Issued by: Beth Stafford
414-229-4800
bstaff@uwm.edu
Date: July 5, 2002
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Issued by: Beth Stafford Date: July 5, 2002 |
UWM Researcher
Traces 2002 All-Star Game's Milwaukee Roots MILWAUKEE - The 2002 All-Star Baseball Game is the third Milwaukee has hosted. The first two All-Star Games played in Milwaukee were on July 12, 1955, and July 15, 1975.
Mariann Maris, a senior lecturer in the English Department at the University of Wisconsin -- Milwaukee, is a student of the game -- especially All-Star games. Her research gives a good idea of the excitement surrounding those first two All-Star Games played in Milwaukee:
The 1955 game in the then-new Milwaukee County Stadium lasted for 3 hours and 17 minutes. There were 23 strikeouts and 20 hits as the game went 12 innings before the National League won, 6-5.
St. Louis Cardinal slugger Stan Musial hit a home run on the first pitch in the bottom of the 12th to win the game. Wausau, Wis. native Al Kaline, playing in the outfield for the American League, watched Musial's ball sail into a crowd of excited fans. Hall of Famer Kaline played for the Detroit Tigers.
Milwaukee pitcher Gene Conley struck out the side in the top of the 12th inning and was the winning pitcher. Mickey Mantle of the Yankees hit a home run for the American League, but Most Valuable Player honors went to Roy Campenella of the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Attendance at the 1955 All-Star Game was 45,314. Making the game more enjoyable for hometown Braves fans was the fact that six Milwaukee players were on the National League team: Eddie Matthews, Johnny Logan, Gene Conley, Del Crandall, Red Schoendienst and Henry Aaron.
Leo Durocher managed for the National League, Al Lopez for the American League.
The 1975 game in Milwaukee, hosted by the Milwaukee Brewers, who were then in the American League, ended again with a National League victory, this time by a score of 6 to 3.
Most-Valuable Player Joe Morgan of Cincinnati scored three runs in the 9th inning when American League outfielders misplayed three balls, leading to three NL runs. Don Sutton, whose son is now the voice of the Brewers telecast with Bill Schroeder, was on the National League All-Star team at that time. The current manager of the Phillies, Larry Bowa, was on the team as well.
Rollie Fingers, later traded to the Brewers and now in the Hall of Fame, was on the American League squad with the Oakland Athletics, as was current Baltimore Orioles manager Mike Hargrove. Mr. October, Reggie Jackson, was also on the AL squad.
Following is an abbreviated schedule for Milwaukee's 2002 All-Star Celebration. FanFest hours are subject to change. For updates, phone 1-800-449-3267.
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