MLB All-Star Game: Ranking the Top 10 Games of All Time

The All-Star Game is one of the most exciting events in the entire baseball season.

Known as the 'Midsummer Classic,' it occurs roughly halfway through the season every year and features the best of the best in the big leagues.

Let’s take a look back at the top 10 All-Star Games in history.

10. 1950 All-Star Game

It would be impossible to leave out an All-Star Game that featured some of the best ball players to have ever stepped on the field. Joe DiMaggio had the crowd on its feet for most of the game, but the real story was Red Sox legend Ted Williams slamming into the wall and breaking his elbow yet staying in the game and going 1-for-4.

In the end, it took 14 innings for the National League to take down the American League by a score of 4-3.

9. 1955 All-Star Game

Another battle of legends occurred in 1955 which saw Hank Aaron, Stan Musial, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, and Yogi Berra in action.

It was another extra-inning game between the two leagues, but it ended in incredible fashion.

It’s rumored that when Musial came to the plate in the bottom of the 12th, he looked at Berra and said, “Let’s end this thing”. Musial then hit the first pitch he saw into the stands to win the game.

8. 2002 All-Star Game

Unlike soccer or football that can end in a tie, baseball will go until there is a winner. However, that wasn’t the case in 2002.

This Midsummer Classic game featured Barry Bonds, Roy Halladay, Torii Hunter and more, and of course, Bonds sent one into the bleachers. But what this game was famous for was ending in a tie after the two teams remained deadlocked after 11 innings.

In the weeks after, the MLB decided to add an incentive into the game and award home-field advantage in the World Series to the winning league. That stood until 2016.

7. 1941 All-Star Game

The first walk-off in All-Star Game history was courtesy of the only player to ever hit .400 in a season.

The National League held a 5-3 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth and the American League appeared to be out of luck.

However, there is always hope when Ted Williams is on your side. Williams came up in the bottom of the ninth with two runners on and hit it into the bleachers, winning the game for the American League in the first walk-off in ASG history.

6. 1961 All-Star Game (first game)

Between 1959 and 1962, MLB played two All-Star Games each season in order to raise money for player pensions, before the idea was scrapped due to the perception that two games watered down the significance of the event.

Here, we're talking about the first game in 1961, on a windy day in San Francisco. Usually, wind only provides a slight edge to either hitters or fielding teams, depending on which direction the wind blows.

That wasn’t the case in this All-Star Game. The wind was blowing so hard that players were worried the flags were going to rip off the flag post in the outfield.

Fast forward to the bottom of the ninth with Stu Miller pitching, and right as Miller got set, a huge gust of wind came and knocked him off the rubber. A balk was called and moved both runners into scoring position.

Next thing you know, the game was tied and sent to extra innings, where the National League got the win in the bottom of the 10th.

5. 1970 All-Star Game

Pete Rose was known for his passion, ferocity, and fire. He was fun to watch on the field, and when the All-Star Game came, it was a rare opportunity for him to take it easy.

However, Rose didn’t care that it was a friendly matchup - he wanted to win. That led to Rose barreling over Ray Fosse at the plate in the bottom of the 12th which left the players, coaches, and fans stunned. But, that aggression got the win for the National League.

4. 1999 All-Star Game

This All-Star Game happened in Boston, Massachusetts, and it featured Pedro Martinez on the mound for the American League in his home park.

Before the game even started, the crowd was on its feet because everyone got a glimpse of Ted Williams during the pregame ceremony. It was one of the last public appearances Williams made before he passed away.

Once the game started, it was clear Martinez wanted to put on a show. He struck out five of the first six batters which included Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Jeff Bagwell, Larry Walker, and Barry Larkin en route to a 4-1 AL win in which Martinez was the winning pitcher and earned the game's MVP Award.

3. 2001 All-Star Game

One of the greatest shortstops of all time also happened to be the most durable player of all time. Cal Ripken Jr. had an incredible career for the Orioles that featured him playing in 2,632 games in a row.

In the summer of 2001, the best of the best traveled to Seattle for the game and Ripken was the story since he was in his final season.

In a classy move, Alex Rodriguez gave up his starting shortstop position to Ripken, giving the legend the record of the most starts at shortstop in ASG history. It paid off, as Ripken hit a home run and won the game's MVP Award in a 4-1 AL win.

2. 1994 All-Star Game

Surprise surprise, another extra-inning All-Star Game. This one had it all - a Willie Stargell first pitch, a pinch-hit home run in the bottom of the 9th and an incredible ending by Tony Gwynn.

Gwynn led off the bottom of the 10th with a single which brought up Moises Alou. Alou launched a ball into the gap and Gwynn started running. It was going to be a play at the plate, and Gwynn snuck in just below Ivan Rodriguez’s tag to win the game.

1. 2008 All-Star Game

Topping our list as the greatest All-Star Game ever played took place in New York in 2008. This game earned the nickname, “The Marathon in the Bronx” because neither team could grab the lead.

Between the 10th and 11th innings, there were three runners thrown out at the plate. Both teams continued to escape jams and the fans got their money’s worth for the game as it entered the 15th inning, tying the longest game in All-Star history.

But finally, in the bottom of the 15th, Justin Morneau scored on a Michael Young sacrifice fly to win it for the American League.