Page 8 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JAnUAry 3, 2025 ~ The Old Sachem ~ The birth of baseball’s All-Star Game By Bill Stewart T he major leagues had their first AllStar game at Comiskey Park in Chicago on July 6, 1933, about two months before I was born. The game was thought up by Mayor Edward J. Kelly, who contacted Arch Ward of the Chicago Tribune, who was the sports editor. It was part of the World’s Fair in Chicago. The American League AllStars bettered the National League All-Stars, 4 to 3. It was a difficult time; If We Happen To Meet By Accident ... You’ll Be Glad You Found Us! There is a difference between the rest and the BEST! Celebrating 46 Years In Business! TONY’S AUTO BODY Call or Visit 781-321-0032 34 Sharon Street Malden, MA 02148 TONYSAUTOBODYLLC.COM COME VISIT OUR STATE OF THE ART BODY SHOP • Computerized Paint Matching (State of the Art Spray Booth) • Computerized Frame Machines • P.P.G. Refinishing System • R134 + 1234yf A/C Machines Fully Insured -RS2415 Insurance Company Approval ALL OUR WORK IS GUARANTEED! TONY BARTOLO Owner 46 Years Let Us Handle Your Next Insurance Claim. Go With the BEST It Doesn’t Get BETTER! RENTAL CARS Available 1933 fell into a recession. Almost 25% of Americans were out of work. Chicago wanted to recuperate by holding the World’s Fair to employ many people. Wages for those who kept their job fell to 42.5% between 1920 and 1933. This depression was the worst ever for the USA. Farm prices fell and many farmers lost their homes and land. Many were hungry. In the midst of this, Chicago wanted to turn things around. They added the first All-Star game to accompany the World’s Fair. Attendance was 47,595 and the game lasted slightly over two hours. The American League scored a single run in the second inning and two more in the third. The Nationals got a pair in the sixth, and the Americans added another in the last of the sixth. The starting lineup for the Nationals: Pepper Martin at third; Frankie Frish, second; Chuck Klein, right field; Chick Haley, left field; Bill Terry, first; Wally Berger, center field; Dick Bartell, shortstop; Jimmy Wilson, catcher; and Bill Hallahan as the starting pitcher. The manager was John McGraw, and reserves were Gabby Harnett, Tony Cuccinello, Woody English, Pie Traynor, Lefty O’Doul, Paul Waner, Carl Hubble, Hal Schumacher and Lou Warneke. The starting lineup for the Americans: Ben Chapman, left field; Charlie Gehringer, second; Babe Ruth, right field; Lou Gehrig, first; Al Simmons, center field; Jimmy Dykes, third; Joe Cronin, shortstop; Rick Farrell, catcher; and Lefty Gomez, starting pitcher. The manager was Connie Mack, and reserves were Bill Dickey, Jimmie Foxx, Tony Lazzeri, Earl Averill, Sam West, General Crowder, Wes Ferrell, Lefty Grove and Oral Hildebrand. National pitchers were Hallahan, Hubbell, Schumacher and Warneke. The Americans used Gomez, Crowder, Ferrell, Grove and Hildebrand. Getting hits for the Nationals were Frisch and Terry with two, and Klein, Ha“The Old Sachem,” Bill Stewart. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Joanie Allbee) ley and Traynor with one. Runs were by Frisch and Warneke. RBIs by Martin and Frisch. There were no walks and Martin, Bartell, Cuccinello and Hartnett struck out. Traynor had a double, Warneke had a triple and Frisch had a homer. Getting hits for the Americans were Ruth and Dykes with two, Chapman, Simmons, Cronin and Gomez. Scoring runs were Gehringer, Ruth, Dykes and Cronin. Gehringer and Gehrig had two walks; Dykes and Cronin had one each. Ruth had a homer in the third. Stealing a base was Gehringer. Gomez was the winning pitcher, giving up two hits and no runs for three innings; Crowder gave up three hits and two runs for three innings, and Grove gave up three hits in three innings. Hallahan was the losing pitcher, giving up two hits and three runs in two innings; Warneke gave up six hits and one run in four innings, and Hubbell allowed a single hit in two innings. Most baseball fans recognized most of the players as Hall of Famers in succeeding years. Baseball has kept the midsummer classic going now for over 90 years. (Editor’s Note: Bill Stewart, who is better known to Saugus Advocate readers as “The Old Sachem,” writes a weekly column – sometimes about sports. He also opines on current or historical events or famous people.)
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