The 1998 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 69th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League (AL) and National League (NL), the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 7, 1998, at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado, the home of the Colorado Rockies of the National League. The first All-Star contest played in the Mountain Time Zone, the game resulted in the American League defeating the National League 13-8. It remains the highest-scoring All-Star Game in MLB history. Also, it was the last MLB All Star Game not to be held on the 2nd or 3rd Tuesday of July, it was held on the 1st Tuesday of July, and thus the earliest ASG held since then.
The pregame ceremony honored the United States Air Force Academy who provided the five-man color guard, flag presentations, and, at the end of country music singer Faith Hill's performance of the U.S. National Anthem, the flyover ceremonies. Hill's National Anthem performance was preceded by actress Gloria Reuben's performance of The Canadian National Anthem.
Twelve-year-old Elias Kurts was given the honor of throwing out the ceremonial first pitch, the first "non-celebrity" so honored.
Rosters Players in italics have since been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
American League Elected startersPositionPlayerTeamAll-Star GamesCIván RodríguezRangers71BJim ThomeIndians22BRoberto AlomarOrioles93BCal Ripken Jr.Orioles16SSAlex RodriguezMariners3OFJuan GonzálezRangers2OFKen Griffey Jr.Mariners9OFKenny LoftonIndians5
PitchersPositionPlayerTeamAll-Star GamesPRolando ArrojoDevil Rays1PRoger ClemensBlue Jays7PBartolo ColónIndians1PTom GordonRed Sox1PPedro MartínezRed Sox3PTroy PercivalAngels2PBrad RadkeTwins1PAaron SeleRangers1PDavid WellsYankees2PJohn WettelandRangers2
ReservesPositionPlayerTeamAll-Star GamesCSandy Alomar Jr.Indians61BRafael PalmeiroOrioles31BMo VaughnRed Sox32BDamion EasleyTigers12BRay DurhamWhite Sox13BScott BrosiusYankees13BDean PalmerRoyals1SSDerek JeterYankees1SSOmar VizquelIndians1OFDarin ErstadAngels1OFBen GrieveAthletics1OFPaul O'NeillYankees5OFManny RamirezIndians2OFBernie WilliamsYankees2
National League Elected startersPositionPlayerTeamAll Star-GamesCMike PiazzaMets61BMark McGwireCardinals102BCraig BiggioAstros73BChipper JonesBraves3SSWalt WeissBraves1OFBarry BondsGiants8OFTony GwynnPadres14OFLarry WalkerRockies3
PitchersPositionPlayerTeamAll-Star GamesPAndy AshbyPadres1PKevin BrownPadres4PTom GlavineBraves6PTrevor HoffmanPadres1PGreg MadduxBraves7PRobb NenGiants1PRick ReedMets1PCurt SchillingPhillies2PJeff ShawDodgers1PUgueth UrbinaExpos1
ReservesPositionPlayerTeamAll-Star GamesCJason KendallPirates2CJavy LópezBraves21BAndrés GalarragaBraves42BBret BooneReds12BFernando ViñaBrewers13BVinny CastillaRockies2SSÉdgar RenteríaMarlins1OFMoisés AlouAstros3OFDante BichetteRockies4OFGary SheffieldDodgers4OFSammy SosaCubs2OFGreg VaughnPadres3OFDevon WhiteDiamondbacks3
Game
Umpires Home Plate Ed Montague (NL) First Base Derryl Cousins (AL) Second Base Brian Gorman (NL) Third Base Rick Reed (AL) Left Field Rich Rieker (NL) Right Field Tim McClelland (AL)
Starting lineups American LeagueNational LeagueOrderPlayerTeamPositionOrderPlayerTeamPosition1Kenny LoftonIndiansLF1Craig BiggioAstros2B2Roberto AlomarOrioles2B2Tony GwynnPadresRF3Ken Griffey Jr.MarinersCF3Mark McGwireCardinals1B4Juan GonzálezRangersRF4Barry BondsGiantsLF5Jim ThomeIndians1B5Chipper JonesBraves3B6Alex RodriguezMarinersSS6Mike PiazzaMetsC7Iván RodríguezRangersC7Larry WalkerRockiesCF8Cal Ripken Jr.Orioles3B8Walt WeissBravesSS9David WellsYankeesP9Greg MadduxBravesP Source:
Game summary
Home Run Derby The Home Run Derby was won by Ken Griffey Jr., who did not decide to enter the competition until hearing boos from fans during batting practice.
Coors Field, DenverPlayerTeamRound 1Round 2FinalsTotalKen Griffey Jr.Seattle88319Jim ThomeCleveland78217Vinny CastillaColorado75–12Rafael PalmeiroBaltimore73–10Moisés AlouHouston7––7Javy LópezAtlanta5––5Alex RodriguezSeattle5––5Mark McGwireSt. Louis4––4Damion EasleyDetroit2––2Chipper JonesAtlanta1––1 Source:
Notes
References
Further reading
External links Baseball Almanac