CHICAGO - JULY 6: Babe Ruth (R) of the New York Yankees crosses home plate as teammate Lou Gehrig #4 waits to congratulate him during the first inaugural All-Star game at Comiskey Park on July 6, 1933 in Chicago, Illinois. The American League All-Stars won 4-2. (Photo by National Baseball Hall of Fame Library/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
What can you say about a video that highlights the first ever Major League Baseball All Star Game in 1933…..other than “FAN-tastic” ….as this was the first official playing of the Midsummer Classic baseball game between Major League Baseball’s (MLB’s) National League (NL) and American League (AL) All-Star teams.
The first official MLB All-Star exhibition game was held on July 6, 1933 at Comiskey Park (1910–1990)….and was part of the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair during the city’s centennial. The 1933 MLB All-Star Game was the idea of Arch Ward…who was the sports editor of the Chicago Tribune….after the Mayor of Chicago, Edward J. Kelly, had first approached the Tribune’s publisher for a major sport event….in which the game was intended to be a one-time event to boost morale during the Great Depression. Ward decided that the fans would select the starting nine players and the managers the other nine players for each of the NL and AL All-Star teams. The Tribune called it the “Game of the Century”….as 55 major newspapers across the country printed the fans’ ballots in their papers….and the Tribune estimated the game’s attendance on July 6, 1933, at 49,000….with proceeds of $45,000 in net gate receipts from the game going to a charity for disabled and needy major league players. The All-Star Game would afterwards be known as MLB’s “Midsummer Classic”.
The legendary Babe Ruth of the Yankees highlighted the game by hitting a two-run home run to right field in the bottom of the third inning….and catching a fly ball up against the scoreboard in right-center field in the top of the eighth inning….as Ruth was greeted at home plate by the AL/Chicago White Sox bat boy John McBride and teammate Lou Gehrig. Twenty of the game’s thirty-six All-Stars including Ruth would later be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, New York…..along with both the game’s managers….five out of six coaches….and two out of the four umpires on the field that day would also be future Hall of Famers. Yankee Lefty Gomez was the winning pitcher for the American League.
The NL team wore specially made gray uniforms and navy blue caps with “National League” in navy blue felt letters on the front of the jersey….and a large navy blue felt number on the back and “NL” in white letters printed on the navy caps. The American League team members each wore their home uniform.
This video commemorating the 1st MLB All Star Game is nothing short of rare and priceless history…and we at ImaSportsphile are truly blessed to have it as part of our incredible treasure chest of vintage baseball memories.
