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Countdown Former All-Stars enjoying spotlight once again
Posted: Tuesday July 11, 2000 09:11 PM
CNNSI.com senior writer John Donovan is on-site at Turner Field in Atlanta. He filed reports leading up to the first pitch of the 71st All-Star Game. By John Donovan, CNNSI.com 8:24 p.m. IN CENTER FIELD -- The band is done playing, the dancers have headed for the showers and now, minutes before the big show, there are a still few thousand people simply standing around. Everyone, it seems, is having a drink. If it's Atlanta in July, you need something to drink. The 71st All-Star Game has come to muggy Atlanta, and for all the pomp and banners that encircle this thing, the 50,000 fans or so in attendance are making sure they do their best to stay cool. Paper fans, tank-tops, shorts, bare chests and liquid refreshment of all sorts are all over this 3-year-old park, which is hosting its first All-Star Game. This is, of course, a fan's game: It's voted on by fans and geared toward fans. Baseball puts its best foot forward for this and the players, for the most part, embrace it. At 8:14, most people were in their seats -- if they had one -- for the introduction of players. The players, many with their kids by their sides, walked out from center field. There was a slight breeze blowing out to center, which cooled things off slightly and further bolstered hopes that this could be a homer-happy classic. It could be. And if it turns out that way, it'll be just what the fans ordered.
7:57 p.m. OUT IN LEFT FIELD -- The thing about the All-Star Game is, you can be an All-Star and still get overwhelmed by it all. Former New York Yankees slugger Reggie Jackson, who blasted a memorable home run onto the roof at Tiger Stadium in Detroit in 1971, was roaming around the clubhouses before the 71st chapter of this contest earlier Tuesday. But Reg-gie had to do some talking to do it. Maybe the most recognizable player of his generation was stopped at the clubhouse door because he didn't have the proper credential. To his credit, Jackson looked little more than astonished. The clubhouse man, without too much prompting, allowed Jackson in to schmooze with this generation of stars. Jackson later made it into the National League clubhouse, too, to embrace Sammy Sosa and do a little talking with pitcher Greg Maddux. Then there was the plight of former Cardinals shortstop Ozzie Smith, who did a pre-game show for the CNN/Sports Illustrated television network, then was hounded by autograph seekers in the club level section where the CNN/SI set was located. That, of course, is what the All-Star Game is all about. Seeing the stars. Maybe getting an autograph. Having fun. No, it might not mean a whole lot in baseball's grand scheme of things. But it is fun. And it is, finally, here.
7:47 p.m. ON THE FIELD -- Among the pre-game responsibilities for players at the All-Star Game are the requisite team photos. Even that, though, is an ordeal. Trying to get a couple dozen players in photo-shape and past the media, then getting them all beyond the center field fence to sit for a quick shoot was no small task. Players had to change out of their All-Star warmup jerseys, get into the uniforms of their hometown teams and hustle through the 1,000 or more media members here to sit for the photo. The American League players are wearing their road uniforms, while the National League players, with the Braves serving as host, are wearing their home white uniforms. Getting into the uniforms in the first place was tough enough. "Ummmmph," said former Atlanta Braves slugger Dale Murphy, who will act as the honorary captain for the National League for tonight's game, as he buckled up his uniform pants on the way out to the shoot. "Seems a little tight." Meanwhile, Mets second baseman Edgardo Alfonzo had a slight problem: He had autographed his jersey on the shoulder to give away later. Luckily, the autograph didn't show for the shot and the picture evidently came off as planned.
7:19 p.m. NATIONAL LEAGUE CLUBHOUSE -- New York Mets second baseman Edgardo Alfonzo is lockered next to one of the biggest stars of this game, Atlanta's Andres Galarraga. "The Big Cat," as Galarraga is known, wasn't voted in as the starter, but Mark McGwire's injury pushed him into the starting lineup at first base. Galarraga's inspiring comeback from cancer, which knocked him out of the entire 1999 season, has not been lost on the players here. "This means a lot," Alfonzo said, when asked about the chance to rub elbows with fellow Venezuelan Galarraga. "He's looked up to a lot, and now, seeing what he went through ... and now he's doing so well ... it's a pretty good feeling." National League manager Bobby Cox, who calls Galarraga the Braves' first-half MVP, is thrilled that his slugging first baseman is playing in the game tonight. After his tribulations of last season, Galarraga's first plate appearance in his fifth career All-Star Game could bring down Turner Field.
7:01 p.m. AMERICAN LEAGUE CLUBHOUSE -- It's kind of like missing a summer vacation in a lot of ways. But most of the players in tonight's All-Star Game certainly don't seem to mind. "I get a break in September, for four months," said American League catcher Ivan Rodriguez, the top vote-getter in fan balloting. "I feel OK. You don't get a chance to do this very often, so the key is just to have fun and enjoy it." Tonight's game features 25 first-time All-Stars, more than there have been in the last 12 years. Among them is Oakland slugger Jason Giambi, who welcomes the chance to "work the weekend," as it were. "I really don't think two or three days is going to make a lot of difference," Giambi said. "I'm just having a ball here. I don't think I'll miss these few days at all."
6:47 p.m. UPPER RIGHT-FIELD STANDS -- Major League Baseball's All-Star Game, with all its show and high-salaried studs, rolled into a soupy Turner Field on Tuesday night with the promise of long balls, short pitching stints and at least a modicum of fun for everyone. Somewhere around 50,000 fans are expected to be shoehorned into Turner Field for the 71st edition of this Midsummer Classic. Tickets start at $50 for standing room and range up to $150 for better seats. Fans have already started to flock to the park, despite temperatures that pushed into the 90s and humidity that ran much past that. Scalpers outside the stadium are trying to get more than face value for tickets. Some of the scalpers were having more success than others. The American League and National League All-Stars are scheduled to begin play about 8:30 p.m. ET. An hour and a half before game time the American League All-Stars were still taking batting practice as the fans were starting to take their seats. For the first time since 1972, the All-Stars have come to Hotlanta.
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