1953 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

1953 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E American League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1   5 0 National League 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 2 x 5 10 0
Date	July 14, 1953
Venue	Crosley Field
City	Cincinnati
Managers	Casey Stengel (New York Yankees) Charlie Dressen (Brooklyn Dodgers)
Attendance	30,846 – Time of Game: 2:19
First pitch	Ted Williams
Television	NBC Sports
TV announcers	Jack Brickhouse and Mel Allen
Radio	Mutual
Radio announcers	Al Helfer and Waite Hoyt

The 1953 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 20th playing of the mid-summer classic between the All-Stars teams of the American League (AL) and National League (NL), the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 14, 1953 at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, home of the Cincinnati Redlegs National League team. The team changed its name from Reds to Redlegs during the height of anti-communism in the United States.

Summary

From 1949 through 1952, manager Casey Stengel had taken the New York Yankees to four consecutive World Series titles, but this time turned on his fourth defeat in a row at the helm of the American League team.

Robin Roberts (NL) and Billy Pierce (AL) found themselves in a pitching duel during three innings of one-hit shutout ball, but they were not a factor in the decision. AL relievers Allie Reynolds (2), Mike Garcia (1) and Satchel Paige (2) combined to give up five runs to the NL hitters.

The NL attack was led by Enos Slaughter, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI, while Pee Wee Reese hit a single and a double and drove in two runs. Minnie Miñoso went 2-for-2 and drove in the only run for the AL team.

NL relievers Warren Spahn and Curt Simmons pitched two scoreless innings each and Murry Dickson allowed the only AL run in two innings of work. Spahn was the winning pitcher and Reynolds the loser, while Dickson earned the save.

In one of the greatest defensive plays in All-Star Game history, Slaughter ran down a line-drive hit by Harvey Kuenn, making a diving, tumbling grab on the right field line.

The National League extended their winning-streak to four consecutive games, matching the previous record set by the American League from 1946 to 1949, After the game, the American League leads 12–8.

Notes

• The relief appearance by 46-year-old Satchel Paige in the eighth inning was an All-Star record for oldest pitcher in the contest.
• It was the first All-Star Game without a home run since 1944 at Forbes Field, and the third overall since 1938 at Crosley Field.
• Ted Williams threw out the ceremonial first pitch of the game just four days after being released from military service. Selected for the American League roster in the poll he did not play in the game. Williams signed a new contract with the Boston Red Sox and began working out with the club in late July.

Opening Lineups

American League			National League
Player	Team	Pos	Player	Team	Pos
Billy Goodman	Boston Red Sox	2B	Pee Wee Reese	Brooklyn Dodgers	SS
Mickey Vernon	Washington Senators	1B	Red Schoendienst	St. Louis Cardinals	2B
Hank Bauer	New York Yankees	RF	Stan Musial	St. Louis Cardinals	LF
Mickey Mantle	New York Yankees	CF	Ted Kluszewski	Cincinnati Redlegs	1B
Al Rosen	Cleveland Indians	3B	Roy Campanella	Brooklyn Dodgers	C
Gus Zernial	Philadelphia Athletics	LF	Eddie Mathews	Milwaukee Braves	3B
Yogi Berra	New York Yankees	C	Gus Bell	Cincinnati Redlegs	CF
Chico Carrasquel	Chicago White Sox	SS	Enos Slaughter	St. Louis Cardinals	RF
Billy Pierce	Chicago White Sox	P	Robin Roberts	Philadelphia Phillies	P

Rosters

Players in italics have since been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

1953 American League All-Star Game roster
Pitchers 25 Mike Garcia 21 Bob Lemon * 29 Satchel Paige 19 Billy Pierce 22 Allie Reynolds 11 Johnny Sain * Catchers  8 Yogi Berra 22 Sammy White *		Infielders 17 Chico Carrasquel  8 Ferris Fain  2 Nellie Fox 10 Billy Goodman  6 Billy Hunter  1 George Kell 26 Harvey Kuenn 36 Johnny Mize 10 Phil Rizzuto  8 Eddie Robinson  7 Al Rosen  3 Mickey Vernon Outfielders  9 Hank Bauer 14 Larry Doby  7 Mickey Mantle  9 Minnie Miñoso  9 Ted Williams * 19 Gus Zernial		Manager 37 Casey Stengel Coaches  4 Lou Boudreau 31 Jim Turner Did not play

1953 National League All-Star Game roster
Pitchers 22 Murry Dickson 42 Harvey Haddix * 36 Robin Roberts 28 Curt Simmons 21 Warren Spahn 14 Gerry Staley * 49 Hoyt Wilhelm * Catchers 39 Roy Campanella  1 Del Crandall *  8 Clyde McCullough 18 Del Rice *  9 Wes Westrum		Infielders  2 Granny Hamner 14 Gil Hodges 18 Ted Kluszewski 41 Eddie Mathews  1 Pee Wee Reese  2 Red Schoendienst 10 Davey Williams Outfielders  1 Richie Ashburn 25 Gus Bell  6 Carl Furillo *  4 Ralph Kiner  6 Stan Musial 42 Jackie Robinson  9 Enos Slaughter  4 Duke Snider		Manager  7 Charlie Dressen Coaches 22 Billy Herman 27 Cookie Lavagetto 31 Jake Pitler Did not play

Umpires

Position	Umpire
Home Plate	Jocko Conlan
First Base	Johnny Stevens
Second Base	Augie Donatelli
Third Base	Bill McKinley
Left Field	Larry Napp
Right Field	Bill Engeln

Line Score

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
AL All-Stars	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	5	0
NL All-Stars	0	0	0	0	2	0	1	2	x	5	10	0
WP: Spahn   LP: Reynolds   Sv: Dickson

How the runs scored
Team	Inning	Play	AL	NL
NL	5th	Ashburn singled, Mathews scored, Slaughter to second; Reese singled, Slaughter scored, Ashburn to second	0	2
NL	7th	Reese doubled, Slaughter scored	0	3
NL	8th	Slaughter singled, Campanella scored, Snider to third; Dickson singled, Snider scored	0	5
AL	9th	Miñoso singled, Fain scored, Mize to second	1	5

Play-by-play at Retrosheet

External links

• Baseball Almanac
• Baseball Reference
• IMDb.com