Bo Jackson
A monster home run by dual sports star Bo Jackson, shown recognizing the cheers of Auburn University fans in 2012, tops the list of favorite All-Star memories by Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes. Jackson, who won the Heisman Tropy for Auburn in 1985, homered in the 1989 All-Star game at Anaheim Stadium.
(Dave Martin, Associated Press)
CINCINNATI -- I've been covering the All-Star game since 1983. Here are my nine favorite All-Star moments, one for each inning of a regulation game.
1. July 11, 1989, Anaheim Stadium: It was Bo Jackson's coming-out party. Angel Stadium was Anaheim Stadium at that time. The batter's eye located well behind the center field fence was a large black tarp that seemed to go on forever.
Jackson, leading off for the AL in the first inning, launched a Rick Reuschel pitch onto that tarp and it rolled around on it like a Ping Pong ball. Jackson added a stolen base and another hit in a display of power and speed as only he could do.
Suddenly a light went on in my head. I said, "OK, that's Bo Jackson. I get it now."
2. July 13, 1999, Fenway Park: Ted Williams, the greatest Red Sox player of them all, was driven to the mound in a golf cart to throw out the first pitch. The cheers rumbled from the old ballpark, but the most excited fans of all were the All-Stars and members of the All Century team that had been introduced before the arrival of Williams.
They surrounded Williams on the mound talking baseball with the last man to hit .400 in a season. The late Tony Gwynn steadied Williams as he threw out the first pitch. The players were having such a good time the game almost didn't start on time.
Then Boston's Pedro Martinez started the game by striking out five of the six batters he faced - Barry Larkin, Larry Walker, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire and Jeff Bagwell.
3. July 8, 1997, Jacobs Field: Indians catcher Sandy Alomar, playing in his own backyard, replaced starter Pudge Rodriguez and hit a game-winning two-run homer in the seventh inning off Shawn Estes in the American League's 3-1 win.
It was Alomar's only at-bat of the game and he was named All-Star MVP. He talked to so many reporters after the game that his voice was hoarse by the end of the night. It was the best year of Alomar's career, capped by a great postseason. The only downer was that Game 7 loss to the Marlins in the World Series.
The next year Sandy's brother, Hall of Famer Robbie Alomar, kept the All-Star game MVP in the family by winning it while playing with the Orioles.
4. July 13, 1993, Camden Yards: Philadelphia's John Kruk, the NL's starting first baseman, let it be known that he was not all that anxious to face Randy Johnson, the Big Unit from Seattle. Kruk hit from the left side, Johnson threw high heat from the same side.
They met in the third inning and just for the fun it (maybe) Johnson threw a rising fastball well over Kruk's head. Kruk spun out of the way and then tapped his chest repeatedly as if his heart was going to leave his body.
John struck out Kruk for the third out and as he left the mound he glanced at Kruk and smiled.
5. July 10, 2001, Safeco Field: This was Cal Ripken's 19th and final All-Star game because he was retiring at the end of the year. People remember it for the home run he hit off Chan Ho Park in the third inning, but I remember it for something else.
The fans voted Ripken as the AL's starting third baseman even though he spent most of his career at shortstop. When the AL All-Stars took the field in the first inning, starting shortstop Alex Rodriguez went to third base and AL manager Joe Torre motioned Ripken to play shortstop.
Ripken was reluctant to do it at first, but then moved over to short.
I thought Park grooved the pitch that Ripken hit out, but what Rodriguez and the rest of the AL All-Stars did for Ripken was cool.
6. July 9, 2002, Miller Park: San Francisco's Barry Bonds, in the first inning, sent a fly ball to center field with two out. It looked like just about everything else Bonds hit in his career -a home run. Then Twins center fielder Torii Hunter went to the wall, jumped and made a home-run saving catch.
Bonds, after Hunter's catch, jogged into the outfield, playfully threw Hunter over his shoulder and carried him around the outfield. It was a fun moment.
7. July 9, 2002, Miller Park: It was the 11th inning, the score was tied, 7-7 and I had my head down typing furiously trying to make The Plain Dealer's last edition. The thought of a tie never entered my mind. There's no tying in baseball, right?
But that's exactly what happened. Commissioner Bud Selig, showing off Milwaukee's new ballpark to the world, after consulting with the umpires and managers called the game because the teams ran out of pitchers.
The next year All-Star rosters were expanded, but that game still has me shaking my head because I never saw the possibility of a tie coming.
8. July 10, 2008, Yankee Stadium: Indians left-hander Cliff Lee started the last All-Star game at old Yankee Stadium. It was the year Lee won the Cy Young and he had everything working.
Lee retired six of the seven batters he faced with Chipper Jones getting the only hit. He struck out Hanley Ramirez, Chase Utley and Ryan Braun.
One other thing has stayed with me for that All-Star celebration. It happened the day before during the Home Run Derby when Josh Hamilton hit one ball after another to the top of the bleacher walls in right field. I swore a couple left the ballpark, but it must have been an optical illusion or an overactive imagination.
9. July 15, 2014, Target Field: The Derek Jeter Farewell Tour was already in full swing when he came to Minneapolis as the AL's starting shortstop and leadoff hitter. Jeter, after a standing ovation from the crowd as he came to the plate in his 14th and final All-Star Game, used his classic inside-out swing to line Adam Wainwright's second pitch into right field for a double. It started a three-run inning for the American League.
Wainwright, after he left the game, told a couple of reporters that he grooved a couple of pitches to Jeter because he "deserved it.' When reporters asked Jeter about it after the game, he seemed surprised, but recovered quickly.
"If he grooved it, thank you," said Jeter. "You still have to hit it. I appreciate it if that's what he did, thank you."