On the day the 84th annual MLB All Star Game returns to Queens for the first time in 49 years, it seems fitting to recap the game which occurred the last time the game the Mets hosted it. Of course, that was in 1964 when the game was held at Shea Stadium. The Mets were only in their third year of existence, and it was their first season at their new stadium. They had played their first two seasons at the Polo Grounds. The Mets had one representative, starting 2B Ron Hunt.
Starting the game for the American League was Dean Chance of the Los Angeles Angels, who was well on his way to his first 20 win season. He was matched up against the LA Dodgers RHP Don Drysdale. The American League lineup was this: Jim Fregosi LA-SS, Tony Oliva Min-1B, Mickey Mantle NY-CF, Harmon Killebrew Min-LF, Bob Allison Min-1B, Brooks Robinson Balt-3B, Bobby Richardson NY-2B, Elston Howard NY-C, Chance LA-P. The National League countered with Roberto Clemente Pit-RF, Dick Groat SL-SS, Billy Williams Chi-LF, Willie Mays SF-CF, Orlando Cepeda SF-1B, Ken Boyer SL-3B, Joe Torre Mil-C, Hunt NY-2B, Drysdale LA-P.
The AL got on the board in the 1st inning with a Fregosi single as he scored on a Killebrew single. Drysdale would get through the second and third inning without allowing another base runner. Chance would give up 0 runs on 2 hits in his 3 innings of work. Jim Bunning of the Phillies came in the 4th inning for the NL and gave up two singles while working his way out of trouble. The NL would touch Kansas City pitcher John Wyatt in the 4th inning with HRs by Williams and Boyer. Both were solo and the NL led 2-1.
Bunning would get a 1-2-3 5th inning with the NL getting a 2 out run in the bottom of the inning. Clemente singled and scored on a Groat 2B off Camilo Pasqual of the Twins. Phillies pitcher Chris Short would relieve Bunning and gave up a 2 run 3B by Brooks Robinson, scoring Mantle and Killebrew. After a 1-2-3 inning for Pasqual, Houston Colt 45s RHP Turk Farrell came in and would hit Howard and give up a 2B to Rocky Colavito. Howard would score on a sacrifice fly by Fregosi giving the AL a 4-3 lead.
RHP Dick Radatz of the Red Sox would come in and throw retire the first 6 batters he faced in the 7th and 8th innings. In between, Farrell would get himself out of a jam in the top of the 8th, keeping the score 4-3 AL. San Francisco's Juan Marichal came in to pitch the 9th, throwing a 1-2-3 inning.
Radatz would come out for the 9th, and why not? He had an easy 7th and 8th, striking out 4 in the process. If he blew through the 9th, he'd be a strong candidate for AL MVP. Willie Mays would walk, steal 2B and score on a single by Cepeda. Cepeda made it to second on an errant throw by Yankees 1B Joe Pepitone. Curt Flood of St Louis would come in to pinch run for Cepeda. After Boyer popped out, Radatz would intentionally walk the Reds catcher Johnny Edwards to get to Hank Aaron. Aaron struck out, getting Phillies RF Johnny Callison to the plate. Callison would hit a classic walk-off three run home run off Radatz to give the NL a 7-4 victory.
A interesting finish with the Phillies OF winning the game for the NL in Mets home. Killebrew had 3 hits, with Robinson and Boyer getting 2 a piece. Colovito and Groat had 2Bs, with Robinson a 3B and Boyer and Williams with HRs. Radatz gave up 2 hits, 2 walks and 4 runs in the 9th inning as the NL comes away with the win in the All Star Game the last time the Mets were the hosts of the game. Managers were Los Angeles Dodgers' Walter Alston and Chicago White Sox' Al Lopez. Yankees Ralph Houk was relieved of his duties after leading the Yankees to the AL Pennant. At the time, if the AL or NL Pennant winning manager was not with their team, the manager of the team that finished in 2nd place would manage the next year's All Star team.
Starting the game for the American League was Dean Chance of the Los Angeles Angels, who was well on his way to his first 20 win season. He was matched up against the LA Dodgers RHP Don Drysdale. The American League lineup was this: Jim Fregosi LA-SS, Tony Oliva Min-1B, Mickey Mantle NY-CF, Harmon Killebrew Min-LF, Bob Allison Min-1B, Brooks Robinson Balt-3B, Bobby Richardson NY-2B, Elston Howard NY-C, Chance LA-P. The National League countered with Roberto Clemente Pit-RF, Dick Groat SL-SS, Billy Williams Chi-LF, Willie Mays SF-CF, Orlando Cepeda SF-1B, Ken Boyer SL-3B, Joe Torre Mil-C, Hunt NY-2B, Drysdale LA-P.
The AL got on the board in the 1st inning with a Fregosi single as he scored on a Killebrew single. Drysdale would get through the second and third inning without allowing another base runner. Chance would give up 0 runs on 2 hits in his 3 innings of work. Jim Bunning of the Phillies came in the 4th inning for the NL and gave up two singles while working his way out of trouble. The NL would touch Kansas City pitcher John Wyatt in the 4th inning with HRs by Williams and Boyer. Both were solo and the NL led 2-1.
Bunning would get a 1-2-3 5th inning with the NL getting a 2 out run in the bottom of the inning. Clemente singled and scored on a Groat 2B off Camilo Pasqual of the Twins. Phillies pitcher Chris Short would relieve Bunning and gave up a 2 run 3B by Brooks Robinson, scoring Mantle and Killebrew. After a 1-2-3 inning for Pasqual, Houston Colt 45s RHP Turk Farrell came in and would hit Howard and give up a 2B to Rocky Colavito. Howard would score on a sacrifice fly by Fregosi giving the AL a 4-3 lead.
RHP Dick Radatz of the Red Sox would come in and throw retire the first 6 batters he faced in the 7th and 8th innings. In between, Farrell would get himself out of a jam in the top of the 8th, keeping the score 4-3 AL. San Francisco's Juan Marichal came in to pitch the 9th, throwing a 1-2-3 inning.
Radatz would come out for the 9th, and why not? He had an easy 7th and 8th, striking out 4 in the process. If he blew through the 9th, he'd be a strong candidate for AL MVP. Willie Mays would walk, steal 2B and score on a single by Cepeda. Cepeda made it to second on an errant throw by Yankees 1B Joe Pepitone. Curt Flood of St Louis would come in to pinch run for Cepeda. After Boyer popped out, Radatz would intentionally walk the Reds catcher Johnny Edwards to get to Hank Aaron. Aaron struck out, getting Phillies RF Johnny Callison to the plate. Callison would hit a classic walk-off three run home run off Radatz to give the NL a 7-4 victory.
A interesting finish with the Phillies OF winning the game for the NL in Mets home. Killebrew had 3 hits, with Robinson and Boyer getting 2 a piece. Colovito and Groat had 2Bs, with Robinson a 3B and Boyer and Williams with HRs. Radatz gave up 2 hits, 2 walks and 4 runs in the 9th inning as the NL comes away with the win in the All Star Game the last time the Mets were the hosts of the game. Managers were Los Angeles Dodgers' Walter Alston and Chicago White Sox' Al Lopez. Yankees Ralph Houk was relieved of his duties after leading the Yankees to the AL Pennant. At the time, if the AL or NL Pennant winning manager was not with their team, the manager of the team that finished in 2nd place would manage the next year's All Star team.
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