The All-Star game reached new levels when it came to "The House That Ruth Built" in 1939. As expected American League manager Joe McCarthy started six of his hometown Yankees and let his "position" starters go the distance. He started Red Ruffing for three innings, then brought in Tommy Bridges and closed out with rookie, twenty-year-old Bob Feller. It was a powerful combination as each pitcher competed for the greatest curveball.
Feller only gave up one hit in his 3 2/3 innings. Years later, he was asked if facing the best bats of the National League in his first All-Star Game made him nervous. He replied "I was never nervous on a pitching mound." Although it was a low scoring game, it represented one of the best "pitching clinics" ever put on at an All-Star event. Heavy hitters had dominated previous All-Star games, but this one proved that a quality bullpen could shut down even the most potent offense.
"I just reared back and let them go." - Bob Feller
1939 All-Star GameThe 1939 Midsummer Classic At-A-Glance |
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1939 All-Star Game Fast Facts | ||
Game Number | 7 | |
Date / Box Score | 07-11-1939 | |
Location | Yankee Stadium | |
Attendance (Rank) | 62,892 | |
M.V.P. Award | Not Awarded Until 1962 | |
League Items | A.L. | N.L. |
Starting Pitchers | Red Ruffing | Paul Derringer |
Managers | Joe McCarthy | Gabby Hartnett |
Coaches | Art Fletcher | John Corriden |
Russell Blackburne | Bill Terry | |
1939 All-Star Game Fast Facts |
1939 All-Star GameLine Score |
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1939 All-Star Game Capsule | ||||||||||||
League | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
National | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
American | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | x | 3 | 6 | 1 |
N.L. Pitcher(s) | A.L. Pitcher(s) | |||||||||||
Paul Derringer Bill Lee (L, 4th) Lou Fette (7th) |
Red Ruffing Tommy Bridges (W, 4th) Bob Feller (6th) |
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N.L. Home Runs | A.L. Home Runs | |||||||||||
None | Joe DiMaggio (5th) |
1939 All-Star GameNational League All-Star Squad |
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Lineup | Name | Team | Position | Notes |
Morrie Arnovich | Philadelphia Phillies | OF | Did Not Play | |
Dolph Camilli | Brooklyn Dodgers | 1B | ||
Harry Danning | New York Giants | C | Did Not Play | |
Curt Davis | St. Louis Cardinals | P | Did Not Pitch | |
9. | Paul Derringer | Cincinnati Reds | P | Starting Pitcher |
Lou Fette | Boston Braves | P | ||
2. | Lonny Frey | Cincinnati Reds | 2B | |
3. | Ival Goodman | Cincinnati Reds | OF | |
1. | Stan Hack | Chicago Cubs | 3B | |
Billy Herman | Chicago Cubs | 2B | ||
Billy Jurges | New York Giants | SS | Did Not Play | |
Cookie Lavagetto | Brooklyn Dodgers | 3B | Did Not Play | |
Bill Lee | Chicago Cubs | P | ||
5. | Ernie Lombardi | Cincinnati Reds | C | |
4. | Frank McCormick | Cincinnati Reds | 1B | |
6. | Joe Medwick | St. Louis Cardinals | OF | |
Johnny Mize | St. Louis Cardinals | 1B | ||
Terry Moore | St. Louis Cardinals | OF | ||
7. | Mel Ott | New York Giants | OF | |
Babe Phelps | Brooklyn Dodgers | C | ||
Johnny Vander Meer | Cincinnati Reds | P | Did Not Pitch | |
8. | Arky Vaughan | Pittsburgh Pirates | SS | |
Bucky Walters | Cincinnati Reds | P | Did Not Pitch | |
Lon Warneke | St. Louis Cardinals | P | Did Not Pitch | |
Whit Wyatt | Brooklyn Dodgers | P | Did Not Pitch | |
BOLD = Fan's / manager's choice to start the game. |
1939 All-Star GameAmerican League All-Star Squad |
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Lineup | Name | Team | Position | Notes |
Luke Appling | Chicago White Sox | SS | Did Not Play | |
Tommy Bridges | Detroit Tigers | P | ||
George Case | Washington Senators | OF | Replaced - Injury | |
1. | Doc Cramer | Boston Red Sox | OF | |
6. | Joe Cronin | Boston Red Sox | SS | |
Frankie Crosetti | New York Yankees | SS | Did Not Play | |
4. | Bill Dickey | New York Yankees | C | |
3. | Joe DiMaggio | New York Yankees | OF | |
Bob Feller | Cleveland Indians | P | ||
Jimmie Foxx | Boston Red Sox | 1B | Did Not Play | |
Lou Gehrig | New York Yankees | 1B | Replaced Case | |
Lefty Gomez | New York Yankees | P | Did Not Pitch | |
8. | Joe Gordon | New York Yankees | 2B | |
5. | Hank Greenberg | Detroit Tigers | 1B | |
Lefty Grove | Boston Red Sox | P | Did Not Pitch | |
Frankie Hayes | Philadelphia Athletics | C | Did Not Play | |
Rollie Hemsley | Cleveland Indians | C | Did Not Play | |
Myril Hoag | St. Louis Browns | OF | ||
Bob Johnson | Philadelphia Athletics | OF | Did Not Play | |
Ted Lyons | Chicago White Sox | P | Did Not Pitch | |
George McQuinn | St. Louis Browns | 1B | Did Not Play | |
Johnny Murphy | New York Yankees | P | Did Not Pitch | |
Bobo Newsom | Detroit Tigers | P | Did Not Pitch | |
2. | Red Rolfe | New York Yankees | 3B | |
9. | Red Ruffing | New York Yankees | P | Starting Pitcher |
7. | George Selkirk | New York Yankees | OF | |
BOLD = Fan's / manager's choice to start the game.Game / Box Links: 1939 Box Score | 1939 Play-by-Play |
This was actually the second All-Star game played in New York as the 1934 Midsummer Classic was played in the Polo Grounds. Yankee Stadium was chosen to host this particular game due to the World's Fair which was also in New York during the 1939 season.
Fireball Feller came in with the bases loaded, pitched three and two-thirds, struck out two, walked one and allowed only one hit.
During the announcing of the American League lineup a fan yelled, "Make Joe McCarthy play an All-Star American League team. We can beat them, but we can't beat the Yankees!"