1997 All-Star Game

1997 All-Star Game

The American League was still suffering from the previous year's shutout and was determined to make a comeback in Cleveland. They got their wish due to the late-game heroics of Indians catcher Sandy Alomar, Jr., who thrilled his hometown fans with a two-run, game-deciding home run in the seventh inning.

A repeat of the '95 classic, the National League hitters managed only three hits off of eight American League pitchers. Both teams traded solo home runs with Seattle's Edgar Martinez hitting one in the second inning and Atlanta's Javier Lopez becoming the eleventh player to homer in his first All-Star game at-bat in the seventh.

In the bottom of the seventh, Bernie Williams drew a one-out walk from the Giants Shawn Estes. One out later, Alomar became the first All-Star to earn Most Valuable Player honors in his home ballpark when he blasted an Estes pitch into the left field bleachers. The American League was back and they were only getting started.

"It was kind of humid out there. The ball just slipped out of my hand. You saw it. I went right to the resin bag. I guess it was kind of apropos that it slipped while Larry Walker was up." - Randy Johnson

1997 All-Star Game 1997 All-Star Game Official Program
1997 All-Star Game Fast Facts
Game Number	68
Date / Box Score	07-08-1997
Location	Jacobs Field
Attendance⁽^Rank⁾	44,916
M.V.P. Award	Sandy Alomar, Jr.
O' Canada	The McAuley Boys
The Star Spangled Banner	Undetermined
1^st Pitch	From	To
	Larry Doby	Ivan Rodriguez
League Items	A.L.	N.L.
Starting Pitchers	Randy Johnson	Greg Maddux
Managers	Joe Torre	Bobby Cox
Coaches	Mike Hargrove	Dusty Baker
	Johnny Oates	Bruce Bochy
Honorary Captains	Larry Doby	Frank Robinson
1997 All-Star Game Fast Facts

1997 All Star Game Line Score
1997 All-Star Game Capsule
League	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
National	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	3	0
American	0	1	0	0	0	0	2	0	x	3	7	0
N.L. Pitcher(s)						A.L. Pitcher(s)
Greg Maddux Curt Schilling (3^rd) Kevin Brown (5^th) Pedro Martinez (6^th) Shawn Estes (L, 7^th) Bobby Jones (8^th) - -						Randy Johnson Roger Clemens (3^rd) David Cone (4^th) Justin Thompson (5^th) Pat Hentgen (6^th) Jose Rosado (W, 7^th) Randy Myers (8^th) Mariano Rivera (S, 9^th)
N.L. Home Runs						A.L. Home Runs
Javy Lopez (7^th) -						Edgar Martinez (2^nd) Sandy Alomar, Jr. (7^th)

1997 All-Star Game National League All-Star Squad
Lineup	Name	Team	Position	Notes
	Moises Alou	Florida Marlins	OF
5.	Jeff Bagwell	Houston Astros	1B
	Rod Beck	San Francisco Giants	P	Did Not Pitch
1.	Craig Biggio	Houston Astros	2B
9.	Jeff Blauser	Atlanta Braves	SS
3.	Barry Bonds	San Francisco Giants	OF
	Kevin Brown	Florida Marlins	P
7.	Ken Caminiti	San Diego Padres	3B
	Royce Clayton	St. Louis Cardinals	SS
	Shawn Estes	San Francisco Giants	P
	Steve Finley	San Diego Padres	OF
	Andres Galarraga	Colorado Rockies	1B
	Tom Glavine	Atlanta Braves	P	Injured
	Mark Grace	Chicago Cubs	1B
2.	Tony Gwynn	San Diego Padres	OF
	Todd Hundley	New York Mets	C	Injured
	Charles Johnson	Florida Marlins	C
	Bobby Jones	New York Mets	P
	Chipper Jones	Atlanta Braves	3B
	Darryl Kile	Houston Astros	P	Did Not Pitch
8.	Ray Lankford	St. Louis Cardinals	OF
	Barry Larkin	Cincinnati Reds	SS	Injured
	Kenny Lofton	Atlanta Braves	OF	Injured
	Javy Lopez	Atlanta Braves	C
	Greg Maddux	Atlanta Braves	P	Starting Pitcher
	Pedro Martinez	Montreal Expos	P
	Denny Neagle	Atlanta Braves	P	Did Not Pitch
4.	Mike Piazza	Los Angeles Dodgers	C
	Curt Schilling	Philadelphia Phillies	P
6.	Larry Walker	Colorado Rockies	OF
	Tony Womack	Pittsburgh Pirates	2B
BOLD = Fan's choice to start the game (Manager chooses pitcher).

1997 All-Star Game American League All-Star Squad
Lineup	Name	Team	Position	Notes
9.	Roberto Alomar	Baltimore Orioles	2B
	Sandy Alomar, Jr.	Cleveland Indians	C	MVP
1.	Brady Anderson	Baltimore Orioles	OF
	Albert Belle	Chicago White Sox	OF	Did Not Play
	Jeff Cirillo	Milwaukee Brewers	3B
	Roger Clemens	Toronto Blue Jays	P
	David Cone	New York Yankees	P
	Joey Cora	Seattle Mariners	2B
	Jason Dickson	Anaheim Angels	P	Did Not Pitch
	Nomar Garciaparra	Boston Red Sox	SS
3.	Ken Griffey, Jr.	Seattle Mariners	OF
	Pat Hentgen	Toronto Blue Jays	P
	Randy Johnson	Seattle Mariners	P	Starting Pitcher
	David Justice	Cleveland Indians	OF	Injured
	Chuck Knoblauch	Minnesota Twins	2B
4.	Tino Martinez	New York Yankees	1B
5.	Edgar Martinez	Seattle Mariners	DH
	Mark McGwire	Oakland Athletics	1B
	Mike Mussina	Baltimore Orioles	P	Did Not Pitch
	Randy Myers	Baltimore Orioles	P
6.	Paul O'Neill	New York Yankees	OF
7.	Cal Ripken, Jr.	Baltimore Orioles	SS
	Mariano Rivera	New York Yankees	P
2.	Alex Rodriguez	Seattle Mariners	SS
8.	Ivan Rodriguez	Texas Rangers	C
	Jose Rosado	Kansas City Royals	P
	Frank Thomas	Chicago White Sox	1B	Injured
	Jim Thome	Cleveland Indians	1B
	Justin Thompson	Detroit Tigers	P
	Bernie Williams	New York Yankees	OF
BOLD = Fan's choice to start the game (Manager chooses pitcher).

The National League lineup included sluggers / future Hall of Famers Mike Piazza, Larry Walker and Barry Bonds yet they managed to only get three (3) hits off the entire American League pitching staff.

The most memorable moment happened when Larry Walker stepped up to the plate versus Randy Johnson. The first pitch sailed high over Walker's head. Walker, who is left handed, stepped out, turned his helmet around, then stepped back up to the plate right handed (and took a strike).

This particular game was the first one where American League fans were able to select a designated hitter and the Mariners' own Edgar Martinez took that honor.

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