Baseball’s All Star Game - Dave’s Midwestern Ohio Memories

A Series of Guest Blogs by an out-of-state Fish Report reader originally from this area about fond memories of growing up in Midwestern Ohio during the 50’s & 60’s.

Baseball’s All Star Game

With the Baseball All Star Game being played tonight, the following article appeared in our local paper about the 1971 game that was the writer’s favorite All Star game of all time, which also happened to by my favorite as well. Most players on the two teams are now Hall-of-Famers.

Simply put, the greatest All Star Game ever!

Reggie Jackson homers during 1971 MLB All Star Game at Tiger 

Stadium off Pittsburgh’s Doc Ellis. (AP)

By Pat Caputo, The Oakland Press

POSTED: 07/09/17, 8:02 AM EDT 

THE GREATEST ALL STAR EVENT EVER - REGARDLESS OF SPORT, NONETHELESS THE TIME - WAS THE 1971 MLB ALL STAR GAME.

However, I must admit it is not an objective opinion.

I was born in Detroit. It was held at Tiger Stadium. I was a kid playing Little League baseball that summer in Birmingham. We had just gotten a color television, a first for my family. It was the initial sporting event I recall seeing in color.

The Tigers’ Norm Cash started at first base and Bill Freehan at catcher for the American League. Detroit lefty Mickey Lolich, in the midst of one of the most underrated seasons ever by an MLB pitcher (376 innings, 308 strikeouts, 2.85 FIP, 1.18 WHIP, 25 wins), worked that night. Al Kaline appeared before the Tigers’ adoring fans, rapping a base hit in two at bats.

The field was incredibly green and plush, with red, white and blue stars painted in each outfield spot.

This was more than a quarter century prior to interleague play, and before there was more than just a “Game of the Week” shown on national television. The Tigers only broadcast 40 games per year on TV, only those on the road except Saturday afternoon games.

Particularly compelling were the National League stars. My favorite was Roberto Clemente of the Pirates, although I couldn’t tell you exactly why because I seldom got to watch him play. I know this: Clemente’s baseball card was my favorite.

Clemente homered during the ‘71 All Star Game, into the right field upper deck bleachers above the 415 foot sign off Lolich. It was a majestic clout. Henry Aaron, Johnny Bench, Harmon Killebrew and Frank Robinson also slammed homers. Each is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The topper, or course, was Reggie Jackson hitting a shot off the light tower above the roof in right-center field. It planted the seed for Jackson’s legendary status.

The best part: The American League won.

Why? Because back then, it really, really mattered. Just the year before, Pete Rose bowled over catcher Cleveland catcher Ray Fosse to win it for the National League.

And at the time, it was like the AL never, ever won it. In fact, the NL won the previous nine All Star Games, and 11 straight after the AL triumph in Detroit.

I covered a few All Star games after becoming a baseball writer, including the 2005 event at Comerica Park. Each presented a wonderful experience. The MLB All Star Game remains, by far, the best of the four major professional sports.

And there have been other electrifying all star events in various sports. For example, to this day, people often talk about the exploits of Julius Erving, Michael Jordan and/or Spud Webb in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.

But for my money, the 1971 MLB All Star Game at Tiger Stadium stands alone and can’t be topped.

It helped solidify my love for baseball because it was unique, and hit home, in many ways.

Click here for a video of Reggie Jackson's massive home run.

Here's the starting lineups for that memorable game: