The Best of the Best

This article started where most sports arguments begin- a bar. After yet another groundbreaking Barstool Sports Radio Show, several committed patrons of the arts decided to have a spritzer or two and talk about life. Eventually, after we had discussed the frightening prospect of a nuclear Iran, the presidential aspirations of Hilary Clinton and John Currin’s exhibit at the Whitney last year, the talk turned to sports and the question was raised: What major league baseball All-Star game had the most stacked rosters?

Several people posted theories. Most of the people in attendance were of the mind that the early 1970’s would have featured the most talented teams. The thought being that the early 70’s connected two incredibly talent rich generations of players: Mays, Clemente, Aaron, et. al from the 60’s and Rose, Jackson, Seaver, et. al from the 70’s.

I went back and studied every All-Star roster since 1947, the year Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier. Certainly, some of the earliest All-Star teams were absolutely stacked. For example, in 1934, fans at the Polo Grounds watched Mickey Cochrane, Joe Cronin, Bill Dickey, Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig, Charlie Gehringer, Al Simmons, Dizzy Dean, Carl Hubbell, Mel Ott, Bill Terry and Babe Ruth. That’s not too shabby. But it is all-white.

The players above are all unquestionably superb but it is hard to say that the players at the 1934 All-Star were actually the best players playing baseball in America because there were dozens of equally good African- American and Latin players barnstorming in the Negro League. You just can’t accurately measure the quality of an All-Star team when some of the very best players weren’t allowed on the field.

But with Robinson’s entrance into the game, All-Star teams became colorblind almost overnight, particularly in the National League. It isn’t hard to figure out why the National League dominated the All-Star game for some many years. While the NL was regularly putting players like Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson and Willie Mays onto their teams by the mid 1950’s, it wasn’t until almost a decade later that the AL started to field teams with numerous African-American or Latin stars. When the AL finally started to recognize and recruit African-American and Latin talent, they coincidentally started to win All-Star games.

The other factor in ranking the teams is steroids. Recent All-Star teams, particularly the 1996, 1998 and 1999 teams, were absolutely stacked with players whose Hall of Fame credentials were unquestioned at the time of the games.

That has obviously changed. The 1998 game alone featured Rafael Palmeiro, Ivan Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. Five guys who at the time were all considered locks for Cooperstown. Now? Each of their legacies is seriously tainted. However, I tried to look past the steroid issues for a couple of reasons. One, even with the accusations of steroid use, it is hard not to recognize that a player such as Bonds has rare talent. Second, in most cases, the steroid accusations are just that- accusations- and only Palmeiro has failed a drug test during the season. Finally, though I tried to be fair when dealing with players from the “steroid era,” it certainly raises the profile of players like Aaron, Mays, Musial and Williams and the All-Star teams they played on because there was no way Teddy Ballgame was ever going to let some dude stick a needle in his ass.

So, those are the basic ground rules. Keep in mind that the selections are very subjective. Obviously, many of the game’s greatest players play in multiple All-Star games so I looked at what second tier players were also involved, the number of Hall of Famers on the teams, the number of players who seemed assured of stardom until injury or personal issues ruined their careers. Here is the list in reverse order. A link to the roster will be included- hopefully it works.

10. 1978- San Diego Stadium. AL players: George Brett, Rod Carew, Carlton Fisk, Goose Gossage, Reggie Jackson, Jim Palmer, Jim Rice, Carl Yastrzemski. NL players: Johnny Bench, Dave Concepcion, Rollie Fingers, George Foster, Steve Garvey, Joe Morgan, Phil Niekro, Pete Rose, Willie Stargell, Bruce Sutter, Dave Winfield. Notes: You can really start to see how the game is changing with the selections of Gossage, Fingers and Sutter.

9. 1999- Fenway Park. AL players: Roberto Alomar, Harold Baines, Nomar Garciaparra, Ken Griffey, Jr., Derek Jeter, Pedro Martinez, Rafael Palmeiro, Manny Ramirez, Cal Ripken, Jr., Mariano Rivera, Ivan Rodriguez, Omar Vizquel, Bernie Williams. NL Players: Jeff Bagwell, Vlad Guerrero, Tony Gwynn, Trevor Hoffman, Randy Johnson, Jeff Kent, Barry Larkin, Mark McGwire. Mike Piazza, Curt Schilling, Gary Sheffield, Sammy Sosa. Notes: Even in light of the recent steroid allegations, you could safely say that there were over 20-future or current Hall of Famers playing.

8. 1980- Dodger Stadium. AL players: Brett, Carew, Fisk, Gossage, Rickey Henderson, Jackson, Paul Molitor, Rice, Alan Trammell, Robin Yount. NL players: Bench, Steve Carlton, Concepcion, Garvey, Keith Hernandez, Dale Murphy, Dave Parker, Rose, Mike Schmidt, Sutter, Winfield. Notes: Emergence of several future stars- Molitor, Yount, Henderson.

7. 1959- Forbes Field. AL players: Luis Aparicio, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Al Kaline, Harmon Killebrew, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Ted Williams. NL players: Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Orlando Cepeda, Don Drysdale, Eddie Matthews, Willie Mays, Stan Musial, Frank Robinson, Warren Spahn. Notes: First year of a four-year experiment with two All-Star games. All white lineup for the AL. Overall, the game features quality not quantity.

6. 1970- Riverfront Stadium. AL players: Carew, Aparicio, Catfish Hunter, Killebrew, Palmer, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Yastrzemski. NL players: Aaron, Bench, Roberto Clemente, Bob Gibson, Mays, Willie McCovey, Morgan, Tony Perez, Gaylord Perry, Rose, Tom Seaver. Notes: NL outfield- Mays, Aaron, Clemente- that’s pretty solid.

5. 1985- Metrodome. AL players: Baines, Bert Blyleven, Wade Boggs, Fisk, Henderson, Don Mattingly, Molitor, Jack Morris, Eddie Murray, Rice, Ripken, Lou Whitaker, Trammell, Winfield. NL players: Gary Carter, Garvey, Doc Gooden, Gossage, Gwynn, Murphy, Parker, Tim Raines, Rose, Nolan Ryan, Ryne Sandberg, Ozzie Smith, Daryl Strawberry. Notes: Gooden and Strawberry stick out because they may be the two most talented players in this game. Also, some underrated sluggers- Murray, Rice, Winfield- whose stats look better and better considering the recent controversy over steroids.

4. 1998- Coors Field. AL players: Roberto Alomar, Roger Clemens, Griffey, Jeter, Pedro Martinez, Palmeiro, Ramirez, Ripken, Alex Rodriguez, Ivan Rodriguez, Williams. NL players: Craig Biggio, Bonds, Tom Glavine, Gwynn, Hoffman, Greg Maddux, McGwire, Piazza, Sosa, Schilling, Sheffield. Notes: Inclusion of Alex Rodriguez sets this team apart as much as that pains me to write. Very good chance that ARod goes down as one of the all-time greats and his presence on the team along with Clemens, Martinez, Ripken, Bonds, Maddux and Piazza gives this recent team the edge over the ’99 version.

3. 1961- Candlestick Park. AL players: Berra, Ford, Kaline, Killebrew, Mantle, Maris, Brooks Robinson. NL players: Aaron, Banks, Cepeda, Clemente, Drysdale, Sandy Koufax, Matthews, Mays, Musial, Frank Robinson, Spahn. Notes: Similar roster to the ’59 game except for the addition of one freakishly good left arm- Sandy Koufax. Also, look at how white the AL remains even as the NL has marquee African-American and Latin players like Aaron, Banks, Clemente, Mays and Frank Robinson. NL’s secret weapon- Don Zimmer. Swear to god.

2. 1967- Anaheim Stadium. AL players: Carew, Tony Conigliaro, Hunter, Kaline, Killebrew, Mantle, Tony Oliva, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Yastrzemski. NL players: Aaron, Banks, Lou Brock, Cepeda, Clemente, Drysdale, Gibson, Fergie Jenkins, Juan Marichal, Mays, Perez, Rose, Seaver. Notes: Tony C. was well on his way to greatness before he was beaned. AL is finally starting not to embrace all things white. Must have been fun to face Gibson and Drysdale in a friendly All-Star game. Lost points because NL squad featured the insufferable Tim McCarver.

1. 1971- Tiger Stadium. AL players: Aparicio, Carew, Jackson, Kaline, Killebrew, Thurman Munson, Palmer, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Yastrzemski. NL players: Aaron, Bench, Brock, Carlton, Clemente, Jenkins, Marichal, Mays, McCovey, Rose, Seaver, Stargell. Notes: Perfect combination of generations, especially on the NL squad with Aaron, Clemente and Mays joining forces with Bench, Rose, Carlton and Seaver.