On This Date in Sports July 13, 1999: Teddy Ballgame Steals the Show
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
The All-Star pregame festivities overshadow the game itself at Fenway Park, as baseball legends from the past are introduced as baseball kickoffs a vote for the All-Century team. This includes Boston Red Sox legend Ted Williams who is surrounded by the current stars. The American League wins the game 4-1 as Pedro Martinez of the Red Sox is named MVP, with two dominant innings with five strikeouts.
The last All-Star Game of the 20th Century saw the midsummer classic return to Boston’s Fenway Park for the first time since 1961. That summer MLB had a vote for the greatest players on the century, with the some of the greatest players of All-Time introduced before the game. The highlight of the ceremony came when Red Sox legend Ted Williams, now wheelchair-bound rode out to the mound, as all of the current All-Stars gathered around for hitting tips. Williams later stood up and threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
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When the All-Star Game began it was a current member of the Red Sox who dominated as Pedro Martinez chose to start by Joe Torre of the New York Yankees struck out the first three batters. Curt Schilling meanwhile was chosen by San Diego Padres manager Bruce Bochy to start for the National League. The American League would get two runs off Schilling as Jim Thome of the Cleveland Indians and Cal Ripken Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles each had run-scoring singles with two outs. Pedro Martinez continued to dominate NL hitters in the second, as he struck out Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals to start the inning. Matt Williams would reach on an error by Roberto Alomar of the Indians. Pedro recovered by striking out Jeff Bagwell of the Houston Astros as Mike Piazza threw out Williams trying to steal to end the inning.
Jeromy Burnitz of the Milwaukee Brewers would get the NL’s first hit with a double against Yankees hurler David Cone, he would later score on a single by Barry Larkin of the Cincinnati Reds. In the fourth inning, Kent Bottenfield of Cardinals came on to pitch for the National League. He proved to be his own worst enemy as Jim Thome walked and Cal Ripken was hit by a pitch. Rafael Palmeiro of the Texas Rangers followed with an RBI single, while Ripken scored on an error by Matt Williams, on a ball hit by Roberto Alomar.
The two runs scored in the fourth inning were the last runs in the 1999 All-Star Game as pitching dominated of the last five innings. The game would end as John Wetteland of the Rangers got Jeff Kent of the San Francisco Giants to hit into a double play.