ALL-STAR GAME INSIDER
Target Field • Tuesday, July 15 • 7 p.m.
Five notable Midsummer Classic controversies
1957 — Ballot stuffing: Reds fans went nuts in 1957 as seven Cincinnati players were elected to start in the game. What made it easy for fans to tilt things in their favor was that the Cincinnati Enquirer printed pre-marked ballots and inserted them with the Sunday paper. There were objections, of course, and Commissioner Ford Frick stepped in and appointed Willie Mays and Hank Aaron as starters instead of Gus Bell and Wally Post.
2012 — Home Run Derby in Kansas City: Royals fans wanted to see Billy Butler be part of the AL squad, but AL captain Robinson Cano did not pick Butler. Cano was booed by Royals fans during the All-Star Game, and booed again when the Yankees visited Kauffman Stadium later in the season.
1993 — Bullpen in Baltimore: The AL beat the NL 9-3, but Orioles fans will remember the game for AL manager Cito Gaston refusing to pitch the great Mike Mussina. The AL led 8-3, and Gaston brought in Jeff Montgomery to pitch the seventh, Rick Aguilera in the eighth and Duane Ward for the ninth as fans chanted for Mussina. The Baltimore righthander got up to warm up, but Gaston left him in the bullpen. Fans at Camden Yards booed as the AL left the field.
1970 — Rose in Riverfront: Pete Rose was on second when Jim Hickman lined a single to center in the bottom of the 12th inning in Cincinnati. Third base coach Leo Durocher waved Rose home. Poor Ray Fosse. Rose slammed into him at home plate. The ball rolled away as Rose scored the winning run in front of his home fans. Fosse suffered a shoulder injury and was never the same.
2002 — Out of pitchers in Milwaukee: By now, the All-Star Game was having problems. Players left in the middle of the game. Managers made sure the benches were emptied during games. It all caught up to them at Miller Park when this game went into extra innings tied 7-7. After 11 innings, the game was declared a tie as both teams were out of pitchers. It led to a few changes, such as home-field advantage in the World Series going to the winner of the annual exhibition.
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