Take me out to the (All-Star) game
At this point, it seems unlikely that Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Shawn Green, St. Louis Cardinals’ pitcher Jason Marquis, Boston Red Sox infielder Kevin Youkilis, or any of the Jewish players on major league rosters will be chosen to participate in baseball’s 77th All-Star game, scheduled for Tuesday, July 11 at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park.
The starting lineups — except for the pitchers — are picked by fans. Managers and coaches fill the rest of the spots. Final announcements were made after this edition went to press.
Several players identified as Jewish have been selected for All-Star rosters since the first contest in 1933:
- Wally Berger, an outfielder for the Boston Braves in the 1930s, went hitless in three straight games (1933-35).
- Hall of Fame shortstop Lou Boudreau collected four hits over five games in the 1940s.
- Harry Danning, a catcher for the New York Giants, was named to four straight squads (1938-41), played in two games, and managed one hit in two at-bats.
- Hank Greenberg, Hall of Fame first baseman/outfielder for the Detroit Tigers, was a four-time All-Star, playing in two games with only one hit in five trips to the plate.
- Sandy Koufax, another member of the Hall, pitched in six games, coming away with the victory in the 1965 contest.
- Pitcher Steve Stone (Baltimore Orioles) started the 1980 game, striking out three in three innings.
- One of the most dramatic performances in the 73-year history of the midsummer classic belongs to Al Rosen of the Cleveland Indians. Playing before his hometown fans at Municipal Stadium in 1954, the four-time All-Star belted a three-run homer in the third inning and a two-run blast in the fifth to help the American League squeak out an 11-9 victory. He also singled and walked in the game, accounting for his total All-Star offensive output.
- Other Jews appearing in the All-Star game include third baseman Sid Gordon (NY Giants, 1949), outfielder Richie Scheinblum (Kansas City Royals, 1972), pitcher Ken Holtzman (Oakland Athletics, 1973; he was also chosen — but did not play — for the 1972 game), and catcher Brad Ausmus (Detroit Tigers, 1999). Barry Latman (Cleveland Indians) and Joel Horlen (Chicago White Sox) were on the American League 1962 and 1967 rosters, respectively, but never made it into the game.
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