Tuesday night during the 80th Major League Baseball All-Star Game in St Louis, President Barack Obama will be on hand at Busch Stadium, making him the fourth U.S. president to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, joining John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and Gerald Ford.
The first U.S. president to attend an All-Star Game was Franklin Roosevelt in 1937; the last was George W. Bush in 1992. Prior to President Obama's scheduled appearance, six presidents have attended the mid-season classic
The last time an All-Star Game took place in St Louis was 43 years ago, when a gallon of gas cost 32 cents compared with $2.64 today; a postage stamp was a mere nickel, today it's 44 cents, a six pack of beer was 84 cents—today it’s $5.59; and the average annual salary for a baseball player in 1966 was $19,000, in 2009, it's $3 million
The first All-Star Game took place in 1933 at Comiskey Park in Chicago. The idea of having a mid-season match-up between the two rival leagues was dreamed up by Chicago Tribune sports editor Arch Ward who thought the game would blend well with the Century of Progress Exposition that was to be held in the Windy City at the same time. Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis bought into the idea, as did the two league presidents.
Coming into Tuesday night’s game, the All-Star Game has been held in St Louis five times since 1933.
What follows are game summaries of previous mid-season match-ups in the Gateway City.
On July 9, 1940, the All-Star Game is held for the first time in St. Louis at Sportsman's Park, home of the St Louis Browns (Baltimore Orioles). Boston Bee's outfielder Max West launched a three run rocket off of Charley (Red) Ruffing to the right field pavilion in the opening frame to give the National League a 3-0 lead in what became the first shutout in All-Star Game history, as the senior circuit cruised to a 4-0 win.
July 13, 1948: In the second All-Star Game at Sportsman’s Park, despite sluggers Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams out of the starting lineup (nursing injuries), the American League still got the best of their rivals, when New York Yankee Pitcher Vic Raschi supplied his own offense by slapping a two-run single in the fourth inning, driving in two runs; two-innings later, the burly right-handed pitcher sealed the deal by striking out Richie Ashburn of the Philadelphia Phillies with the bases loaded, finishing with three scoreless innings, while surrendering only three hits in a 5-2 AL win.
July 9, 1957: A crowd of 30, 693 gathered at Sportsman's Park for the 24th All-Star Game in St Louis to watch the American League head to the bottom of the ninth with a commanding 6-2 lead, only to see their lead trimmed to one run before Minnie Minosa ran down a laser shot, hit off the bat of Gil Hodges, to preserve a 6-5 thriller for the American League.
July 12, 1966: The All Star Game at new Busch Stadium was a sizzler, 105 degrees to be exact. In a memorable classic pitching match-up; Denny McClain and Sandy Koufax squared off with only one batter reaching base between the two of them in the first three frames of the mid-season classic. Thanks to some clutch hitting by Maury Wills, Tim McCarver scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth to give the National League a 2-1 victory, and extend their consecutive wins to four, and eighth in the last nine matchups.
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Comparing St Louis's Busch Stadiums
Old Busch Stadium:
Opened May 12, 1966
Construction Cost: $20 million
Seating Capacity: 50, 345
Price of Beer: Less than a dollar
Price of Field Box Seat: $3.50
Surface; Grass; replaced by Astroturf in 1970
New Busch Stadium
Opened: April 10, 2006
Construction Cost: $344 Million
Seating Capacity: 46, 700
Price of Beer: $6.25
Field Box Ticket: $250
Surface: Grass
Source: Major Leauge Baseball
Bill Lucey
[email protected]
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