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Steamy stars

All-Stars heat things up in already sizzling Atlanta

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Posted: Sunday July 09, 2000 02:47 PM

By John Donovan, CNNSI.com

	• Storylines • All Thumbs • Quote of the Day • Short Hops • Things We'd Like to See

ATLANTA -- Remember the Super Bowl, when it was, like, 10 below in Atlanta and everyone on the city's Chamber of Commerce fainted from the sheer effort of the positive spin they were trying to put onto things?

Welcome to one hot muther of an All-Star Weekend back in Georgia. We can only hope the C of C spinmeisters generate enough wind this time around to blow some out this dadgum humidity out of here.

The 71st All-Star Game, presented to you by Major League Baseball and everything that is corporate and good in America, is under way. Celebrity hitting contests, games showcasing baseball's future stars, batting practices, the Home Run Derby -- all of it culminates in the Midsummer Classic on Tuesday night (around 8:30) between the American League and the National League.

It is, when you get down to it, party time for everyone. The players see this break from their daily grind as a reward for a good first half. Or, in a few cases, reward for careers well done.

Managers Bobby Cox and Joe Torre view it as a privilege to be part of the best of baseball. Cox, of the Atlanta Braves, and Torre of the New York Yankees helped shape these squads, picking reserves and pitchers in one of the more thankless jobs in the game.

And for the fans? Well, where else can you see the best the game has to offer -- well, most of the best, anyway -- in one place? The game may not really mean anything, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't generate at least a modicum of interest.

Tuesday night's game will have all the pageantry and bunting a person can stand, but before then Major League Baseball will milk everything out of the "weekend" that can be milked.

Over at the Georgia World Congress Center, a good hike if it were nice weather in Atlanta, the John Hancock Fan Fest is taking place. Monday, Toys R Us is sponsoring a skills seminar at Turner and Century 21 is footing the advertising bill for the Home Run Derby (they have to be pleased with the McGwire thing, eh?). Claritin is springing for the whole Workout Day, as it's called.

Sunday is SeasonTicket.com All-Star Sunday, by the way. Get the corporate picture?

Still, for the thousands expected to attend All-Star festivities this weekend, Atlanta will be a slice of baseball heaven.

It'll just feel like someplace else around here.

On to this special edition of the baseball Week at a Glance, which we'll do daily through Tuesday's All-Star Game. The regular Week at a Glance, for those of you keeping track, will re-appear on Wednesday. Meanwhile, this new homogenized version has this question for you: Why not hold this game in, say, North Dakota once in a while, where it's nice this time of year and they never get to see something like this?

The answer: OK. You're right. The heat's getting to us.

McGwire Missing The game's biggest draw and its biggest slugger probably won't be in Atlanta -- though there might be a slight chance he possibly will be -- thanks to a touchy knee that has him benched. The Home Run Derby won't be the same. The game won't be the same without him, and Alex Rodriguez (see below), Cal Ripken and Greg Maddux, too. A bummer all around.
Alex Rodriguez The slugging Seattle shortstop will miss the game after suffering a concussion Friday in a collision at second base. We don't want to put any pressure on A-Rod, but we're pretty sure Steve Young would have played.
Celebrity hitters We imagine it's a great time for them, and if you're a fan of their movies or music or TV shows or whatever, fine. And maybe it's fun to see Dave Winfield and Wade Boggs and others take a few swings. It's harmless enough. We guess.
The heat We won't keep harping on this thing, but if it stays as hot as it is, we could see some gassed pitchers and more substitutions than you thought humanly possible on Tuesday night. Folks, we're looking at a 3 ½ hour game, minimum.
The Midsummer Classic. Take it for what it's worth. Embrace it. Embrace its rich history. Rose meeting Fosse at the plate. Reggie Jackson going out of the park in Detroit. Even Larry Walker clowning with Randy Johnson in '97. It beats the NBA All-Star game. And the Pro Bowl ... c'mon.
Hank Aaron. His town, his game. Hammerin' Hank is the king of the baseball world this week as he acts as unofficial host in the city where he became the game's home run king. He'll throw out the ceremonial first pitch Tuesday night.
Turner Field. The site of the All-Star Game isn't one of those pristine retro-parks, or one of those new retro-parks with a Jetsons-like retractable roof. But it's a solid stadium with lots of good seats, plenty to do for the fans and it'll look good on TV. Now if we could only get some air conditioning ...
Corporate sponsors. Why not? And, heck, just wait 'til the Olympics later this summer.
A special All-Star Weekend collection "I guess I was calling audibles." -- Seattle shortstop Alex Rodriguez, a high school quarterback, after getting knocked out Friday night. Rodriguez didn't say that Sunday, but he could have after a collision at second that will keep him out of Tuesday's game.
The last rookie to start at All-Star Game was Hideo Nomo in 1995.
This will be the third All-Star Game for the NBC duo of Bob Costas and Joe Morgan. Actually, they've done four altogether, but they were joined by Bob Uecker for the first two.
No U.S. president has attended since the 1992 game, when George Bush showed up at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego.
Another reason Hank is King: 24 All-Star appearances, tied for most ever with Willie Mays and Stan Musial.
An All-Star Game record that will never be broken: Mays' 75 at-bats.
A competitive game Tuesday night with good pitching, solid hitting and quick pitching changes.
Ozzie Smith, in the celebrity hitting contest, going deep. Just once.

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