game ended in a 7–7 tie, to further booing and bottle throwing. No MVP award was given.

    Home Run Derby

    The Home Run Derby took place on July 8 with eight players, four from each league, competing to try to hit as many home runs as possible.

    Miller Park, Milwaukee—A.L. 42, N.L. 31
    PlayerTeamRound 1SemisFinalsTotals
    Jason Giambi Yankees117725
    Sammy Sosa Cubs125118
    Paul Konerko White Sox66–12
    Richie Sexson Brewers64–10
    Torii Hunter Twins3––3
    Barry Bonds Giants2––2
    Alex Rodriguez Rangers2––2
    Lance Berkman Astros1––1
    Semifinals Finals
          
    1 Sammy Sosa 5
    4 Richie Sexson 4
    1 Sammy Sosa 1
    2 Jason Giambi 7
    2 Jason Giambi 7
    3 Paul Konerko 6
    • Giambi defeated Konerko in a blast off, similar to penalty shots

    Notes
    • Before the game, Red Sox All-Stars Nomar Garciaparra, Johnny Damon and Ugueth Urbina unveiled a No. 9 (in honor of Ted Williams, who died a few days earlier) painted into the grass in left field—the position the "Splendid Splinter" patrolled in 19 All-Star Games while playing for Boston. It was also the introduction of the uniform change for the Red Sox, adding a black "9" and black armband on the right sleeve of the jersey, for the remainder of the 2002 season.
    • In the bottom of the first inning, Torii Hunter made a leaping catch of what would have been a home run by Barry Bonds. Initially lauded as a great play, the catch took on extra significance when the game ended in a tie and the play was voted the play of the year on MLB.com. Bonds would hit one out later in the game to make sure Torii couldn't rob him again.
    • In Bernie's Dugout above left field, mascots from multiple MLB teams joined Bernie and pushed each other down the slide every time a home run was made.
    • When Freddy García batted in the 11th inning, he wore a Chicago White Sox helmet; coincidentally, he would be traded to the White Sox two years later.
    • With the American League having five Shortstops and one Second baseman, Omar Vizquel came off the bench to play second base.
    • After the first out was recorded in the bottom of the 11th, public address announcer Robb Edwards announced the decision that if the National League did not score the game would end in a tie. They did not score, and the game ended in a tie. When the game was called, the fans started the Bad News Bears chant of "Let them Play!, Let them Play!" to no avail.
    • Joe Buck and Tim McCarver stated that if the American League won, Paul Konerko would be named MVP, and if the National League won, Damian Miller would be named MVP.
    • Throughout the game, both managers wore microphones to converse with Buck, McCarver, and each other.

    References
    General
    • "July 9, 2002 All-Star Game Play-by-Play and Box Score". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on April 29, 2011. Retrieved March 26, 2011.
    Specific
    1. Rule 4.17 of the normal MLB playing rules provides that a team that is unable or refuses to place nine players on the field shall forfeit the game. Had that rule been followed, then if the NL's Padilla was unable to continue, they would have forfeited the game.
    2. Rogers, Phil. "July 9, 2002: All-Star Game ends in 7-7 tie". July 9, 2002. Chicago Tribune.
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