1971 and 1972

ALL-STAR GAMES

A new DVD of the All-Star Game covering the years 1971 and 1972 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:

1971 All-Star Game at Tiger Stadium, Detroit (26 minutes) - Titled "Home Run Heroes", the 1971 film, narrated by Curt Gowdy, emphasizes the Home Run - and why not? After all, this game tied the All-Star record for most home runs hit (six)! But first a bit of history, as players from the past are shown in black & white clips hitting memorable homers, starting with Babe Ruth, who hit the very first All-Star Game home run in 1933! Continuing with the Cub's Hack Wilson, who hit a National League record 56 in 1930, the film shows Jimmy Foxx of the Red Sox, who hit 58 in 1932, and Hank Greenberg, who matched Foxx in 1938 and who talks about it in the film. Roger Maris hit 61 in 162 games in 1961. As far as lifetime homers, after Ruth, who hit 714, come Willie Mays, who had 628 by the end of 1970, and 37-year-old Hank Aaron, who had 592. Other "500 Club" members are shown: Mel Ott, Frank Robinson, Harmon Killebrew, Ernie Banks, Eddie Mathews, Mickey Mantle and Frank Howard. Other homers are shown - Bobby Thomson's HR wins the pennant for the Giants in '51, Mazeroski's series winner in 1960, and Joe DiMaggio's last career HR in the '51 World Series. In the 12th inning Stan Musial's HR at Milwaukee wins the 1955 All-Star Game and Ted Williams' HR in 1941 beats the N.L. in the 1941 game, also played in Detroit.

Now 30 years later and again back in Detroit, the starting lineup for manager Sparky Anderson's N.L. team is: Mays-CF, Aaron-RF, Torre-3B, Stargell-LF, McCovey-1B, Bench-C, Beckert-2B, Harrelson-SS, and Doc Ellis, RHP. For Earl Weaver's A.L. club: Carew-2B, Murcer-CF, Yastrzemski-LF, Frank Robinson-RF, Cash-1B, Brooks Robinson-3B, Freehan-C, Aparicio-SS and Vida Blue, LHP. Tiger Hall-of-Famer Charlie Gehringer throws out the first ball. In the 2nd inning Willie Stargell walks and Johnny Bench wallops a home run to put the N.L. out in front, 2-0. Next inning, Hank Aaron, in his 20th game, hits his first ever All-Star Game home run, boosting the N.L. lead to 3-0. However, this All-Star Game will forever be remembered for what happens in the bottom of the inning. Luis Aparicio walks leading off and batting for pitcher Vida Blue is Reggie Jackson of the Oakland A's. Facing starting pitcher Doc Ellis, Jackson smashes one of the hardest hit homers in All-Star history, the ball smashing off a light tower on top of the roof of Tiger Stadium and then bouncing back onto the turf in right field! This changes the score to 3-2, N.L. still leading. The inning continues as Ellis walks Rod Carew, bringing up Frank Robinson of the Orioles, who then hits the fourth homer of the game, giving the A.L. a lead they will never relinquish. In the 6th inning with Ferguson Jenkins on the mound, Al Kaline walks, bringing up Harmon Killebrew, who blasts the third two-run homer of the game, giving the A.L. a 6-3 lead. Roberto Clemente (who had replaced Aaron in RF) hits a solo homer off Mickey Lolich in the 8th inning to complete the scoring, as the American League beats the National League, 6-4. All 10 runs scored are the result of home runs!

1972 All-Star Game at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, Atlanta (28 minutes) - By 1972, All-Star balloting by the fans, presented by Gillette safety razors, is now in full swing and serves as a brief introduction to the '72 film titled, "Years of Tradition, Night of Pride", narrated by Lindsey Nelson. Also shown are brief historical black & white clips of great moments from previous All-Star Games, 1941-1970. Before the game you'll hear personal All-Star Game comments from Bobby Grich, Johnny Bench, Hank Aaron, Ron Santo, coach Red Schoendienst as well as Reggie Jackson's memory of his tremendous home run at Detroit in last year's game! Manager Earl Weaver's American League starting line-up is: Carew-2B, Murcer-CF, Jackson-RF, Allen-1B, Yastrzemski-LF, Grich-SS, B. Robinson-3B, Freehan-C, and Palmer-RHP. Manager Danny Murtaugh's N.L. lineup is: Morgan-2B, Mays-CF, Aaron-RF, Stargell-LF, Bench-C, May-1B, Torre-3B, Kessinger-SS and Gibson-RHP. This year Bench is top vote-getter, the Braves' Hank Aaron gets the biggest ovation in player introductions, and in pre-game ceremonies, new Hall-of Famers Buck Leonard, Lefty Gomez, Early Wynn and Sandy Koufax throw out first balls. With two out in the first inning Reggie Jackson gets the first hit of the game, with a double off the RF fence. In the A.L. third inning with Steve Blass pitching Bill Freehan draws a walk. Jim Palmer bunts Freehan to second, and Rod Carew singles Freehan home for a 1-0 A.L. lead. With Gaylord Perry pitching in the A.L. 6th, Caesar Cedeno singles bringing up Hank Aaron. For the home-town Braves partisans, the highlight of the entire evening is Hank Aaron slamming the ball over the LF fence, sending the N.L. into the lead, 2-1 as the crowd rocks Atlanta Stadium with another resounding salute to their star right fielder! In the top of the 8th with one out and Bill Stoneman pitching, Carlton Fisk (the only rookie in the game) lines a hit to left. Cookie Rojas of the Kansas City Royals, now playing second base in place of Carew, gets hold of a Wilbur Wood offering and knocks the ball over the leftfield wall, lifting the A.L. into a 3-2 lead. In the last of the ninth, Billy Williams (had replaced Stargell in LF) leads off with a line single up the middle. Catcher Manny Sanguillen also singles, sending Williams to third. Lee May hits a ball to deep short and Bobby Grich makes a nice effort, forcing "Sangy" at second, but Williams scores the tying run on the play! Ron Santo then bounces into a double play, third baseman Sal Bando to Rojas to Norm Cash, and the game remains tied, 3-3. Reliever Tug McGraw is pitching for the N.L. at this point and later relates his thoughts upon going into the game, while realizing that if he could hold the A.L. scoreless for another inning and his team could then score, he'd be the winning pitcher! He gets Bando, Fisk and pinch hitter Lou Piniella of the Royals in order and heads for the dugout, after giving up only Joe Rudi's harmless 9th-inning double and striking out four in two innings of work! Dave McNally of the Orioles is sent to the mound to face the N.L. for the last of the 10th. He opens by walking pinch-hitter Nate Colbert of the Padres. Chris Speier of the Giants lays down a perfect sac bunt, moving Colbert to second and bringing up Joe Morgan of the Reds. Morgan lines a ball into center field and Colbert scores the winning run, as the National League has a comeback win, scoring single runs in both the 9th and 10th innings!

Get your own DVD of the All-Star Games of 1971 and 1972 for only $29.95 + $4.00 for shipping and handling (Illinois residents MUST add $2.30 sales tax).