OnlyBucs

Not much to talk about during the AS break and 1960 was a legendary season for the franchise. So here's some long forgotten or never known info. From 1959-1962 MLB played 2 All-Star games with the team selected by players, coaches and managers. The games were played in 2 different cities with a travel day in between. Walter Alston managed the NL. Al Lopez managed the AL.



Altho the Pirates had been MLB's laughingstock most of the 1950s, the voters recognized that the 1960 Pirates were having a good year. It was not a popularity contest. Eight Pirates made the squad. Bob Skinner and Bill Mazeroski and Bob Friend were starters. Dick Groat, Roberto Clemente, Smoky Burgess, Vern Law and Elroy Face also made the team. In game 1 in KC, the NL won 5-3. Willie Mays had 3 hits, Ernie Banks, Del Crandall and Joe Adcock had 2 hits each. Skinner singled to drive in Mays and scored on a Banks HR the 1st. Maz singled in the 3rd to drive in Banks. Friend started and pitched 3 scoreless innings. Face pitched 1.2 scoreless innings and Law got the save in the 9th. Clemente, Groat and Burgess played but didn't get hits.



The 2nd game was played 2 days later in Yankee Stadium with the same squads. Vern Law started game 2. NL won 6-0. Law was the winner. 4 NL HRs- Mays, Ken Boyer, Muisial, Eddie Mattews. Pirates' only hit was a 1st inning Skinner single. Mays again had 3 hits. In some foreshadowing, the Yankee All-Stars struggled against Law and Face. Attendance for the 2nd game was not a sellout. MLB decided t go back to 1 AS game beginning 1963.

The NL was just beginning it's long period of dominance. It was rapidly becoming the most bad ***** league that has ever been.

Very cool! Thanks for posting Bobster!

I really enjoy the All Star Game. Its the best against the best (for the most part) and it is still the same game unlike the other sports.



The 2017 ASG had 28 first time All Stars (if I heard that correctly). I am not going to lie, there were players who made it this year that I had no idea were having strong years.



I love the camera angles, the slow motion, and just the pitching vs hitter matchups. This year they tried to ruin it by having A-Rod on the field interviewing players. Why can't they do that in the dugout?



Nice post, Bobster. I was certainly born in the wrong era. I only have 1990-1992 and 2013-2015 where I can tell people where I was for those "great" Pirates teams.

So what did you think about the whole cell phone incident?

393C3B3D353F263B3221272A530 wrote: So what did you think about the whole cell phone incident?


Unnecessary. But no big harm. It gave Joe West a moment, which he deserves based on longevity.

7B70787471706B2E285F667E777070317C701F0 wrote: So what did you think about the whole cell phone incident?


Unnecessary.  But no big harm.  It gave Joe West a moment, which he deserves based on longevity. 


I was ok with it because it was a unique moment. Very cute. Not like the NFL where every guy tries to outdo everyone else with some shtick and it's very tiresome. I only hope this phone episode hasn't opened the door for countless more "hey, look at me everybody" acts.

It was kind of cool to see a player that genuinely appreciated Joe's longevity.

Still think they played harder in the All Star games in the 60 and 70's. The players back then were big on NL and AL pride...just my take on the matter... But I still watch them regardless.



PS< I could do without ARod doing all his on the spot reporting. He is not a bad analyst. I just never was a fan of him in any way shape or form...

6A5D4B5B6E494641466F69280 wrote: Still think they played harder in the All Star games in the 60 and 70's. The players back then were big on NL and AL pride...just my take on the matter... But I still watch them regardless. 



PS< I could do without ARod doing all his on the spot reporting. He is not a bad analyst. I just never was a fan of him in any way shape or form... 
I think you're right about the pride. The leagues were distinct. There was no interleague play and no free agency to jump from team to team, league to league, as wanted. Each league had its own set of umpires. The NL was known as a low fastball league and the AL a high fastball league because the umps called different strike zones. Players in one league rarely saw players in the other league. There was even very limited TV exposure as there was no ESPN, etc and just a single national game of the week. At all-star games, AL players used to watch the NL fielding practice to see Maz because they had heard so much about him. Now that the leagues are interchangeable aside from the DH rule, the AS game has lost some of its luster.