Alex's Baseball Across America: 2011 MLB All-Star Game

If you can't see the pictures, CLICK HERE.

2 0 1 1 M L B

A L L - S T A R G A M E

July 12, 2011

National League 5, American League 1

Attendance: 47,994

Phoenix was hosting their first All-Star Game. There were a lot of questions about whether they could pull it off. It’s the monsoon season, a major dust storm had just blown through days before, and there was the whole immigration controversy. But, it all worked out. The humidity stayed away, the dust was cleared, and I didn’t see any protesters.

Mind you, the crowds were nothing like St. Louis. I remember at the end of the Red Carpet Show everyone heading over in one mass mob to get into the stadium. I had never seen that many people surrounding Busch Stadium. The picture below is a parody done by Don Marquess, but that’s what it had to have looked like.

Here, the Red Carpet Show was sparsely attended--it was too hot! After watching the NL barrel through, I went back to Fan Fest to cool off. I made my way back to the park 8 minutes after the gates opened and walked right in...no line, no nothin’.

The day before the All-Star Game, the workout day and Home Run Derby take place. I tried to walk over to the bleacher area “pre-game” but they didn’t let you over there without a bleacher ticket, and rightfully so.

Holliday being interviewed.

Ripken with the first pitch.

I’m not sure why he picked Yadi to throw to him, but he did.

Turned out this was the lowest rated All-Star Game ever, in terms of TV ratings. St. Louis, the baseball town of all baseball towns, led all TV markets, and Albert wasn’t even there.

I think I saw fans representing every team here. I even saw a guy wearing an “Arkansas Razorback Football” t-shirt. He had on a Cubs hat. I did not speak to him.

Next year the game heads to Kansas City.

For now, I’m off to Chase Field again to see the Diamondbacks play, then off to San Diego.

2 0 1 1 M L B A L L - S T A R G A M E

C H A S E F I E L D

P H O E N I X , A R I Z O N A

American League dudes.

National League dudes.

Lance.

Matt.

He made it!

Ortiz.

Gonzo.

Cano, the eventual winner.

I walked into the gates at 2:08 and went straight for the bleachers. I stayed back about 25 rows from the walls because it was too crowed further down. They had clearly shown last night they could launch them this far or farther. Not much came in the section I was in, so I moved over to Section 102. Row 23, Seat 17 to be exact.

I was probably there for 1 or 2 minutes when someone off the NL launched one. Two guys about 3 rows up and in the aisle went for it. Off the first glove. Of the second. And...

...into the hands of wafree3!

It’s the third one I’ve ever gotten. I got my first during the Home Run Derby batting practice at Busch in 2009. I got my second during batting practice of the first regular season game after the 2009 All-Star break...off a Diamondback, no less. And, now this one to add to the collection. My niece can go out and do what took me 30 years to do in about 15 minutes.