Miguel Vargas mashed a solo homer in his first All-Star appearance. | (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Whatever it is about the All-Star Game that puts a chokehold on the National League should be studied. Once again, the American League prevailed, shutting out the NL in Philadelphia, 4-0. If you had the NL being held to three hits on your bingo card, then congrats, you win, because the bats were borderline silent, and they never even had opportunities with runners in scoring position, leaving all five base runners stranded. The AL now has a 49-45 all-time record in the Midsummer Classic, which doesn’t sound so bad until you look at the most recent years.
Outside of the first inning, there wasn’t much offensive action from either side. The pitching, however, was extremely on point and easily highlighted why they were all named All-Stars. American League starting pitcher Dylan Cease looked as good as ever, striking out the side but losing a battle to Freddie Freeman and walking him for the lone blemish in his hitless outing. He used 24 pitches to get through the inning, mainly because the NL batters kept fouling pitches off, but Cease was able to buckle down and showcase his strikeout ability on the main stage, all while mic’d up.
The AL used 11 arms throughout the game, and the NL bats completely rode the struggle bus, only getting three hits the entire game while striking out a whopping 15 times. In fact, 10 of 11 AL pitchers recorded at least one strikeout, and Bryan Baker only tossed 1/3 of an inning in the ninth, so I think we can let him off the hook. Cease ended up with the win after his three-strikeout frame, and the next seven out of the bullpen earned a hold. On top of that, the AL defense was on point, and even though many fans were annoyed that Ernie Clement was voted in from the fans, he made the best play of the night in the field.
Juan Soto finally gave the NL its first hit in the bottom of the fourth off Joe Ryan, who struck out Freddie Freeman and CJ Abrams to end any potential threat. The bats were silent again for several more innings, until Pete Crow-Armstrong singled up the middle in the bottom of the eighth, but once again, nothing came from it.
In what was essentially garbage time in the bottom of the ninth, Baker entered to get the last out for the AL, but Otto Lopez came up to bat with two outs and ripped a base hit out to right before Baker forced a ground out to end the game. Lopez deserves a lot more recognition on the national level, however, as he’s been having a phenomenal year for the Marlins, and ranks fifth in WAR in all of baseball while holding the top batting average (.334). Think Luis Arraez, but with a bit more power while being an above-average fielder and stealing plenty of bases.
The AL All-Stars had a lot more success at the plate, though they were, too, a bit sporadic. The AL posted seven hits and went 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position while leaving six on base, which is seven more opportunities than the NL had, so they’ll take what they could get tonight.
Unfortunately for hometown starter Cristopher Sánchez, he got off to a rocky start, allowing three of the four AL runs and taking the loss. Sánchez started off on a high note by striking out Mike Trout to begin the game, but things got a bit out of hand fairly quickly, and the AL nearly batted through the lineup. Yordan Alvarez flashed his dominance at the plate in his first at-bat, mashing the first hit of the game and later coming around to score. Sánchez had walked Shea Langeliers and Bobby Witt Jr. to load up the bases, but worked a ground out by Junior Caminero to get two outs.
All three runs scored with two outs, as both New York Yankees All-Stars drove back-to-back RBI singles to take a 3-0 lead. Cody Bellinger mashed a 101 mph, two-run single up the middle, and Ben Rice followed suit with an even harder ball (107 mph) hit up the middle to tack on one more. Belli’s two-run single held up throughout the game, even with the Miguel Vargas bomb, and he ended up being named the All-Star Game MVP.
The AL bats quieted down for several innings, sprinkling a few hits throughout the game, but the NL bullpen was fairly solid as well. Riley O’Brien took over in the third, and a pitch got away from him and hit Junior Caminero in the hand in his second at-bat, forcing him to leave the game with Miguel Vargas taking over for him the rest of the way. Thankfully, it sounds like X-rays were negative on Junior’s hand, and he still expects to start the next series beginning Friday.
Miguel was the first of the White Sox to enter the game, and he smoked a 104.3 mph line out to his buddy Andy Pages out in center in his first at-bat, but he still found a good pitch to hit and was seeing the ball as well as he usually does. And he displayed that in his next at-bat, absolutely demolishing a 433-foot solo shot into the second deck out in left field to add an insurance run for the AL, 4-0. Vargas’ long ball was the lone extra-base hit of the entire game, and it just happened to be off of his old Dodgers teammate Justin Wrobleski. It sure was a beauty.
Tristan Peters was the next sub for the South Siders, entering the game to play right field for Bellinger in the bottom of the sixth, and caught a fly ball from William Contreras shortly after entering the game. Munetaka Murakami also eventually came into the game in the bottom of the seventh to play first, and both he and Peters each got one at-bat, and sadly struck out. I appreciated Peters using a challenge because why not, but he didn’t win this one. Mune was dealt a rough hand in having to face Mason Miller, and he, too, struck out on a 102 mph fastball. We’ll take 1-for-4 with a bomb, though, so thank you, Miguel, for picking up your teammates. Strikeouts or not, it was awesome to see these guys on this stage and that the White Sox are relevant and playing meaningful baseball again.
CINCINNATI, OH - JULY 11: Members of the Chicago Cubs celebrate after the Chicago Cubs defeated the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Saturday, July 11, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It’s Tuesday night of All-Star Week here at BCB After Dark: the grooviest gathering of night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in out of the heat. There’s no cover charge. We’ve still got a few tables available. The hostess can seat you now. Bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
Last night I asked you if you could/did watch the Home Run Derby. I thought a lot of you would not have watched it because it was on Netflix and you didn’t subscribe, but the top answer was that 34 percent of you did have Netflix and didn’t watch the Home Run Derby anyways. Another 31 percent said that you didn’t have Netflix but would not have watched it even if you did. So almost two out of three of you just didn’t want to watch it.
On Tuesday nights I don’t normally do any movie stuff. But I can take a quick jazz break for those of you interested.
Tonight we have a performance from the Jackie McLean Quintet at the Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival in 1986. Joining McLean on sax is Woody Shaw on trumpet, Cedar Walton on piano, Buster Williams on bass and the drummer is Billy Higgins.
This is “Cool Struttin’”
Welcome back to everyone who skips the music and movies.
Since it’s the All-Star Break, which is the traditional midway point of the baseball season even if it falls a little later than that these days, I thought I’d ask you to update your predictions for the Cubs this season.
As things stand now, the Cubs are 54-42, 12 games over .500. Personally, I think that’s pretty good considering all the injuries the Cubs have suffered to their pitching staff. A lot of you have compared this year’s Cubs team to the 1985 team that similarly suffered a ton of pitching injuries. That team went on a 13-game losing streak in June and never really snapped out of the funk. In contrast, this year’s Cubs team has gone 25-16 since they suffered a ten-game losing streak in May.
Of course, the problem is that while the Cubs suffered a cold spell in May, the Brewers got hot and went 19-7 in May and 17-10 in June. They’ve cooled off some in July and the Cubs have gotten within five games of the Brewers in the NL Central. But that’s still a lot to overcome in the second half. But the Cubs are in first place in the Wild Card standings, which brings with it a home series for Wild Card round. The Phillies are a half-game behind the Cubs and the Marlins are 2.5 games back of the Cubs and holding the third and final Wild Card spot. The Cardinals are 3.5 games behind the Cubs and are the first team out of the postseason in the National League.
Fangraphs gives the Cubs a 14.7 percent chance to win the Division and a 61.1 percent chance to get the Wild Card. That also gives them a 24.2 percent chance of missing the playoffs altogether.
But the computer models used by Fangraphs don’t account for any possible moves made at the deadline. Nor are they infalible.
So what’s your pick for how the Cubs are going to finish this year?
Thanks for stopping by. We’re always glad to see you. Tell your friends about us. Get home safely. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow for more BCB After Dark.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski throws in the eighth inning during the MLB baseball All-Star Game between the American League and National League, Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in Philadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA –– Earlier this season, it was Hall of Fame pitcher and current TBS broadcaster Pedro Martínez who gave Justin Wrobleski the nickname “The Shark.”
On Tuesday night, Wrobleski epitomized the moniker by doing something no one had accomplished since Martínez himself more than a quarter-century earlier.
In a two-inning relief appearance in Major League Baseball’s 96th All-Star Game, Wrobleski turned in one of the best individual showings in the National League’s eventual 4-0 loss at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski throws in the eighth inning during the MLB baseball All-Star Game between the American League and National League, Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in Philadelphia. AP Photo/Matt Rourke
He struck out the side in the top of the seventh, punctuating a dominant 12-pitch inning by blowing a 97-mph fastball past Rays slugger Yandy Díaz.
Then, after returning to the mound in the eighth, Wrobleski bounced back from a solo home run to Miguel Vargas — his former minor league teammate in the Dodgers farm system — by registering two more punchouts to make some Midsummer Classic history.
Not since Martínez in 1999 had a pitcher struck out five batters in an All-Star Game (the all-time record is six).
Among Dodgers pitchers in the event’s history, Wrobleski tied Fernando Valenzuela (1986) and Don Drysdale (1959) for the most in franchise history.
When informed of his feat postgame, Wrobleski flashed a smile and took a second to let it register.
“Feels pretty cool,” he said.
But then, before indulging any further in his performance, he cracked a self-deprecating chuckle to point out its one flaw.
“Except for [that] I gave up a home run,” he said. “That’s what’s on my mind right now.”
Indeed, the homer was memorable, with Vargas going down to get a low slider and blasting it to the second deck in left field for an insurance-adding solo shot.
“I’m super happy for him, and he’s having an awesome year,” Wrobleski said of his former teammate. “That was cool to see. It just sucks that he hit it off of me.”
Hunter Goodman of the Colorado Rockies speaks with Justin Wrobleski of the Los Angeles Dodgers during the seventh inning of the 2026 MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Getty Images
Still, Wrobleski’s outing will go down as another highlight moment in his own breakout season, as well –– coming on a night made all the more meaningful by coinciding with his 26th birthday.
“I’m super blessed and lucky to have the chance to do this,” Wrobleski said. “There’s not many guys in history that have had that chance. So pretty cool to play on my birthday. My family’s here. Got to talk to them all day. And yeah, it was super fun.”
This time last year, the left-hander was in the minor leagues, overhauling his pitch arsenal after a rocky start to the season. By October, he had worked his way into a roster spot in the bullpen and pitched important innings in the World Series, but still entered the winter seemingly squeezed out of the Dodgers’ 2026 rotation plans.
Since getting a shot to start early in the season, however, the former 11th-round draft pick has emerged as one of the game’s most productive pitchers, going 10-2 in the first half of the campaign with a 2.69 ERA that ranked seventh in the National League.
“Even when it doesn’t look like it’s been something that’s possible, or hasn’t looked like this dream is going to work out, I’ve always had the belief that God’s given me the talent, and I have the ability to be able to do all this stuff. And it’s great to –– not fulfill that –– but prove that I can be really good at the major league level.”
Justin Wrobleski of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch during the seventh inning. Getty Images
Ironically, the only thing Wrobleski had been missing for most of this year was the ability to put hitters away with two strikes. Over his first 86 ⅓ innings, he recorded only 53 strikeouts. His reliance on soft contact had, to some, made his success feel unsustainable.
In recent weeks, however, Wrobleski has found added life on his fastball, more bite on his secondary stuff and a renewed confidence in his ability to do more than just limit damage.
He struck out 11 batters in a June 30 start against the Athletics and nine more against the Rockies last week to help him earn a last-second All-Star selection as a replacement on the NL roster.
Then came Tuesday, when he showcased his continued development on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
“I’ve been kind of learning and continuing to grow and figure out how to strike guys out and where I can go for a miss,” said Wrobleski, who got two of Tuesday’s Ks on high heaters and the other three on sweepers both in and out of the zone.
“Obviously, in a situation like this, guys are gonna swing a little bit more. But yeah, I made some good pitches today, I got some strikeouts and hopefully can build off that in the second half.”
Wrobleski’s season has gone so well that he has even allowed himself to lean into “The Shark” nickname — something he seemed initially hesitant about after it was bestowed by Martínez in a social media post in June.
I was impressed with Justin Wrobleski. He was like a shark out there! After tonight he’s now “the Shark”
Former player found guilty of three assault charges against woman
AFL commission says ‘violence against women has no place’
The AFL has removed Nicky Winmar from the Australian Football Hall of Fame after the former St Kilda and Western Bulldogs player was in June found guilty of three assault charges involving violence against women.
Winmar, who retired from playing in 1999 after 251 AFL games, was finally inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022 after having been eligible since 2005 – a move widely lauded at the time given the Saints great’s feats on the field and the famous stand he took against racism.
The Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors remain at a standstill regarding the proposed trade that would bring Kawhi Leonard back to Canada.
Leonard’s seven-year tenure with the Clippers ended after he was traded to the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, June 30, for forward Brandon Ingram, guard Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks (2031, 2033), two second-round picks (2030, 2033) and a 2027 first-round swap.
Both teams have since put a halt to the trade, citing the ongoing investigation surrounding Leonard, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, and Leonard's uncle/advisor Dennis Robertson. All three men were allegedly involved in a “no-show” agreement with a company, Aspiration, to funnel extra compensation to the player as part of a salary cap circumvention.
There’s a belief that both sides are still willing to go through with the deal with the assumption that there will be limited consequences for the parties involved.
"My timeline remains this summer," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said when talking to reporters on Thursday, July 14. "... I'm not conducting the investigation … as I've said previously, we all have an interest in wrapping this up, and I most recently said in an interview that I am hopeful it will wrap up this summer and that will continue to be the goal here."
Silver will be responsible for deciding on any potential discipline after the law firm conducting the investigation delivers its findings to him.
Silver stated that he expects the investigation to be concluded this summer.
“I want to clarify that the league did not pause the trade,” Silver said. “The parties involved in the trade decided not to move forward, given that the investigation remained open and any potential impact on Kawhi or his contract was yet to be known, so they chose not to live with that uncertainty.”
The commissioner also mentioned that it was well known before the trade was proposed that Leonard’s potential status or repercussions from the investigation wouldn’t change because he was traded.
“I can’t comment on the specifics of the investigation, but what I can say is we did not do what we are accused of doing,” said Lawrence Frank, the Clippers' president of basketball operations, on June 23. “The investigation has had no impact on how we go about our business. We just continue to go about our business as normal.”
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 14: Cameron Carr #43 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against the LA Clippers on July 14, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The battle of LA, Summer League edition, ends with the Lakers beating the Clippers,99-85, on Tuesday night. They are now 3-0 in Las Vegas Summer League play.
It was the Chris Mañon show early, as his defense forced a Clippers turnover right after the opening tip, leading to a layup. He also drained a triple, giving him five points. Cameron Carr got his first points of the night, knocking down a 3-pointer. Kobe Sanders was leading the Clippers with four points.
Mañon continued to dominate, pushing his point total to 10. He was the first player from either team in double figures. The young Lakers were having a nice night from behind the arc, shooting 55%.
At the end of the first, the purple and gold were up by eight.
Las Vegas Summer League Lakers: The kids can play!
Carr started the second period with a jumper for the Lakers. Both teams were shooting at a high level in the quarter. The Lakers made all six of their first shots, and the Clippers made five of their six attempts. Sean Pedulla and Jahmyl Telfort combined for eight points for the Clippers.
Adou Thiero got on the board, converting on a layup. After a small scuffle between the teams, a few techs and a flagrant foul were given.
The Lakers continued to play well offensively, building their lead to 15. Their defense was also great, forcing the Clippers into difficult shots. Carr was now in double figures with 11 points.
At halftime, the Lakers were up by 16.
The Lakers are steamrolling the Clippers, leading 54-38 at the half. Chris Mañon, Cameron Carr and Arthur Kaluma are all in double figures. Two-way player AK Okereke is right behind them with eight points. Another half like this and the Lakers will stay undefeated in Las Vegas.
Sanders scored on a jumper for the Clippers to start the third period. The Clippers had a hot start, with Sanders and Pedulla both draining triples. They were on an 8-0 scoring run. Mañon converted on a free throw for two points.
The Clippers cut their deficit to nine. Offense had become a struggle for the Lakers, as they made just one of their first five shot attempts. Thiero converted on a much-needed three-point play.
Carr ignited for the Lakers, scoring eight points and pushing his point total to 19. The Lakers were up by 23 at the end of the third.
Carr started the final frame with a free throw. The Clippers were actually shooting better than the Lakers in the quarter, 45% to 37%, but the Lakers were still in full control with their big lead.
Thiero put the finishing touches on a great win with an emphatic dunk
Key Player Stats:
Carr ended with 23 points and two assists. Mañon finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two steals. Arthur Kaluma pitched in with 15 points and four assists.
Thiero had 13 points, six rebounds and three assists. AK Okereke had 11 points in 14 minutes of play.
The next Lakers Summer League game will be against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday at 3:00 PM PT.
DSL All-Star Sebastian Romero continues to swing a hot bat. | (Sebastian Romero/Instagram)
Three members of the DSL White Sox squad have been named to the 2026 DSL All-Star Game: Ronald Cardoza (C), Yordany Marte (RHP), and Sebastian Romero (OF). Cardoza is hitting .316/.426/.607 with a 1.033 OPS while Romero owns a slash line of .289/.391/.608 with a .999 OPS. Marte is 0-2 with a 3.12 ERA and 1.37 WHIP. The three players will represent Chicago’s rookie affiliate at the game on Sunday, July 19.
ACL Angels 9, ACL White Sox 1 Not much to write home about in this one. The ACL White Sox (15-38) didn’t muster a run until the fifth, when Osniel Castillo laced a leadoff triple and rehabbing Billy Carlson followed with an RBI single to center. The Sox tacked on one more in the seventh while trailing 9-1 as Adam Fogel worked a two-out walk before Marcelo Ácala ripped an RBI double to left. Too little, too late, though. Reinder Gomez was the only hurler to hold the Halos scoreless, tossing one frame and allowing just one hit and striking out one. Giving up nine runs is rarely a winning formula, and the offense didn’t do the pitching staff any favors, going just 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position while leaving 10 on base.
DSL Cubs Blue 6, DSL White Sox 4 The DSL White Sox (11-20) gift-wrapped this one with three fielding blunders and a passed ball, leading to three unearned runs. The White Sox did showcase some offense, though, as Ronald Cardozo cracked a solo shot in the fourth, and then the bats tried to rally in the seventh. Jose Suarez launched a two-run bomb, Hector Hernandez legged out a triple, and Dionys Medina dribbled an RBI grounder to plate three tallies. Unfortunately, the damage was already done — too many mistakes and just not enough late-game magic.
ACL White Sox 4, ACL Padres 3 (July 13 — 7 innings) The ACL Sox trailed 3-1 to the Padres, then finally put up a crooked number in the fifth. Landon Hodge and Adam Fogel, patient enough to draw back-to-back walks, set the table. Jose Mendoza knocked a single to pack the sacks. The Padres’ pitcher promptly lost the plot with a wild pitch, and Hodge scored. Marcelo Ácala froze for strike three, but another wild pitch let Fogel trot home. Alejandro Cruz hit an RBI single for the go-ahead. Fidel Montero took it from there with four shutout innings, allowing just one hit and one walk.
DSL White Sox 2, DSL Cubs 0 (July 14, suspended, bottom of the first) The Sox took control early in the top of the second. Fernando Graterol drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly before Sebastian Romero added an RBI single. It was Romero’s 34th RBI of the season, tied for sixth-most in the DSL, and gave the Good Guys a 2-0 lead.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 14: William Contreras #24 of the Milwaukee Brewers looks on during the sixth inning of the 2026 MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The All-Star Game took place on Tuesday night in Philadelphia, but it was a one-sided affair the whole way. A three-run first inning by the AL gave them a lead that they would hold throughout the game, finishing with a 4-0 victory over the NL.
Even though the hometown ace, Cristopher Sánchez, got the start in this one, pitching at home didn’t help him at all. The AL sent eight men to the plate in the first. The big two hits were an RBI single by Cody Bellinger that scored two, and another RBI single from Ben Rice that scored the third run. Before the NL could even bat, they were down 3-0.
Once they were up to bat, the AL pitching staff nearly held them in check completely. The NL had just two baserunners — a hit and a walk — through the first six innings. They didn’t record their second hit until the eighth inning. As a whole, they struck out 15 batters while allowing just three hits and two walks.
The fourth run for the AL came in the eighth inning, when Miguel Vargas hit a solo home run off Justin Wrobleski. That accounted for the final score of the game.
William Contreras was the lone Brewer to appear in the game. He entered in the fourth inning and caught the next three innings. He got one at-bat in the game, which was a fly out in the sixth inning.
The Brewers kick off the second half of the season on Friday evening at home. They will face the Marlins, who have fought their way into the third Wild Card spot, but also entered the break on a three-game losing streak. No pitchers have been announced for that series yet. First pitch on Friday is set for 6:40 p.m.
Across the street from the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh is the shell of the Consol Energy Center and you won’t find anybody there leaning on a shovel, no siree. There’s always noise and a whole bunch of guys in hard hats running around doing stuff. The steel girders are pretty much in place, and the way it’s coming up, it’s hard to fathom the Penguins still have to play another full season in their quaint but decrepit digs at Mellon, where minor hockey outfits from Ust-Kamenogorsk have better dressing room facilities than the visiting teams.
Not far from the cornerstone, the foundation of the franchise and the building hangs from the girders on the east side. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are not actually welding the steel together, but they might as well be. There is no doubt the new arena is The House That Sid and Geno Are Building, with a big assist from Mario Lemieux and the good folks at Majestic Star Casino.
If you look at the banner quickly enough and from a certain angle, it looks as though both heads are coming out of the same body. Sid and Geno – the two-headed monster with the steely resolve that is hugely responsible for both the steel that forms the Penguins’ future and the silver that defines their present.
When Crosby hoisted the Stanley Cup on a bad knee the night of June 12 in Detroit after a dramatic seven-game triumph, he became the youngest captain ever to do so in NHL history. When Malkin lifted the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP just minutes before, he became the second-youngest skater to win the trophy behind Bobby Orr – and the fourth-youngest player of all-time to take the bauble. He’s also the first Russian Conn man.
“They’re superstars and they’re 21 and 22 years old and we have them signed for a bunch more years,” gushed Penguins GM Ray Shero as the Penguins celebrated on the ice after Game 7. “It’s hard not to be excited. I’m glad I decided to come here.”
Those who follow the Penguins are thanking their lucky stars for the circumstances that landed two of the best players on the planet in their laps. In four successive drafts from 2003 through ’06, the Pens drafted Marc-Andre Fleury first overall (’03), Malkin second (’04), Crosby first (’05) and Jordan Staal second (’06). That’s four star-to-superstar players. (They also added Kris Letang, Tyler Kennedy and Alex Goligoski in those drafts.) It certainly does nothing to dispel the notion you have to be putrid before you can be great, as long as you’re all right with your team almost leaving town a couple of times and being plunged into Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
But those days are long behind the Penguins now. They’re preparing to move into their revenue-rich digs in the fall of 2010 and look every bit the perennial Stanley Cup contender with Crosby and Malkin leading the way. Ovechkin might have the Hart Trophy and the cover of NHL 2K10, but Crosby and Malkin have the Stanley Cup. And they don’t appear ready to give it back anytime soon.
The Penguins have their three top centers – all younger than 23 – under contract for the next four years and Fleury committed until 2015. This will afford the Penguins every opportunity to be a force for years to come.
“We went to the cap two years before we were supposed to without our revenues in the new building,” Shero said. “But we’ve got those two signed long term and I think that says something about our ownership. They want to win and it’s great for the city of Pittsburgh.”
On and off the ice, Crosby and Malkin are a study in contrasts. After living with Sergei Gonchar for two years, Malkin cut ties and moved into his own house this year. He’s all on his own, not with standing the extended visit from his parents Vladimir and Natalia, who became almost as famous as their son during the playoffs, when fans clamored to have autographs and pictures taken with “the Genos.” Crosby, on the other hand, continues to live at Lemieux’s house and there appears to be no signs the tenant will be evicted anytime soon.
“No, I think we’ll keep him around,” said Lemieux when asked whether it was time for Sid to, you know, maybe get his own space. “He’s great for our family and our four kids – they love him. He’s pretty easy to take care of. He sleeps and he plays hockey and that’s all. He eats once in a while, too.”
Both Malkin and Crosby are consumed by all things hockey. Malkin’s parents once said that when Evgeni was a youngster, they would often find him in bed wearing his skates and clutching his hockey stick.
“I knew when his dad brought him to the ice and put skates on him for the first time,” said Natalia Malkin the day her son was drafted. “At that moment, we both said to each other, ‘He’ll be a great player one day.’ We saw it right away.”
When Crosby played junior hockey for the Rimouski Oceanic, the team would often hide his skates to prevent him from going out at night and playing outdoor pick-up hockey with the neighborhood kids. Crosby’s father Troy relayed a story that once when Sidney was in midget hockey, a fierce snowstorm cancelled school for the day, but the local arena in Cole Harbour, N.S., stayed open. Crosby showed up in the morning to play pick-up hockey and all day players came and went, but Crosby was still there playing eight hours later.
“He’s competitive in everything he does,” said Troy Crosby of his son. “And he’s stubborn. When he goes fishing, he won’t stop fishing until he catches something. He could be out there for eight hours. When he plays tennis or golf, he won’t stop until he wins.”
Both are brilliant players in different ways – Crosby with the determination to match his skill and a player who displayed a penchant during the playoffs for making breathtaking plays in tight and with little time or space. Perhaps not exactly what was originally advertised, but dangerous nonetheless.
Malkin, on the other hand, has the ability to dominate with sheer physical skill. He swoops through the offensive zone with authority and while he’s more physical and less skilled, there are similarities to No. 66.
“I do see some of myself in the way he carries himself on the ice,” said Lemieux of Malkin. “The way he carries the puck and the way he dekes and sees the ice.”
The similarities certainly don’t end there, though. For starters, both Crosby and Malkin come from humble surroundings. And they’re both scheduled to make $9 million next season when Malkin’s 1,000-percent raise kicks in. They were both born to fathers who were good hockey players, but not quite good enough to make a living from it. Troy Crosby played two years as a goalie for the Verdun Jr. Canadiens and was drafted 240th by the Montreal Canadiens in 1984, 189 spots after the Habs selected Patrick Roy. Vladimir Malkin played one year as a winger with Magnitogorsk in the Soviet Elite League and claims that while he doesn’t possess his son’s physical skills, he likes to think Evgeni inherited his ability to read the play from his father.
Vladimir Malkin worked as a machine inspector for Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works, which has provided the mother country with much of its steel since it was established by Josef Stalin in 1929. Troy Crosby was a building superintendent for a local law firm and his wife, Trina, worked at a local newspaper until she stayed home to raise her children.
“We were below middle class when Sidney was growing up,” Troy Crosby said. “He had some tough times growing up and that’s why I think he appreciates everything, because of how hard it was when he was a kid. He didn’t go without anything, but it wasn’t easy. He had to work for it. He would deliver fliers on weekends to pay for skates and tournaments. We weren’t a well-to-do family by any means and we struggled at times.”
Perhaps it was the humble beginnings that have made Crosby the person he is. He is not perfect, to be sure, but there is no doubt he is remarkably grounded for a millionaire superstar. Yeah, he took too long to shake hands with the Red Wings while he celebrated on the ice after winning the Cup, but he’s 21, an age when many of us were too irresponsible to get to our college classes on time.
When Crosby was 16 and he won the Quebec League’s rookie-of-the-year award, he was so embarrassed about his lack of ability to speak French that he vowed to his agent he would accept his awards the next season in French.
He not only did it, but he now speaks the language with Maxime Talbot in the next stall when the two of them don’t want other people to know what they’re talking about.
When Crosby was just a wisp of a kid at Colby Elementary and later at Astral Drive Junior High in Cole Harbour, N.S., he forged a bond with another student by the name of Scottie Joseph. When Scottie was born, he weighed 1-½ pounds and bleeding on the right ventricle of his brain caused a series of strokes that left him developmentally handicapped. Doctors told his mother he would never walk or talk, but 23 years later, he does both incessantly.
Joseph and Crosby remain friends, years after Crosby began to look out for him at school. Scottie knows almost nothing about hockey and is vaguely aware that Crosby won the Stanley Cup, only because his mother went to his room to tell him the Penguins had won.
“Now he thinks because he won the Stanley Cup, Sid is finished with hockey forever and now he can come home,” said Scottie’s mother Becky. “We’ll have a Montreal-Toronto game on and Scottie will walk by the television and say, ‘Go, Sid.’ He doesn’t want anything from Sid and Sidney just thinks he’s a hoot.”
Just as Becky is speaking on the telephone about Crosby, Scottie comes into the house. Becky asks her son if he wants to say anything about Crosby.
“Just tell him I love him,” is the response.
For all we know, there could be stories just as heartwarming about Malkin. Maybe he helps old ladies across the street in his spare time. It’s just the language barrier makes it difficult for anyone to truly get to know Malkin very well. We do know Malkin can have quite a sense of humor, as he did after Game 3 of the final when he said of linemate and eventual Game 7 hero Talbot: “Little bit bad hands. He has lots of scoring chances, not score. Just empty net. It’s OK, he learns over the summer.”
We learned Malkin can play very, very well in crucial situations, unlike last spring when he essentially disappeared during the Stanley Cup final. We learned he is willing to get as goofy as most other players, as evidenced by the fight he started with Zetterberg late in Game 2 before his “automatic” one-game suspension was inexplicably rescinded and he responded with three assists in Game 3. If you look at him closely, you learn that he might just have the longest fingers in the history of the human race. We learned that Malkin at 22 is much more mature and battle-tested than he was at 21.
“‘Solid’ is the best word I can use for him,” said Bill Guerin, who came to Pittsburgh at the trade deadline. “He has gotten much better with his decision-making with the puck. He’s always great with the puck and he can try things, but he’s trying it at the right time now. He’s been more and more responsible as the playoffs have gone on.”
Back on Feb. 15, the Penguins were five points out of a playoff spot and seemed firmly ensconced in 10th place in the Eastern Conference. That’s when Shero fired coach Michel Therrien and replaced him with a relative unknown in Dan Bylsma. Both Crosby and Malkin bought into Bylsma’s north-south system, predicated on getting the puck at the defensive blueline and sending it back up the ice as soon as possible.
“There was risk in doing it,” said Shero of the coaching change. “But I always say there was more risk in not doing it.”
Crosby had 31 points down the stretch despite missing five games with a groin injury and Malkin had 33 points as the Penguins rattled off a record of 18-3-4 under Bylsma and entered the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the league. They became the first squad in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup after going down 2-0 in two playoff series and became the first team to win Game 7 on the road since the 1971 Montreal Canadiens. They also became the first team in any sport to do that since the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates.
“When (the coaching change) happened, the players had to look at themselves in the mirror and say, ‘You know what? We’re at fault here,’ ” said assistant coach Tom Fitzgerald, who also joined the coaching staff in February.
Included in that group were Crosby and Malkin, even though both were doing their parts offensively. By the time the playoffs came around, the Penguins’ two best players were, in hockey vernacular, their two best players. And it showed.
Crosby proved in the post-season that he could be more net-directed and selfish (in a good way) when necessary, while Malkin showed a continued maturity and an ability to play like a superstar in games that matter most.
The day before the pivotal seventh game, Malkin spoke about his dreams of winning hockey’s biggest prize.
“The Cup is all I want. I will give everything. One win, the Cup,” he said to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I think about it a lot, especially in these last weeks. It’s my dream. Me and Sid, just like that.”
Malkin pointed to a picture of Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr celebrating the Penguins’ 1992 Stanley Cup in the visitor’s dressing room at the old Chicago Stadium.
Seventeen years later, Crosby and Malkin are living the dream far earlier than they, or almost anyone else, expected they would. Now after watching them over the past two months, the big question is, who is going to be able to take it away from them?
MLB paid homage to the iconic fireworks scene from “The Sandlot” by recreating the masterpiece at Citizens Bank Park during the All-Star Game.
The recreated spectacle started with the playing of Ray Charles’ famous “America the Beautiful” for the entire Philadelphia crowd before children in Phillies jerseys peeked through a gate in the fence along the right field foul line.
Three kids in Phillies gear at the MLB All-Star Game. Awful Announcing, /XKids riding bicycles onto the field at the All-Star Game. Awful Announcing, /X
The kids then came inside the ballpark and waved in several others who rode bicycles onto the field while fireworks shot off in the background.
An American flag was projected on screens throughout the stadium, and kids continued to make their way toward the middle of the infield before dropping their bikes.
Players from both teams stood side by side near their dugouts with what appeared to be sparklers, while select players, like Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh, stood with acting fans on the field.
Here was that Sandlot-esque break in the MLB All-Star Game, featuring fireworks and Ray Charles' rendition of "America the Beautiful," as it looked on the Fox broadcast. pic.twitter.com/5LfgaoASb2
Fireworks over Citizens Bank Park. Awful Announcing, /X
Some kids exchanged baseball cards with players, and Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman was playing catch with a young fan.
Released in 1993, “The Sandlot” is an iconic baseball movie that features a scene where the kids play under the fireworks on the Fourth of July.
The scene also includes Charles’ song, which echoed throughout the ballpark on Tuesday.
Following the moment, the game resumed with the American League leading the National League 3-0.
A pair of Yankees, Ben Rice and Cody Bellinger, got the scoring started to make it 3-0 in the top of the first before Miguel Vargas extended the AL’s lead to 4-0 with a homer in the eighth inning, a score that would hold in an American League victory.
The pageantry of the night, which included the starting lineups signing a document similar to the Declaration of Independence, was fitting for America’s 250th birthday.
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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 14: Phillie Phanatic dances during the seventh inning of the 2026 MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The American League shutout the National League 4-0 on Tuesday in the 2026 All-Star Game. Here’s some notes I took.
Keeping Score: I decided to watch the All-Star Game this year. Not only that, I decided to score the All-Star Game this year. I recently found my old scorebook and thought it’d be fun, since I’m here recapping this with you anyways. The first game in this scorebook is a Félix Hernández complete game from Opening Day 2011. The last is both halves of a doubleheader between Washington State University and Cal State Northridge in Pullman that I covered for the school paper in 2017. In between there’s the Mariners/Marlins game that was played in Seattle because of a U2 concert in Miami; a game from the Tokyo Dome that I woke up at 2 a.m. for, per my diligent notes; a game started by Blake Beavan that I did not proceed to score after the first inning; the Red Sox first game after the Boston Marathon bombing; a 2013 WBC game; a 2017 WBC game; and a bunch of losing Mariners baseball. I’m not quite sure what the point of scoring games is in 2026, with technology and such. But I’m adding to my corporeal collection of bizarre baseball games that I might not otherwise remember.
Star-Less: The 2026 All-Star Game was relatively starless. No Aaron Judge. No Shohei Ohtani. Yes Ernie Clement. I won’t lie and say that this adds to my interest in the All-Star Game, as I watch pretty much every year, albeit more passively. But it is cool that we’ll get to see a lot more of the B+ quality of player that I think makes the league so interesting these days. My takeaways from the starting lineups are that I think it’s cool CJ Abrams is batting fourth for the NL. What a year it’s been for him. The other takeaway is I initially wrote Freddie Freeman’s team in my book as “ATL” rather than “LAD.” I’m not sure what that means, but it’s the first mistake on what’s sure to be a rather messy scorecard.
The Pregame: I’m writing this as the lineups are being announced. Each player is entering through an MLB-branded Liberty Bell and jogging a few feet to a podium, where they’re signing what appears to be the starting lineups on a large, old-timey document using quill and ink. What I’ve gotten out of this All-Star week is that Philadelphia really wants you to know that their culture is boxing, the founding fathers, and booing other teams players. The only players who didn’t get booed on announcement were the Phillies players and the Philly-born players (like Mike Trout). After all the players were aligned on the chalk — a process that took a bit more than 30 minutes — the Mastercard Kids4Techᵀᴹ entered and shook all the players hands.
The Post-Pregame: Play ball! Er, commercial break… Washington’s Lottery, North Idaho College, RnR RV Center, some sort of sponcon game show called Beat Shazam… and Play Ball! Er, no let’s hear from our hosts tonight, Joe Davis and John Smoltz, who I haven’t seen since the postseason. They’re interviewing Justin Verlander, and hinting at a second interview with Verlander later in the game. I’m already not loving this experience. Play ball! Er, commercial break… Claude, Mastercard, World Cup, Dodgers Yankees on Saturday, 75 Years Of Jack In The Box, North Idaho College. Play Ball! Er, Ben Stiller narrating an All-Star Game Carnival interstitial. I’m starting to think this game starts at 5:30 and not 5 like they advertised. Play ball! Er, Mike Trout is from Philadelphia let’s see what he’s got to say to Tom Verducci. Not much, apparently. Play ball! Hey, there’s Crisotopher Sanchez warming up on the mound. We’re actually about to star this thing! Er, sorry, Bryce Harper is talking to Ken Rosenthal. Play ball…
Cristopher Sánchez Has The Runs: Sánchez did not have it tonight, which was disappointing. He got Trout to strikeout leading off with a nasty changeup. Then he gave up a single, a walk, an out, a walk, a single, and a single — the game was 3-0 AL by the time Sánchez struck out Riley Greene to end it.
Dylan Cease, Mic’D Up: I don’t know why they did this, but it wound up being pretty great. FOX mic’d up both Dylan Cease and Shea Langeliers in the bottom of the first. Initially, Davis tried to ask him questions like an interview, and Cease wasn’t having it. But Davis backed off, and it turned into a nice conversation between Cease and Langeliers, calling pitches, discussing locations, mouth-over-glove type stuff. Smoltz didn’t quite catch the magic that was happening and interjected a few dumb questions. “Shea, how have your challenges been this year?” “Uh, I think they’ve been OK.” Cease was similarly unimpressed with Smoltz calling pitches for him. But Cease did ultimately strike out the side. It was a great inning, and the best of way, way too many in-game interviews that took place in this one.
Justin Verlander, Praise Be: The second inning returned with the aforementioned Verlander-themed pitchers roundtable. They had a bunch of other pitchers mic’d up in the dugout, like Jacob Misiorowski and Cam Schlittler, though none of their mics worked well enough to hear most what was said. Davis and Smoltz asked them to say very nice things about Verlander, and asked Verlander to offer some sage wisdom. It was awkward but quick as the AL went down in order in the top of the second. Unfortunately, it was too quick, as they brought it back for the bottom of the inning, which was just as awkward. They glossed over the All-Star facetime for Eduardo Rodríguez and Parker Messick, who each pitched clean innings, in favor of the conversation. Lame. The only good thing was the reminder that Verlander is about to go away.
Yee-ouch: Riley O’Brien smoked Junior Caminero in the left hand in the third inning. He seemed to be in considerable pain and laid on the ground for a while. Then he hopped up and ran right into the locker room. O’Brien looked a bit sheepish. Yikes. The broadcast later reported that Caminero’s hand was not broken.
Ray Charles, Mmmkay: I looked away for a commercial break after the fourth and looked up to some sort of interstitial with narration about baseball and nostalgia but its not actually nostalgia or something — I don’t know, I missed the point. Then we jumped back to the broadcast with the Phillies playing a recording of Ray Charles singing America The Beautiful. All of a sudden a bunch of kids on bikes started riding around the field and talking to the players. There was tons of fireworks, which created tons of smoke for the last half of the game. Was this like a halftime show? An interactive theater art piece? Who was this for? OK, back to commercial.
The Mariners Were Here: Randy Arozarena pinch hit for Riley Greene in the sixth inning and faced Raisel Iglesias with a runner on first. He quickly grounded out to shortstop. Arozarena later caught a ball in the outfield. Then he got a single off Jhoan Duran in the ninth. The Mariners were here.
Birthday Boy: Whoa what a performance from Justin Wrobleski on his 26th birthday. He got the seventh for the NL and struck out the side on 12 pitches. His velocity was way up, looking much more like the reliever version of himself from last year, and not so much like the crafty lefty starter that made him an All-Star this year. There were several great one-inning pitching performances tonight, and this was the best so far.
Hey, C’mon It was His Birthday: I wrote the above point before knowing Wrobleski would come back out for a second inning. He made his only mistake of the night by hanging a slider to Miguel Vargas, who hit a towering, 433-foot homer into the second deck in left to extend the AL’s lead to 4-0. He hit so hard that Pete Crow-Armstrong, the latest in-game interview, couldn’t help but give an “Oh god” from his place in centerfield. Wrobleski would punch out the next two batters, finishing his two innings of work with five strikeouts.
Bryan Baker, Shutout: Suddenly it was the ninth and Aroldis Chapman entered the game. He got two batters out. Then for the sake of extending things a bit longer, John Schneider brought in Bryan Baker to get the final out. After another long commercial break, Baker threw one pitch and got the final out. The AL shutout the NL, allowing just three hits with 15 strikeouts. This game was an exhibition, but it felt like a lot of baseball I’ve watched this year.
MVP: Cody Bellinger won MVP, for his two run single in the first. Cool.
Final Thoughts: This was fun. I enjoy the All-Star Game for what it is. Most of it is tedious, and my attention goes in and out, but every year there’s a thing or two that I enjoy. The Cease/Langeliers conversation was great. Wrobleski was fun to watch. There was also a fun Mason Miller vs. Munetaka Murakami at bat (Miller struck him out) that felt exceptionally All-Star-y. I feel as if I’ve done something productive.
The future of international cricket could be set for its biggest shake-up in years after the International Cricket Council’s annual conference in Edinburgh last week.
LAS VEGAS — Nets general manager Sean Marks said Brooklyn will have extension talks with Michael Porter Jr., but there is no rush.
“I’m sure we’ll have those discussions. I think we’ve got time. There’s no immediate hurry right now with Mike. We value him a lot. He had a terrific year last year, arguably his best year as a pro. I give him a lot of credit for that,” Marks said. “It’s been great to see what Mike’s done for us. I look forward to having those discussions, and seeing what Mike can do the rest of the summer and the rest of the season.”
Porter is on an expiring $40.8 million deal, and on July 6 became eligible for a four-year, $234 million extension. The Nets clearly won’t give him that much, but how much would they be inclined to pay? And how much urgency do they have to get a deal done sooner rather than later?
“No, any time you’re in a hurry, that’s when people make mistakes,” Marks said. “We’ve got a well-thought-out plan here over not only the last couple of years but the couple of years ahead. We’re gonna try and find who the next Nets are gonna be. I don’t think we wanna do anything hastily or in a rush here.
Michael Porter Jr. of the Brooklyn Nets reacts after scoring during the third quarter against the Bulls. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
“As I said before, I love Mike, the guy, the person, the player, and I hope he is part of this team. But we’re just gonna have to have those discussions between the two of us and our representatives and go from there.”
After trading Nic Claxton for Julius Randle (and Joshua Jefferson), the Nets still have about $11 million in cap space. That doesn’t include their agreement with Moritz Wagner, whom they can neatly fit into the mid-level exception.
One option suggested by ESPN insider Bobby Marks and Yossi Gozlan of Third Apron was to use cap space to renegotiate and extend Porter. Brooklyn could give him a raise up to the 30 percent max for this season (to $49.5 million), and then up to a 40 percent pay cut in the first year of the extension, 2027-28.
Having Porter with a smaller cap hit — say, $30 million to start — would help the Nets’ team-building by the time they start to actually contend. Marks did acknowledge it as a viable option.
“There’s going to be a lot of things on the table for us. That would certainly be something we’re going to have that optionality that we have not only with MPJ, but with a lot of our guys,” Marks said. “And I like the fact that a lot of our guys are playing with a chip on their shoulder and have something to prove, not only the guys we acquired in our trades but the guys we’ve signed here.”
Nets general manager Sean Marks. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Porter joined Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic and Jaylen Brown as the only players to average 24 points and seven rebounds this past season, even after a slow finish and a hamstring injury.
The 27-year-old has stated a desire to re-sign, saying, “I’d love to spend many years in Brooklyn, make this my home and build and watch this franchise take off.”
Brooklyn smothered Sacramento 115-83 in summer league action Wednesday. They forced 28 turnovers that they converted into 41 points.
Egor Dëmin had 22 points, eight assists, four steals and zero turnovers. Rookie Mikel Brown Jr. added 16 points, five assists, two steals and a block. He also told the coaches he wanted to guard Sacramento’s Darius Acuff Jr.
“Yeah, coming into the draft, people were like, ‘Defense, can he deal with the physicality, can he guard at a high level?’ Where I come from, man, if you’re the one getting picked on, you ain’t supposed to be on the court,” Brown said. “So that’s just my mentality going into every single game.”
Acuff had 26 points but five turnovers and finished minus-15.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Dylan Cease struck out the side in the first inning, combining with 10 relievers on a three-hitter in a show of pitching dominance that led the American League to a 4-0 win over the National League in Tuesday night’s All-Star Game.
All-Star MVP Cody Bellinger hit a two-run single and Ben Rice followed with an RBI single in the first against Cristopher Sánchez of the host Philadelphia Phillies.
Miguel Vargas of the Chicago White Sox added an eighth-inning home run off the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Justin Wrobleski, who was pitching on his 26th birthday, for the game’s only extra-base hit. The AL won for the 18th time in 23 games and holds a 49-45-2 advantage overall.
Singles by Juan Soto in the fourth, Pete Crow-Armstrong in the eighth and Otto Lopez in the ninth were the only hits by the NL, which failed to advance a runner past first.
Pitchers combined for 27 strikeouts, 15 by AL hurlers.
Cease struck out Kyle Schwarber, Soto and CJ Abrams around a walk in the first inning. He became just the seventh pitcher to strike out three in an All-Star opening inning after Carl Hubbell (1934), Warren Spahn (1949), Jim Palmer (1977), Dave Stieb (1983), Pedro Martinez (1999) and Brad Penny (2006) — four of them Hall of Famers.
Parker Messick, Michael Wacha, Joe Ryan, Nick Martinez, Cade Smith, Drew Rasmussen, Jacob Latz, Louis Varland, Aroldis Chapman and Bryan Baker finished the first All-Star shutout since the AL’s 2-0 win in 2013 at New York’s Citi Field.
Some starting star power was missing, with Jacob Misoriowski, Paul Skenes and Shohei Ohtani all unavailable. Just six pitches reached 100 mph, the fewest in an All-Star Game since 2021.
Bellinger and Rice both singled on up sinkers from Sánchez, who struggled through a 34-pitch inning that included three hits and two walks.
“It just took me a little time to soak it all in and enjoy it,” Sánchez said through a translator.
Mike Trout, a 12-time All-Star who hadn’t played in the game since 2019 because of injuries, went 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Early exit
Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero was hit on the outside of his left hand by a 97.6 mph sinker from St. Louis closer Riley O’Brien in the third inning and immediately left the game. The 23-year-old, fourth in the major leagues with 28 home runs, stayed down for a few moments before he popped up and ran straight into the clubhouse. X-rays were negative.
Documenting the day
Managers and starters entered through replica Liberty Bells in front of each dugout, walked to home plate and used a feathered quill to sign an oversized lineup card, as if they were Founding Fathers affixing names to the Declaration of Independence. The dirt was surrounded by 13 stars, one for each of the Colonies.
Fireworks were set off after the fourth inning to a video of Ray Charles singing “America the Beautiful” at Game 2 of the 2001 World Series.
Philadelphia was awarded this year’s All-Star Game in 2019 an unusually long lead time to coincide with the U.S. 250th semiquincentennial. The Phillies hosted the 1976 and ’96 games at Veterans Stadium and the Athletics in 1943 and ’52 at Shibe Park.
At the 1996 game, there was a hard hit even before the first pitch. Cal Ripken Jr.’s nose was broken when struck by a forearm of Chicago White Sox reliever Roberto Hernandez when he lost his balance on a platform during the AL team picture.
Next year’s game is scheduled for the Chicago Cubs’ Wrigley Field for the first time since 1990 but is threatened by possible labor strife.
