In 1933: The first Major League All-Star Game took place in Chicago’s Comiskey Park (and the whole idea was proposed by a sportswriter nonetheless). The American League, featuring Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Jimmie Foxx defeated the National League squad, 4-2. Ruth hit the very first homer in al-star history in the third inning, with a blast into the right field bleachers.
and in 1983: The 50th Anniversary of the midsummer classic was also held in Comiskey Park. Once again, the AL won, this time a 13-3 rout over the senior circuit. Fred Lynn of the California Angels hit the first grand slam in the game’s history, once again in the third inning.
In 2002: Daryle Ward of the Houston Astros hit PNC Park’s first and only home run into the Allegheny river on the fly (many have bounced in off of the walkway behind the bleachers). Ward’s 479-foot grand slam helped pace the Astros to a 10-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The event was significant to me for two reasons. First, I was at the game; and second, Ward would be my neighbor for a brief period while with the Pirates during the 2005 season, before later signing with the Washington Nationals in the offseason. I moved into the apartment next to Ward on July 6 of last year.
