1937 All-Star Game

There were many big stories surrounding the fourth All-Star game as America's favorite pastime was showcased in our nation's capital. President Franklin Roosevelt was in attendance and Lou Gehrig and Joe Medwick both had great outings at the plate.

However, the biggest story was an innocuous-looking play resulting in an infield out that ended the bottom of the third inning. It was a spectacular play that stole the show and it marked the beginning of the end of Dizzy Dean's spectacular career. Dean had become, with the retirement of Babe Ruth, baseball's most magnetic performer and its new biggest drawing card. With two out, Earl Averill cracked a low line drive that hit Dean directly on the foot. Averill was thrown out and Dean headed for the clubhouse, his three-inning stint over. In the clubhouse, it was discovered that Dean's toe was broken. Although it was considered a minor injury, Dean and the Cardinals management decided he would return to the mound before the toe was healed. The injury affected his delivery, eventually injured his arm and ended his glory days at the tender age of twenty-six.

Starting for the American League for the fourth time and winning his third game was Lefty Gomez. He held the National League to one hit over his three innings and was insured a win by a two-run homer in the third by Lou Gehrig. Yankees, in fact, dominated the entire game. Red Rolfe singled and tripled with two runs batted in, Joe DiMaggio singled before Gehrig's home run, Bill Dickey singled and doubled and finally, Gehrig added a double to his homer and drove in four runs.