1955 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

The 1955 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 22nd playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars

All-star game

An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league, except in the circumstances of professional sports systems in which a democratic voting system is used...

of the American League

American League

The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...

(AL) and National League

National League

The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...

(NL), the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

. The game was held on July 12, 1955, at Milwaukee County Stadium

Milwaukee County Stadium

Milwaukee County Stadium was a ballpark in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 1953 to 2000. It was primarily used as a baseball stadium for the Milwaukee Braves and Brewers, but was also used for football games, ice skating, religious services, concerts and other large events...

in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...

the home of the Milwaukee Braves

Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....

of the National League.

Summary

The National League overcame a five-run deficit to defeat the American League, 6–5, in this edition of the midsummer classic. Stan Musial

Stan Musial

Stanley Frank "Stan" Musial is a retired professional baseball player who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals . Nicknamed "Stan the Man", Musial was a record 24-time All-Star selection , and is widely considered to be one of the greatest hitters in baseball...

led off the bottom of the 12th inning by drilling a home run

Home run

In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...

to deep right field on the first pitch he saw from Frank Sullivan

Frank Sullivan (baseball)

Franklin Leal Sullivan is a retired American professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher over parts of eleven seasons with the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and Minnesota Twins. He tied for the American League lead in wins in 1955 with Boston...

, pulling off one of the greatest victories in All-Star Game history.

The National League began their comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning. Willie Mays

Willie Mays

Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...

led off the frame with a single

Single (baseball)

In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...

off Whitey Ford

Whitey Ford

Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who spent his entire 18-year career with the New York Yankees. He was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.-Early life and career:...

, and after two outs, Hank Aaron walked

Base on balls

A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...

and Johnny Logan singled to drive home Mays and make it a 5–1 game. Next batter Stan Lopata

Stan Lopata

Stanley Edward Lopata was an American professional baseball player. Lopata played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for parts of 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Braves...

reached base on an error

Error (baseball)

In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...

, and Aaron scored the second run off the inning before the third out was made.

With two outs in the eight inning, Mays, Ted Kluszewski

Ted Kluszewski

Theodore Bernard "Big Klu" Kluszewski was a Major League first baseman from 1947 through 1961. He batted and threw left-handed.-Career:...

and Randy Jackson hit consecutive singles for a run, and Ford was replaced by Sullivan. Aaron greeted him with an RBI

Run batted in

Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...

single scoring Kluszewski to knot the game at 5–5.

The American League quickly took the lead in the top of the first inning when Harvey Kuenn

Harvey Kuenn

Harvey Edward Kuenn was an American player, coach and manager in Major League Baseball. As a shortstop and outfielder, he played with the Detroit Tigers , Cleveland Indians , San Francisco Giants , Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies . He batted and threw right-handed...

and Nellie Fox

Nellie Fox

Jacob Nelson Fox was a Major League Baseball second baseman for the Chicago White Sox. Fox was born in St. Thomas Township, Pennsylvania. He was selected as the MVP of the American League in...

hit consecutive singles against Robin Roberts, with Kuenn advancing to third base from first and later scoring on a wild pitch

Wild pitch

In baseball, a wild pitch is charged against a pitcher when his pitch is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, perhaps even the batter-runner on strike three or ball four, to advance.A wild pitch usually...

. Then Ted Williams

Ted Williams

Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 21-year Major League Baseball career as the left fielder for the Boston Red Sox...

walked and Mickey Mantle

Mickey Mantle

Mickey Charles Mantle was an American professional baseball player. Mantle is regarded by many to be the greatest switch hitter of all time, and one of the greatest players in baseball history. Mantle was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.Mantle was noted for his hitting...

hit a three-run home run, before Roberts recorded his first out. In the sixth inning, Mickey Vernon

Mickey Vernon

James Barton "Mickey" Vernon was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Washington Senators for the majority of his career, as well as four other teams: the Cleveland Indians , Boston Red Sox , Milwaukee Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates...

grounded out to drive home Yogi Berra

Yogi Berra

Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra is a former American Major League Baseball catcher, outfielder, and manager. He played almost his entire 19-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...

to give the American League a five-run cushion.

In the ninth inning, Joe Nuxhall

Joe Nuxhall

Joseph Henry Nuxhall was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, mostly for the Cincinnati Reds. Immediately after retiring as a player, he became a radio broadcaster for the Reds from 1967 through 2004, and continued part-time up until his death in 2007...

and Sullivan matched strikeout

Strikeout

In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....

s as the All-Star Game went into extra innings for only the second time since , which turned out to be the first year the game went more than nine innings.

The contest remained tied until the top of the eleventh inning, when Gene Conley

Gene Conley

Donald Eugene Conley is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played eleven seasons from to for four different teams. Conley also played forward in the 1952-1953 season and from 1958 to 1964 for two teams in the National Basketball Association...

stroke out all three batters he faced. Then came the walk-off

Walk-off home run

In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...

of Musial, which was his fourth homer in All-Star games, breaking a tie with Ted Williams and Ralph Kiner

Ralph Kiner

Ralph McPherran Kiner is an American former Major League Baseball player and has been an announcer for the New York Mets since the team's inception. Though injuries forced his retirement from active play after 10 seasons, Kiner's tremendous slugging outpaced nearly all of his National League...

.

It was the fifth victory for the National League in the last six All-Star games, even though the American League still leading the contest 13-9.

Opening Lineups

{|
{| cellpadding="10"
|- style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"
|
{| cellpadding="1" style="width:500px; font-size:90%; border:1px solid gray;"
|- style="text-align:center; font-size:larger;"
| colspan=2 | American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...

|| ||National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...

|- style="background:lightblue;"
| Player || Team || Pos || Player || Team || Pos
|-
| Harvey Kuenn

Harvey Kuenn

|| Detroit Tigers || SS || Red Schoendienst

Red Schoendienst

Albert Fred "Red" Schoendienst is an American Major League Baseball coach, former player and manager, and 10-time All-star. After a 19-year playing career with the St...

|| St. Louis Cardinals || 2B
|-
| Nellie Fox

Nellie Fox

Jacob Nelson Fox was a Major League Baseball second baseman for the Chicago White Sox. Fox was born in St. Thomas Township, Pennsylvania. He was selected as the MVP of the American League in...

|| Chicago White Sox || 2B || Del Ennis

Del Ennis

Delmer Ennis was an American left and right fielder in Major League Baseball who played most of his career for the Philadelphia Phillies. From 1949 to 1957, Ennis accumulated more runs batted in than anyone besides Stan Musial and was 8th in the National League in home runs...

|| Philadelphia Phillies || LF
|-
| Ted Williams

Ted Williams

Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 21-year Major League Baseball career as the left fielder for the Boston Red Sox...

|| Boston Red Sox || LF || Duke Snider

Duke Snider

Edwin Donald "Duke" Snider , nicknamed "The Silver Fox" and "The Duke of Flatbush", was a Major League Baseball center fielder and left-handed batter who played for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers , New York Mets , and San Francisco Giants .Snider was elected to the National Baseball Hall of...

|| Brooklyn Dodgers || CF
|-
| Mickey Mantle

Mickey Mantle

|| New York Yankees || CF || Ted Kluszewski

Ted Kluszewski

Theodore Bernard "Big Klu" Kluszewski was a Major League first baseman from 1947 through 1961. He batted and threw left-handed.-Career:...

|| Cincinnati Redlegs || 1B
|-
| Yogi Berra

Yogi Berra

Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra is a former American Major League Baseball catcher, outfielder, and manager. He played almost his entire 19-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...

|| New York Yankees || C || Eddie Mathews

Eddie Mathews

Edwin Lee "Eddie" Mathews was an American Major League Baseball third baseman. He is regarded as one of the greatest third basemen ever to play the game.-Early life:...

|| Milwaukee Braves || 3B
|-
| Al Kaline

Al Kaline

Albert William "Al" Kaline is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Kaline played his entire 22-year baseball career with the Detroit Tigers. Kaline still works for the Tigers as a front office official. Because of his lengthy career and...

|| Detroit Tigers || RF || Don Mueller

Don Mueller

Donald Frederick Mueller is a retired outfielder who played 12 seasons in American Major League Baseball . The first ten of those years were spent with the New York Giants, for whom he batted over .300 for three consecutive seasons and led the National League in hits in 1954...

|| New York Giants || RF
|-
| Mickey Vernon

Mickey Vernon

|| Washington Senators || 1B || Ernie Banks

Ernie Banks

Ernest "Ernie" Banks , nicknamed "Mr. Cub", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and first baseman. He played his entire 19-year baseball career with the Chicago Cubs . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977.-High school years:Banks was a letterman and standout in football,...

|| Chicago Cubs || SS
|-
| Jim Finigan

Jim Finigan

James Leroy Finigan was a Major League Baseball infielder. He was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent before the 1948 season, and traded to the Philadelphia Athletics in an 11-player deal on December 16, 1953...

|| Kansas City Athletics || 3B || Del Crandall

Del Crandall

Delmar Wesley Crandall is a former professional baseball catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who played most of his career with the Boston & Milwaukee Braves...

|| Milwaukee Braves || C ||
|-
| Billy Pierce

Billy Pierce

Walter William Pierce is a former left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played most of his career for the Chicago White Sox. He was the team's star pitcher between 1952 and 1961, and was named the American League's top pitcher in 1956 and 1957 after being runner-up in both 1953...

|| Chicago White Sox || P || Robin Roberts || Philadelphia Phillies || P
|}

Rosters

{| class="toccolours" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
! colspan="10" style="background:#0d2b56; color:#fff; text-align:center;"| 1955 American League All-Star Game roster
|-
| valign="top" | Pitchers
* * * * *

Catchers *
| style="width:25px;"|
| valign="top" |

Infielders

Outfielders *
| style="width:25px;"|
| valign="top" |

Manager

Coaches

Did not play

|}
{| class="toccolours" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
! colspan="10" style="background:#a50024; color:#fff; text-align:center;"| 1955 National League All-Star Game roster
|-
| valign="top" | Pitchers *

Catchers *
| style="width:25px;"|
| valign="top" |

Infielders

Outfielders
| style="width:25px;"|
| valign="top" |

Manager

Coaches

Did not play

Umpires

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!Position !! Umpire
|-
| Home Plate || Al Barlick

Al Barlick

Albert Joseph Barlick was an American umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the National League for 28 seasons . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in .-Biography:...

|-
| First Base || Hank Soar

Hank Soar

Albert Henry Soar was an American football running back and defensive back in the National Football League who went on to have a long career as an umpire in Major League Baseball...

|-
| Second Base || Dusty Boggess

Dusty Boggess

Lynton Ross "Dusty" Boggess was an American umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the National League from 1944 to 1962.Boggess was born in Terrell, Texas, and attended Waco High School in Waco...

|-
| Third Base || Bill Summers
|-
| Left Field || Frank Secory

Frank Secory

Frank Edward Secory was an American left fielder and umpire in Major League Baseball who played 186 games from 1940 to 1946 for the Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, and Chicago Cubs. His best season was , when he batted .321 in 22 games for the Cubs, the team for which he played nearly his entire...

|-
| Right Field || Ed Runge

Ed Runge

Edward Paul Runge was a baseball umpire. He was born in Buffalo, New York and lived in Buffalo, San Diego, California, and St. Catharines, Ontario during his childhood....

Line Score

Winning Run scored with 0 outs

{|
|-
|valign="top"|
{| cellpadding="10"
|- style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"
|
|
{| cellpadding="1" style="width:350px; font-size:90%; border:1px solid gray;"
|- style="text-align:center; font-size:larger;"
| colspan=6 | How the runs scored
|- style="background:lightblue;"
| Team || Inning || Play || AL || NL
|-
| AL || 1st || Kuenn scored on a wild pitch; Mantle homered, Fox and Williams scored || 4 || 0
|-
| AL || 6th || Vernon grounded out, Berra scored || 5 || 0
|-
| NL || 7th || Logan singled, Mays scored, Aaron to third; Lopata safe on error, Aaron scored || 5 || 2
|-
| NL || 9th || Jackson singled, Mays scored, Kluszewski to third; Aaron singled, Kluszewski and Jackson scored || 5 || 5
|-
| NL || 12th || Musial homered to right || 5 || 6
|}
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