1951 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

The 1951 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 18th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League (AL) and National League (NL), the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 10, 1951, at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan the home of the Detroit Tigers of the American League. The game resulted in the National League defeating the American League 8–3.

1951 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E National League 1 0 0 3 0 2 1 1 0 8 12 1 American League 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 3 10 2
Date	July 10, 1951
Venue	Briggs Stadium
City	Detroit, Michigan
Managers	Eddie Sawyer (Philadelphia Phillies) Casey Stengel (New York Yankees)
Attendance	52,075
Ceremonial first pitch	Ty Cobb
Television	NBC
TV announcers	Jack Brickhouse and Jim Britt
Radio	Mutual
Radio announcers	Al Helfer and Mel Allen

Summary

The 1951 game was originally awarded to the Philadelphia Phillies. The City of Detroit was celebrating the 250th anniversary of its founding in 1701 and requested to host the year's All-Star Game. Although the National League was scheduled to host the game in '51, the game was moved to Detroit.[1] The Phillies hosted the 1952 Game.

Long-time Tigers player and broadcaster Harry Heilmann died at age 56 in Detroit the day prior to the game. A moment of silence was observed in Heilmann's memory prior to the game's start.

The American League was 7–5 favorites to win the game. The ceremonial first pitch was delivered by Ty Cobb. Chico Carrasquel became the first Latin American player in Major League history to start in an All-Star game.[2]

Opening Lineups

National League			American League
Player	Team	Pos	Player	Team	Pos
Richie Ashburn	Philadelphia Phillies	CF	Dom DiMaggio	Boston Red Sox	CF
Alvin Dark	New York Giants	SS	Nellie Fox	Chicago White Sox	2B
Stan Musial	St. Louis Cardinals	LF	George Kell	Detroit Tigers	3B
Jackie Robinson	Brooklyn Dodgers	2B	Ted Williams	Boston Red Sox	LF
Gil Hodges	Brooklyn Dodgers	1B	Yogi Berra	New York Yankees	C
Bob Elliott	Boston Braves	3B	Vic Wertz	Detroit Tigers	RF
Del Ennis	Philadelphia Phillies	RF	Ferris Fain	Philadelphia Athletics	1B
Roy Campanella	Brooklyn Dodgers	C	Chico Carrasquel	Chicago White Sox	SS
Robin Roberts	Philadelphia Phillies	P	Ned Garver	St. Louis Browns	P

Rosters

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

1951 National League All-Star Game roster
Pitchers 47 Ewell Blackwell 46 Larry Jansen * 20 Dutch Leonard * 35 Sal Maglie 36 Don Newcombe 36 Robin Roberts 28 Preacher Roe * 21 Warren Spahn * Catchers 39 Roy Campanella  8 Bruce Edwards *		Infielders 19 Alvin Dark  3 Bob Elliott 14 Gil Hodges  6 Willie Jones  1 Pee Wee Reese 42 Jackie Robinson  2 Red Schoendienst Outfielders  1 Richie Ashburn 14 Del Ennis  4 Ralph Kiner  6 Stan Musial  9 Enos Slaughter  4 Duke Snider 17 Wally Westlake 22 Johnny Wyrostek		Manager 24 Eddie Sawyer Coaches 11 Benny Bengough 32 Dusty Cooke    Cy Perkins  * = Did not play

1951 American League All-Star Game roster
Pitchers 31 Ned Garver 18 Randy Gumpert * 29 Fred Hutchinson 21 Bob Lemon 30 Eddie Lopat 22 Connie Marrero * 17 Mel Parnell 30 Bobby Shantz * Catchers  8 Yogi Berra  4 Jim Hegan		Infielders 17 Chico Carrasquel  1 Bobby Doerr  8 Ferris Fain 26 Nellie Fox  7 George Kell 10 Phil Rizzuto 46 Eddie Robinson  5 Vern Stephens Outfielders  3 Jim Busby  7 Dom DiMaggio  5 Joe DiMaggio * 14 Larry Doby  9 Minnie Miñoso  5 Vic Wertz  9 Ted Williams		Manager 37 Casey Stengel Coaches 33 Bill Dickey 15 Tommy Henrich  * = Did not play

Line Score

Tuesday, July 10, 1951 1:30 pm (ET) at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
National League	1	0	0	3	0	2	1	1	0	8	12	1
American League	0	1	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	3	10	2
WP: Sal Maglie (1–0)   LP: Eddie Lopat (0–1)   Sv: Ewell Blackwell (1) Home runs: NL: Stan Musial (1), Bob Elliott (1), Gil Hodges (1), Ralph Kiner (1) AL: Vic Wertz (1), George Kell (1)

How the runs scored
Team	Inning	Play	NL	AL
NL	1st	Ashburn scored on E4	1	0
AL	2nd	Fain tripled, Berra scored	1	1
NL	4th	Musial homered; Elliott homered, Hodges scored	4	1
AL	4th	Wertz homered	4	2
AL	5th	Kell homered	4	3
NL	6th	Hodges homered, Robinson scored	6	3
NL	7th	Robinson singled, Ashburn scored	7	3
NL	8th	Kiner homered	8	3

Play-by-play at Retrosheet

Notes

• The National League won its second straight contest for the first time in All-Star Game history, and hit a record four home runs.
• Venezuelan shortstop Chico Carrasquel became the first Latin American player to appear in an All-Star Game.
• Ralph Kiner became the first All-Star player to hit a home run in three consecutive games.
• Both leagues combined to hit six home runs, an All-Star record which has been tied but not broken.
• Joe DiMaggio, who did not play due to a leg injury, would announce his retirement at the end of this season, making this his final All-Star selection.
• Casey Stengel chose Bob Lemon instead of Bob Feller for his team, then Feller pitched his third no-hitter on July 1; the New York Times quoted Stengel as saying, "That cooks me. How could I know the guy was gonna pitch a no-hitter?"

References

1. Vincent, David; Lyle Spatz, David W. Smith (2001). The Midsummer Classic: The Complete History of Baseball's All-Star Game. University of Nebraska Press. p. 111. ISBN 0-8032-9273-2.
2. Chico Carrasquel Obituary at The New York Times

Further reading

• Hand, Jack (July 11, 1951). "National Leaguers Slam Four Home Runs To Beat American League Stars, 8 To 3". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved July 10, 2009.
• "Jubilant Nationals See End of American Loop 'Reign of Terror'". Ellensburg Daily Record. July 11, 1951. p. 8.

External links

• Baseball Almanac: 1951 All-Star Game
• MLB.com: 1951 All-Star Game