The game was held on July 13, 1999, at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, the home of the Boston Red Sox. It was the third-ever All-Star Game at Fenway Park, and the first since 1961.
This will always be my most memorable All-Star Game. Growing up in Boston as a die-hard Red Sox fan, seeing my favorite player of all time, Pedro Martinez, the AL starting pitcher, ready to take on the greatest hitters at Fenway Park was something special. There were so many future Hall of Famers in this game:
- Ken Griffey Jr. (every 90s kid’s idol), who went on to win the Home Run Derby the previous night.
- Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, who in the previous year set the world on fire with their incredible Home Run Race (Sammy finishing with 66 and McGwire with 70 in 1998). *Put them in the HALL!
- Piazza, Gwynn, Bagwell, Larkin, Randy Johnson just to name a few.
An Unforgettable Pre-Game Ceremony
The excitement was palpable even before the first pitch. The pre-game ceremonies featured introductions of nominees for the All-Century Team, including longtime Red Sox legend Ted Williams. Following Donna Summer’s national anthem, a garage door in center field opened, and Williams emerged. Wheeled in on a golf cart along the right-field and first-base line, Williams tipped his hat to the crowd of 34,000. When he arrived at the mound, he sat in his golf cart as all the past and present stars gathered around him.
At the time of this event, I was 16 years old. I had heard so many stories and seen so many highlights of Ted Williams, but I honestly didn’t appreciate what he did for the team, city, and country until later in life.
Pedro Martinez Dominates
I was here to see my favorite player, Pedro Martinez, dominate, and he did not disappoint. Martinez, one of three Red Sox selected for the game along with Garciaparra and Jose Offerman, started the first inning by striking out Barry Larkin and then getting Larry Walker looking on a fastball. He finished the inning by setting up Sammy Sosa with a nasty breaking ball and then striking him out swinging with a 96-mph fastball. I remember jumping out of my seat and screaming so loud the neighbors could hear me.
All-Star games usually tend to disappoint, not because of the players, but because of the casual settings and “nothing on the line” mentality. Pedro didn’t care. You could see it on his face; he wanted to strike you out even if it was a whiffle ball game in the backyard. His competitive nature is what made him the best pitcher in Red Sox history.
An MVP Performance Cut Short
Martinez opened the second by striking out Mark McGwire. Williams reached on a ball bobbled at second by Alomar. Martinez responded by striking out Bagwell, and Ivan Rodriguez threw out Williams at second. Martinez was finished for the night. In his two innings, he was absolutely dominant, striking out five. AL manager Joe Torre would start David Cone in the 3rd inning, and I remember screaming “Why?” I wanted to see Pedro throw a 20-strikeout complete game, and on this night, he most certainly could have. I think I was so mad they took Pedro out that I don’t remember the rest of the game that well. I do remember Pedro being named the game’s MVP, though.
A Night to Remember
To this day, you can’t talk about Red Sox history and great moments without reliving the 1999 MLB All-Star Game. It’s unscripted moments like these that make watching sports so rewarding. It’s also what makes collecting baseball cards so great. One can purchase the 2017 Topps Memorable Moments Ted Williams #MM-37 and the 2020 Topps Pedro Martinez #U-75 for a whopping total of $2.34. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to own a signed Williams/Pedro autographed baseball from the 1999 All-Star Game, that would be amazing, but all three items tell the same story of the magical night in Boston in the summer of July 1999.
