On This Date in Sports July 6, 1983
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
On the 50th Anniversary of the first mid-summer classic, the All-Star Game returns to Comisky Park in Chicago. The game is a boom for the American League as they beat the National League 13-3 to an end an 11-game losing streak. Fred Lynn of the California Angels ears MVP honors, becoming the first and thus far only player to hit a Grand Slam in the All-Star Game.
Coming into the 1983 All-Star Game at Comiskey Park in Chicago, the National League had been dominating for a generation. Since 1960, the National League had won 22 of 25, with one tie, as the American League had just one win since 1963, coming in the All-Star Game in Detroit in 1971. It was an extra special year for the All-Star Game as it was played exactly 50 years after the first All-Star Game played at Comiskey Park as part of the World’s Fair in Chicago. For the 50th Anniversary several players, who played in the first All-Star Game were on hand. Two future Hall of Famers Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox and Johnny Bench of the Cincinnati Reds each made the game, in their final seasons. For Yaz it was his 18th appearance for Bench it was his 14th All-Star Game.
Mario Soto of the Cincinnati Reds got the start for the National League managed by St. Louis Cardinals skipper Whitey Herzog, while Dave Stieb of to Toronto Blue Jays made the start for the American League managed by Harvey Keunn of the Milwaukee Brewers. Things did not start well for the Steib and the AL, as Steve Sax of the Los Angeles Dodgers reached on error to lead off the game. After stealing second, Sax scored on another error when Rod Carew of the California Angels lost the ball in the sun, as Tim Raines of the Montreal Expos made it all the way to third. From there, Stieb buckled down and record three strikeouts, while walking Al Oliver of the Expos. Carew led off the bottom of the inning with a single and later scored on a sacrifice fly by George Brett of the Kansas City Royals. In the second inning, Dave Winfield of the New York Yankees led off with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly by Brewers shortstop Robin Yount. Dave Stieb meanwhile set down the NL in order in the second and third innings.
In the bottom of the third, Atlee Hammaker of the San Francisco Giants came on to pitch for the National League and preceded to have one of the worst appearances in All-Star history. The first batter to greet him was Jim Rice of the Boston Red Sox who hit a home run, the next batter George Brett hit a triple. After an infield fly by Ted Simmons of the Brewers, Winfield scored Brett on RBI single. Manny Trillo of the Cleveland Indians followed with a single. After Doug DeCinces flew out, his Angel teammate Rod Carew knocked home the third run of the inning to give the American League a 5-1 lead. With Carew advancing to second on the throw and a base open, Robin Yount was walked to load the bases for Angels outfielder Fred Lynn. Lynn made the Hammaker pay hitting the first Grand Slam in All-Star Game history. Atlee Hammaker was pulled after the Grand Slam, allowing seven runs in two-thirds of an inning as Bill Dawley of the Houston Astros ended the inning by getting Rice to pop up.
The National League got a run back right away as Al Oliver greeted Texas Rangers pitcher Rick Honeycutt with a double and scored on a single by Dale Murphy of the Atlanta Braves. However, the NL could not get any closer as Mike Schmidt of the Philadelphia Phillies racked into a double play. The National League added another run in the fifth as Steve Sax knocked home Ozzie Smith of the St. Louis Cardinals, but once again their rally was stymied by a double play. The American League meanwhile padded their lead in the seventh as Ron Kittle of the hometown Chicago White Sox scored on a triple by Lou Whitaker of the Detroit Tigers. Whitaker later scored on a double by Royals outfielder Willie Wilson. In the eighth the AL was at it again, adding two more runs, as they were helped out by an error Dodgers left fielder Pedro Guerrero. With Royals closer Dan Quisenberry on the mound, Dickie Thon of the Astros ended the game with a ground ball to third. The final score was American League 13 National League 3.