At tonight’s 95th All-Star Game, Tigers fans will have the chance to see something we haven’t seen in over a decade: six players on the American League team. They include four starters (pitcher Tarik Skubal, outfielders Riley Greene and Javier Báez, and infielder Gleyber Torres) and two replacement players (pitcher Casey Mize and infielder Zach McKinstry). The 2013 All-Stars included the likes of Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder, Torii Hunter, and Jhonny Peralta.
Also of note, this is the first time since 2019 that any team has had four players, including a pitcher, start the game — and that team was also managed by A.J. Hinch.
Ever since the first Major League Baseball All-Star Game was played at Chicago’s Comiskey Park in 1933, a number of Detroit Tiger players (and their ballparks) have made their mark in the “Midsummer Classic.” Here are 11 of the most memorable in chronological order.
Charlie Gehringer Scores on a Babe Ruth Home Run
July 6, 1933 at Comiskey Park, Chicago
In the very first MLB All-Star Game, with the American League trailing 1-0 in the third inning, Tigers’ second baseman Charlie Gehringer walked and scored the first A.L. run ever when Babe Ruth hit a two-run homer. The American League won the game 4-2. Gehringer, a six-time All-Star and Hall of Famer still holds the all-time record among all-stars in both batting average (.500; tied with Ted Kluszewski) and on-base percentage (.655). Gehringer went 10 for 20 in 29 All-Star plate appearances.
Ted Williams’ Walk-Off Home Run at Briggs Stadium
July 8, 1941
In the first of four MLB All-Star Games played in Detroit (’41, ’51, ’71, ’05) Briggs Stadium played host to arguably the most dramatic game in All-Star Game in history.
The American League All-Stars were trailing the National League 5-4, with two outs and two men on base in the bottom of the ninth inning, when Red Sox star Ted Williams launched a three-run, walk-off homer off of Claude Plasseau to give the Junior Circuit a 7-5 victory. Tigers’ first baseman Rudy York went 1 for 3 with a single in the 5th inning.
A Legendary Radio Broadcaster is Remembered and George Kell Gets a Homer
July 10, 1951
With the City of Detroit celebrating the 250th anniversary of its founding, players and 52,075 fans held a moment of silence for Tigers’ legend and broadcaster Harry Heilmann, who died the day before. After Ty Cobb, who played for the Tigers from 1905-1928, delivered a ceremonial first pitch from the front row of the stands, the National League went on to defeat the American League 8-3. A record six home runs were belted in the game, which included solo shots by Tigers’ heroes Vic Wertz and George Kell.
Al Kaline’s First All-Star Game
July 12, 1955 at County Stadium, Milwaukee
At just 20 years old, Al Kaline started in right field for the first of his 13 All-Star Game appearances. He went 1 for 4 with a walk and a 6th inning double off of Harvey Haddix as the NL defeated the AL 6-5. In All-Star Game play, Kaline had a lifetime average of .324, including two home runs. That same year, Kaline became the youngest player to win the American League batting title, (.340 average) a record that still stands.
Denny McLain Retires 9 Hitters in 28 Pitches
July 12,1966 at Busch Stadium, St. Louis
Four Tigers started the game: shortstop Dick McAuliffe, catcher Bill Freehan, outfielder Al Kaline, and pitcher Denny McLain. The 22-year-old hurler had one of the best pitching performances in All-Star Game history when McLain retired all nine hitters that he faced on just 28 pitches. The first six he faced were future Hall of Famers Willie Mays (struck out looking), Roberto Clemente, Hank Aaron (struck out looking), Willie McCovey, Ron Santo, and Joe Torre. With a game time temperature of 103 degrees, the NL beat the AL 2-1.
Reggie Jackson’s Rooftop Ringer at Tiger Stadium
July 13, 1971
With rosters that included an incredible 19 future Hall of Famers who played in the game, Tigers hometown heroes Al Kaline, Norm Cash, Bill Freehan, and Mickey Lolich still drew the loudest ovations from the sold-out crowd of 53,559. Aided by 85-degree weather and wind gusts to right field of up to 31 mph, Johnny Bench, Reggie Jackson, Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson, Harmon Killebrew, and Roberto Clemente (all later inducted into the Hall of Fame) hit homers to account for all of the scoring in the American League’s 6-4 victory over the National League. One of the most memorable moments in All-Star Game history occurred when Oakland’s Reggie Jackson hit a tremendous home run to right center field that was still rising when it hit a light transformer on top of Tiger Stadium’s roof.
21-year-old Mark “The Bird” Fidrych is AL Starting Pitcher
July 13, 1976, Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia
Held in Philadelphia in celebration of the nation’s Bicentennial, baseball fans across the globe were tuned in to watch the phenomenal 21-year-old Tigers’ rookie Mark “The Bird” Fidrych start the game. Fidrych was backed by Tigers teammates and fellow starters Ron LeFlore in center field and Rusty Staub in right. Although Fidrych was the talk of the baseball world and entered the game with an impressive 9-2 record and an ERA of 1.78, he gave up two runs in the first inning and was charged with the American League’s 7-1 loss. Fidrych bounced back from the All-Star Game to finish the season with a record of 19-9 while posting an American League-best ERA of 2.34 and leading the league with 24 complete games before winning the American League Rookie of the Year Award.
Lance Parrish Sets All-Star Record
July 13, 1982, Stade Olympique, Montreal
Taking over for Carlton Fisk in the fifth inning, Tigers’ catcher Lance Parrish, appearing in his second of seven All-Star appearances, set an All-Star Game record by throwing out three runners, Steve Sax, Ozzie Smith, and Al Oliver. Parrish also went 1 for 2 as he doubled off of Cincinnati’s Mario Soto in the 7th inning. The NL defeated the AL 4-1. That same year Parrish set an American League record for catchers when he belted 32 home runs.
Lou Whitaker’s Homer Off Dwight Gooden
July 15, 1986, Astrodome, Houston
Appearing in the last of his four straight All-Star Game appearances, Tigers’ second baseman Lou Whitaker belted a dramatic two-run home run off Dwight Gooden with two outs in the top of the second inning to break a scoreless tie. The American League defeated the National League 3-2. Whitaker lost out on the Most Valuable Player Award — an honor given to Boston’s Roger Clemens, who started for the American League and threw three shutout innings.
Al Kaline and Willie Horton at Comerica Park
July 12, 2005
Five years after Comerica Park opened, Detroit hosted the All-Star Game for the first time in 34 years and it is the last time thus far. Although the Tigers were only represented by catcher Iván “Pudge” Rodríguez who caught the last four innings, walked, and went 0 for 1, the sold-out stadium shined for 41,617 fans after Al Kaline and Willie Horton threw out ceremonial first pitches. The American League won the contest 7-5 thanks in part to a solo homer by Miguel Tejada and a two-run homer by Mark Teixeira.
Miguel Cabrera’s First Inning Two-Run Homer
July 15, 2014 Target Field, Minneapolis
In what was his 9th of 11 All-Star Game appearances, Tigers’ slugger Miguel Cabrera, who two years earlier won the American League Triple Crown, crushed a two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning to give the American League a 3-0 lead. It turned out to be Cabrera’s only homer in All-Star play. The American League went on to win 5-3. Despite having finished his career with a .306 batting average and 511 home runs, Cabrera only hit .176 in All-Star competition.
MLB’s All-Start game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports and ESPN Radio will provide exclusive national radio coverage.
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