1973 and 1974

ALL-STAR GAMES

A new DVD of the All-Star Game covering the years 1973 and 1974 has just been released by Rare Sportsfilms, Inc! This 54-minute presentation shows all the highlights of both years - in COLOR! Here’s a detailed description of what you’ll see:

1973 All-Star Game at Royals Stadium, Kansas City - Titled “A New Generation of Stars”, the 1973 film, narrated by Lindsey Nelson, promotes the game’s young stars - Reggie Jackson, Greg Luzinski, Bert Blyleven, Jeff Burroughs, John Mayberry, Amos Otis, Carlton Fisk, Dave Roberts, Wayne Twitchell, Steve Rogers, Bill Russell, Gary Maddox, Buddy Bell and David Clyde. There are also comments made about other players: Astros manager Leo Durocher compares Cesar Cedeno to Willie Mays, Yank skipper Ralph Houk promotes his new centerfield star Bobby Murcer, and Angels pilot Frank Robinson describes his young fireballer Nolan Ryan. But everyone is betting on an especially bright future for the Giants’ Bobby Bonds and you’ll hear comments from both Hank Aaron and Reds manager Sparky Anderson about him! Similar to the ’71 and ’72 All-Star films, this one also shows B & W clips of the great All-Stars of the past, such as Babe Ruth, Bob Feller, Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, Jackie Robinson, Stan Musial, Sandy Koufax and Willie McCovey. This will be Willie Mays’ last All-Star game (his 24th, tying Musial for most games played). Starting line-up for the National League is Pete Rose LF, Joe Morgan 2B, Cesar Cedeno CF, Hank Aaron 1B, Billy Williams RF, Johnny Bench C, Ron Santo 3B, Chris Speier SS and Rick Wise RHP. Starting for the American League are Bert Campaneris SS, Rod Carew 2B, John Mayberry 1B, Reggie Jackson RF, Amos Otis CF, Bobby Murcer LF, Carlton Fisk C, Brooks Robinson 3B and Catfish Hunter RHP.

A single by the Royals’ Amos Otis off Rick Wise following Reggie Jackson’s double scores the only run for the A.L. in the bottom of the 2nd. inning. The N.L. goes ahead in the 3rd when Pete Rose is safe on a fielder’s choice, Joe Morgan walks and Cesar Cedeno’s single scores Rose and sends Morgan to third. Hank Aaron singles to Murcer who throws out Cedeno at third, but Morgan scores to give the N.L. a 2-1 lead. Johnny Bench’s HR off Bill Singer in the 4th inning gives the N.L. a 3-1 lead and in the top of the 5th, Morgan leads off with a single and Bobby Bonds’ two-run homer (also off Singer) brings the score to 5-1. For the N.L. 6th, Nolan Ryan enters the game. Ron Santo walks to open the inning. Two batters later with one out, Willie Davis (batting for Don Sutton) smashes a Ryan pitch for a two-run HR to finish the scoring of the 7-1 N.L. victory. Rick Wise is the WP and Bert Blyleven the loser. Game MVP is Bobby Bonds.

1974 All-Star Game at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh - The 1974 film “Mid-Summer Magic”, is also narrated by Nelson and this one has a look at All-Stars of the past, but with an interesting twist. First shown are memorable moments, such as the walk-off home runs by Ted Williams in ’41, Stan Musial in ’55 and Johnny Callison in ’64. Then, a look at top stars who were, or so far have been, surprising disappointments in All-Star play: pitchers Robin Roberts and Warren Spahn, Whitey Ford (11:00 ERA), Hank Aaron’s lack of homers, Lou Gehrig’s .222 batting average, three-time MVP catchers in each league Roy Campanella (.100) and Yogi Berra (.185), Pete Rose (also below .100 - Yogi and Rose both explain). However other players, both somewhat obscure and Hall-of-Famers alike, had, or are having, consistently outstanding performances at All-Star time: Leon Wagner, Billy Herman, Joe Medwick, Vince DiMaggio, Enos Slaughter, Joe Cronin, Roberto Clemente, Al Kaline (Kaline comments), Jackie Robinson, Ken Boyer, Minnie Minoso, and Nellie Fox all hit over .300 lifetime in the mid-summer dream game. Outstanding pitchers have been Bob Feller, Bob Friend, Ewell Blackwell, Johnny Vander Meer, Tom Seaver and Jim Palmer. Finally, an All-time All-Star team is selected (based on performances up thru 1974): Ted Kluszewski 1B (.500 BA and Ted Comments), Charlie Gehringer 2B (.550 BA), Arky Vaughan SS (.412 BA), Brooks Robinson 3B (Brooks comments), Stan Musial OF (6 HR, .327 in 24 games), Ted Williams OF (12 RBI), Willie Mays OF (most hits, runs and SB), Johnny Bench C (.444 BA, Bench comments) and pitchers Juan Marichal, Don Drysdale and Jim Bunning (Bunning comments).

For the first time since 1959, the All-Star Game is back in Pittsburgh. The starting lineup for manager Dick Williams’ A.L. team is: Rod Carew 2B, Bert Campaneris SS, Reggie Jackson RF, Dick Allen 1B, Bobby Murcer CF, Jeff Burroughs LF, Brooks Robinson 3B, Thurman Munson C and Gaylord Perry RHP. Manager Yogi Berra’s N.L. team is: Pete Rose LF, Joe Morgan 2B, Hank Aaron RF, Johnny Bench C, Jimmy Wynn CF, Steve Garvey 1B, Ron Cey 3B, Larry Bowa SS and Andy Messersmith RHP. The N.L. takes the lead in the home 2nd inning on Steve Garvey’s single and Ron Cey’s double. In the third, Thurman Munson leads off with a double. Perry’s sac bunt advances Munson to third. Messersmith walks Rod Carew. As Bert Campaneris strikes out, Carew steals second and advances to third on Bench’s throwing error, which also allows Munson to score. On Dick Allen’s single, Carew scores and the A.L. now leads, 2-1. In the N.L. 4th off new pitcher Luis Tiant of the Red Sox, Bench singles and advances to third on a single by Jimmy Wynn. In this film, third base coach Sparky Anderson is miked, and you’ll hear him talk with several players as they arrive at third base, beginning in this inning with his star catcher. Steve Garvey (a write-in selection by the fans who wasn’t even on the ballot), doubles Bench home and sends Wynn to third. Ron Cey then grounds out, scoring Wynn from third, as the N.L. again leads, 3-2. Next inning PH Lou Brock singles. With Joe Morgan batting, Brock steals second and advances to third on Munson’s throwing error. Morgan’s sac fly scores Brock, and the N.L. now leads 4-2. In the 7th inning, Reggie Smith’s HR off Catfish Hunter pushes the N.L. Lead to 5-2. The N.L. closes out the game’s scoring in the bottom of the 8th against Rollie Fingers of the Athletics. After one out, Mike Schmidt walks and then scores on Don Kessinger’s triple. With relief pitcher Mike Marshall batting, Fingers throws a wild pitch and Kessinger scores from third resulting in a final score of N.L. 7, A.L. 2. Steve Garvey, with a single, double, 2 RBI, a run scored and who sparkled in the field is presented the game MVP award by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn.

Get your own DVD of the All-Star Games of 1973 and 1974 for only $29.95 + $4.20 for shipping and handling (Illinois residents MUST add $2.30 sales tax).