MLB All-Star Game 2015: 5 most memorable All-Star Games
By Will Osgood
1989
The 1989 MLB All-Star Game could easily be accompanied by a few other games on this list–1991 is the next to come to mind–where one player really stole the show and made the All-Star Game about him (1999 already detailed would count if not for the aforementioned pre-game ceremony beforehand).
Bo Jackson, to that point known more for just being an all-around freak athlete, proved he was an incredible baseball player. If you search for baseball highlights of Bo Jackson on YouTube you come across plays like this:
And ridiculous throws like this from later in his career, post-hip surgery with the Chicago White Sox.
It reminds you of the story told of Jackson when he was playing for the then-California Angels, as told by former Angel utility player an announcer Rex Hudler, messing around with some of his teammates during batting practice claiming he could throw a baseball to the very top of the stadium (this was back when Anaheim Stadium was the more standard three decks made for football).
Unfortunately there is no documented clip or story about it, so you have to take my word for it. But he did it. He reached the top of the stadium. And given some of the other throws he made from the outfield in his career, it’s far from surprising or unrealistic.
And then there’s the way he stole the 1989 All-Star Game with just a couple spectacular plays in the first inning of the game.
Bo was such a good athlete he merely had to show up to the 1989 All-Star Game and it was a marquee event. Imagine what could have happened if he never destroyed his hip. Could he have been the best professional athlete of all-time?
Probably.
Next: Saying goodbye to a couple legends, hello to a few more and some good 'ole fun