1975 and 1976

ALL-STAR GAMES

A new DVD of the All-Star Games of 1975 and 1976 has just been released by Rare Sportsfilms, Inc! This 48-minute presentation shows all the highlights of both years - in COLOR! Here’s a detailed description of what you’ll see:

1975 All-Star Game at County Stadium, Milwaukee - Titled “All-Star Fever”, the 1975 film, narrated by Joe Garagiola, begins at County Stadium, home of the A.L. Milwaukee Brewers and ballpark preparations for its first All-Star Game in 20 years! Honorary captains are Stan Musial and Mickey Mantle and in 1955, Musial’s 12^th-inning home run won an uphill battle over the A.L., 6-5. In the first inning of that game, Mantle also hit a home run off N.L. starter Robin Roberts and both are introduced to the crowd before this game. A.L. Manager Alvin Dark of Oakland and Walt Alston of the N.L. are shown together again since their ’74 World Series clash and there are plenty of Oakland A’s and L.A. Dodgers on the All-Star squads! Shown are many players at batting practice before the game as A’s owner Charley Finley (wearing green, of course) signs autographs for fans in the stands. New all-time home run king Hank Aaron (now an A.L. Brewer) is introduced last and receives a standing ovation from the home fans. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger throws out the first ball!

Starting pitchers are Vida Blue of the Oakland Athletics and Jerry Ruess of the Pittsburgh Pirates. In the second inning Steve Garvey of the Dodgers hits a home run off Blue and the N.L. jumps out in front 1-0. But only for a moment. Centerfielder Jimmy Wynn, at the time also a Dodger, hits another home run (2-0, N.L.) and this is the first time the N.L. has ever hit back-to-back home runs in an All-Star Game! Next inning, the N.L. adds another run when Lou Brock (the only non-Dodger or Red in the entire starting lineup) singles, takes second on a balk by the A.L’s second pitcher, Steve Busby of the Royals, steals third base and then comes home on a base hit by Johnny Bench – 3-0, National League. In the A.L. sixth, Joe Rudi of the Athletics singles. George Hendrick of the Indians is sent in to run for Rudi and steals second. Gene Tenace walks and Manager Dark sends Carl Yastrzemski up to pinch-hit for White Sox pitcher Jim Kaat. Yaz blasts a Tom Seaver pitch into the stands for a game-tying three-run homer. The N.L. opens the 9^th inning facing Catfish Hunter (who replaced Kaat). Reggie Smith of the Cardinals singles off Claudell Washington’s glove in LF. Pinch-hitter (for pitcher Jon Matlack) Al Oliver of the Pirates then doubles over Washington’s head, and runners are on 2^nd and 3^rd. Relieving Hunter, new pitcher Rich Gossage of the White Sox then hits the next batter, Larry Bowa of the Phillies. This brings up Bill Madlock of the Cubs with the bases loaded and his single under third baseman Graig Nettles’ glove brings in Smith and Oliver with the eventual winning runs, Bowa taking third when catcher Tenace misplays Washington’s throw to the plate. Pete Rose’s sac fly brings in Bowa with the final run and the National Leaguers win 6-3 for their 4^th win in a row and their 12^th win in the last 13 games. Co-MVP’s of the game are Jon Matlack of the Mets and Bill Madlock of the Cubs.

1976 All-Star Game at Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia – The 1976 film “Champions of Pride”, is also narrated by Garagiola and for the first time since the rain-shortened game in ’52, the All-Star Game is back in Philadelphia during the Nation’s Bicentennial Celebration. The film begins by noting that although the National League has now won 12 of the last 13 games, in earlier days the American League once held a 12-4 lead in victories. Shown are B & W clips of those players who made it happen – American Leaguers Jimmy Foxx, Lou Gehrig, Al Simmons, Charlie Gehringer, Mickey Cochran, Lefty Grove, Bob Feller, Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams. But the most legendary of all was Babe Ruth and all-time All-Star Game winning pitcher Lefty Gomez talks about his teammate, “The Babe”. The Hall-Of-Fame has brought one of Ruth’s bats to Philadelphia and before the game you’ll hear comments from nine different All-Stars who examine the famous relic. Another special segment shows President Gerald Ford in the clubhouse talking and joking with Steve Garvey, Tom Seaver and Carl Yastremski while signing balls for them. President Ford throws out first balls to each of the starting catchers, Thurman Munson and Johnny Bench, and N.L. starter Randy Jones gets ready to face leadoff man Ron LeFlore of the Detroit Tigers, who singles to left, but is erased when Rod Carew hits into a DP, Joe Morgan to Conception to Garvey at first. In the bottom of the inning, the N.L. faces the American League’s latest phenom, 21-year-old Mark “The Bird” Fidrych of the Detroit Tigers, who is 9-2 with a league-leading 1.78 ERA. and by the end of the season will be the A.L. “Rookie of the Year”. First up, Pete Rose of the Reds singles to center. When Steve Garvey follows with a liner into the RF corner, Rose is able to score on Garvey’s triple and the N.L. quickly takes the lead. Cincinnati’s Joe Morgan hits a high fly to right fielder Rusty Staub and his perfect throw to catcher Munson holds Garvey at third. George Foster, also of the Reds and making his first All-Star appearance, grounds out, second baseman Bobby Grich to Rod Carew at first, Garvey scoring on the play (2-0 N.L.). Greg Luzinski of the Phils then pops to Carew at first to end the first inning and as Fidrych sprints off the field, an earlier interview with him reveals his uniquely warm personality and care-free perspective on baseball and life. Yankee pitcher Catfish Hunter is on the mound for the third inning and in the fourth, Joe Morgan singles to center. George Foster slams a home run over the left centerfield wall and when both Reds score, the N.L. leads 4-0. The hit eventually makes Foster the MVP of the game, with the 2-run HR and 3 RBI. Tom Seaver of the Mets enters the game in the fourth inning and faces Boston’s Fred Lynn, who smashes the ball up into the LF mezzanine level of Veteran’s Stadium – his first all-star home run, cutting into the N.L. lead, 4-1. Luis Tiant pitches the 5^th and 6^th innings for the A.L., giving up only 1 hit (a triple to Pete Rose). John Montefusco of the Giants pitches the 6^th and 7^th innings for the N.L. and faces the youngest player ever to appear in an All-Star Game – 19-year-old pinch-hitter Butch Wynegar of the Minnesota Twins. Wynegar walks but is soon forced at second when Carl Yastrzemski grounds into a DP. Rick Rhoden of the Dodgers and Ken Forsch of the Astros (1-inning each) finish the game on the mound for the N.L. There is no further scoring until the N.L. 8^th. With the score now 5-1 and Frank Tanana of the Angels on the mound, Ken Griffey is on first base when Cesar Cedeno of the Astros hits the third home run of the game, making the final score 7-1.

Get your own DVD of the All-Star Games of 1975 and 1976 for only $29.95 + $4.50 for shipping and handling (Illinois residents MUST add $2.30 sales tax).