Major League Baseball (MLB) All Star Game 1959 (1)

MLB All-Star Game - 1959 (Game 1)

Final Score - National League 5, American League 4 (Game 1)

MVP - No MVP selection

Location - Forbes Field, Pittsburgh

Attendance - 35,277

Time - 2:33

Umpires - Barlick, Donatelli and Crawford (N.L.), Runge, Paparella and Rice (A.L.)

Box Score

American League	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	3	0	--	4
National League	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	x	--	5

Hitting

American	AB	R	H	RBI
Minoso (Indians), lf	5	0	0	0
Fox (White Sox), 2b	5	1	2	0
Kaline (Tigers), cf	3	1	1	1
Kuenn (Tigers), cf	1	1	0	0
Skowron (Yankees), 1b	3	0	2	0
Power (Indians), 1b	1	1	1	1
Colavito (Indians), rf	3	0	1	0
bWilliams (Red Sox)	0	0	0	0
cMcDougald (Yanks), ss	0	0	0	0
Triandos (Orioles), c	4	0	1	2
fMantle (Yankees), rf	0	0	0	0
Killbrew (Senators), 3b	3	0	0	0
Bunning (Tigers), p	0	0	0	0
dRunnels (Red Sox)	0	0	0	0
eSievers (Senators)	0	0	0	0
Ford (Yankees), p	0	0	0	0
Daley (Athletics), p	0	0	0	0
Aparicio (White Sox), ss	3	0	0	0
gLollar (White Sox), c	1	0	0	0
Wynn (White Sox), p	1	0	0	0
Duren (Yankees), p	1	0	0	0
Malzone (Red Sox), 3b	2	0	0	0
Totals	36	4	8	4

National	AB	R	H	RBI
Temple (Reds)2b	2	0	0	0
aMusial (Cardinals)	1	0	0	0
Face (Pirates),p	0	0	0	0
Antonelli (Giants), p	0	0	0	0
hBoyer (Cardinals), 3b	1	1	1	0
Mathews (Braves), 3b	3	1	1	1
iGroat (Pirates)	0	0	0	0
Elston (Cubs), p	0	0	0	0
Aaron (Braves), rf	4	1	2	1
Mays (Giants), cf	4	0	1	1
Banks (Cubs), ss	3	1	2	0
Cepeda (Giants), 1b	4	0	0	0
Moon (Dodgers), lf	2	0	0	0
Crandall (Braves), c	3	1	1	1
Drysdale (Dodgers), p	1	0	0	0
Burdette (Braves), p	1	0	0	0
Mazeroski (Pirates), 2b	1	0	1	1
Totals	30	5	9	5

Pitching

American	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Wynn	3	2	1	1	1	3
Duren	3	1	0	0	1	4
Bunning	1	3	2	2	0	1
Ford (L)	1/3	3	2	2	0	0
Daley	2/3	0	0	0	0	1

National	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Drysdale	3	0	0	0	0	4
Burdette	3	4	1	1	0	2
Face	12/3	3	3	3	2	2
Antonelli (W)	1/3	0	0	0	1	0
Elston	1	1	0	0	0	1

1959 (1) All Star Game - Recap

When the Midsummer Classic came to the Steel City in 1959, the fans were expecting a game worthy of the title "All-Star". After all, the previous year's thirteen-hit sleeper had left the fans with a lot to be desired.

In an attempt to rejuvenate their interest, the league administration had decided on a doubleheader (over a two day period) which seemed like a good idea at the time.

Game 1 featured spectacular pitching by the National League's Don Drysdale who was making the first of eight All-Star appearances. He worked three hitless innings while striking out four. Unexpectedly, the National League took a 3-1 lead into the ninth, only to have the American League score three runs. However the National League came back to win it against Whitey Ford in the ninth. First, Ken Boyer singled and moved up on a sacrifice. Then, Hank Aaron tied it with a single, scoring Boyer. Finally, Willie Mays stepped up who was 3-for-3 against Ford in three other All-Star Games. He made it four-for-four with a triple that scored Aaron. Don Elston came in for the National League in the ninth and retired the side.

Game 2 of the doubleheader was played on August 3. For this game, the managers were not bound to a voted-in starting lineup. They could start whomever they pleased from the All-Star rosters.

Unlike the first game, the American League took a lead into the top of the seventh and scored another run as Tony Kubek walked and advanced to second on an errant pickoff attempt. Kubek reached third and Pete Runnels reached first on an Ernie Banks fielding error. Next, Nelson Fox singled Kubek in for a 4-2 lead. The National League tightened it on Jim Gilliam's homer in the bottom of the seventh, however the American League quickly got it back on Rocky Colavito's homer in the top of the eighth.

Both fans and press shared mixed emotions about the new "doubleheader" format, but they were happy that both games had exceeded the pace of the year before. Some felt it was a meaningless series as both teams walked away with a victory.