7/13 ASGs: Vince DiMag 3-Hits '43, Deacon Law Wins In '60, Willie HR '65, Dock Start '70, Roberto HR '71, Fraze Starter '21

1943 – The American League defeated the Nationals 5-3 in the first night All-Star game, which was broadcast to GIs via shortwave radio from Shibe Park. Pirates’ OF Vince DiMaggio starred for the Senior Circuit with a single, triple and home run while scoring twice and driving in a run. P Rip Sewell and 1B Elbie Fletcher were also on the squad; Sewell pitched a perfect sixth inning and Fletcher went 0-for-2. A couple of other Pirates repped the City: manager Frankie Frisch was a coach while Spud Davis was the bullpen catcher.

1948 – The Bucs sent 3B Frank Gustine, LF Ralph Kiner and RHP Elmer Riddle to Sportsman’s Park for the All-Star Game. The American League jumped ahead of the Nationals quickly and won 5-2 as Gustine and Kiner each went 0-for-1 and Riddle never got in the game.

1954 – OF Frank Thomas was the sole Buc representative in the All-Star Game at Cleveland Stadium, an 11-9 Junior Circuit victory, and struck out in his only at bat for the National League side. The teams combined for an ASG record of 20 runs on 31 hits, which included six home runs. 

1960 – Vern Law became the second Pirate to win a 1960 All-Star Game, working two scoreless, one-hit innings in a 6-0 National League victory at Yankee Stadium. He matched Bob Friend, who won the first game two days earlier at Municipal Stadium and then sat this game out. OF Bob Skinner went 1-for-3, OF Roberto Clemente drew a walk in his only at bat, SS Dick Groat went 0-for-1 and C Smoky Burgess & 2B Bill Mazeroski both went 0-for-2 against the Americans.

1965 – The NL beat the AL 6-5 at Minnesota’s Metropolitan Stadium in the 36th All-Star game. OF Willie Stargell, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI, homered in the second, and recalled it as one of his most memorable long balls, not because of distance or the game situation, but because of its landing spot. He hit the ball into the bullpen area, where the band was seated, and it dropped over the fence and right into a tuba bell. OF Roberto Clemente went 0-for-2 and LHP Bob Veale didn’t get a call to work.

Willie Stargell – 1965 Jay Publishing

1971 – The American League jumped on top early, scoring four times off Dock Ellis in the third inning (Reggie Jackson hit a 520’ HR off the Docktor) and then held on to take a 6-4 win from the Nationals in the All-Star game held at Tiger Stadium. It was the first AL win since the second All-Star Game of 1962, and their last until the 54th All-Star Game in 1983. The AL went 1-19 during that span but came back with a vengeance afterward. OF Roberto Clemente went 1-for-2 with a solo homer (he hit the long ball in what would be his final AS at bat; he didn’t play in the 1972 ASG because of injury), 1B Willie Stargell 0-for-2 with a run scored after a HBP and C Manny Sanguillen didn’t get into the game. It’s thought that Dock talked his way into the start. At a presser the day before the game, Ellis told the media that NL manager Sparky Anderson wouldn’t start two “brothers” (Vida Blue was the AL starter), verbally backing the skipper into a corner.

1976 – The National League nine put a hurtin’ on the American League squad by a 7-1 count in the All-Star game at Veterans Stadium after President Gerald Ford tossed out the first ceremonial pitch. OF Al Oliver was the only Bucco All Star and went 0-for-1 off the bench. 

1982 – The AL fell 4-1 to the NL in the All-Star game at Stade Olympique (Olympic Stadium) in Montreal in the first All-Star Game ever played outside the United States. C Tony Pena stole a base as a pinch runner and went 0-for-1 at the dish, as did 1B Jason Thompson. Former Bucco Al Oliver, now an Expo, went 2-for-2 with a run scored and double in his sixth ASG. 

1993 – The American League nine banged the ball all around the Camden Yards lot in a 9-3 win over the National League club. Bucco rep 2B Jay Bell went 0-for-1 while Andy Van Slyke, slated to be the NL’s starting center fielder, sat out the game with a broken collarbone suffered when he crashed into a wall at Busch Stadium. AL manager Cito Gaston didn’t make any friends in Baltimore. The fans got fired up when the hometown Birds’ Mike Mussina warmed up in the bullpen in the ninth and roared “We Want Mike!”, but Gaston never made a call for him. The Camden Yard crowd littered the field after the final out until Moose quieted them down. He said afterward that he warmed up on his own because it was his day to throw (he did pitch on July 16th), but most believe he was trying to catch Cito’s attention so he could make a hometown appearance.

AVS missed the ’93 ASG with a broken wing.

1999 – The AL took a 4-1 win from the NL in the All-Star Game at Fenway Park. 3B Ed Sprague was the Pirate rep and went 0-for-1. Pedro Martínez added to his legend when he became the first twirler to begin the ASG by striking out the side. He fanned out five of the six batters he faced and was named MVP. The game began 15 minutes late after Ted Williams came out in a golf cart for the pre-game ceremonies and was mobbed by the players who wanted to honor the all-timer. Two days earlier, Pirates pups Nashville 3B Aramis Ramirez and Lynchburg C Yamid Haad played for the World team in the Futures game; Buc coach Trent Jewell participated as a USA coach.