1939 All-Star Game

1939 All-Star Game

The All-Star game reached new levels when it came to "The House That Ruth Built" in 1939. As expected American League manager Joe McCarthy started six of his hometown Yankees and let his "position" starters go the distance. He started Red Ruffing for three innings, then brought in Tommy Bridges and closed out with rookie, twenty-year-old Bob Feller. It was a powerful combination as each pitcher competed for the greatest curveball.

Feller only gave up one hit in his 3 2/3 innings. Years later, he was asked if facing the best bats of the National League in his first All-Star Game made him nervous. He replied "I was never nervous on a pitching mound." Although it was a low scoring game, it represented one of the best "pitching clinics" ever put on at an All-Star event. Heavy hitters had dominated previous All-Star games, but this one proved that a quality bullpen could shut down even the most potent offense.

"I just reared back and let them go." - Bob Feller

1939 All-Star Game The 1939 Midsummer Classic At-A-Glance
1939 All-Star Game Fast Facts
Game Number	7
Date / Box Score	07-11-1939
Location	Yankee Stadium
Attendance (Rank)	62,892
M.V.P. Award	Not Awarded Until 1962
League Items	A.L.	N.L.
Starting Pitchers	Red Ruffing	Paul Derringer
Managers	Joe McCarthy	Gabby Hartnett
Coaches	Art Fletcher	John Corriden
	Russell Blackburne	Bill Terry
1939 All-Star Game Fast Facts

1939 All-Star Game Line Score
1939 All-Star Game Capsule
League	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
National	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	7	1
American	0	0	0	2	1	0	0	0	x	3	6	1
N.L. Pitcher(s)						A.L. Pitcher(s)
Paul Derringer Bill Lee (L, 4th) Lou Fette (7th)						Red Ruffing Tommy Bridges (W, 4th) Bob Feller (6th)
N.L. Home Runs						A.L. Home Runs
None						Joe DiMaggio (5th)

1939 All-Star Game National League All-Star Squad
Lineup	Name	Team	Position	Notes
	Morrie Arnovich	Philadelphia Phillies	OF	Did Not Play
	Dolph Camilli	Brooklyn Dodgers	1B
	Harry Danning	New York Giants	C	Did Not Play
	Curt Davis	St. Louis Cardinals	P	Did Not Pitch
9.	Paul Derringer	Cincinnati Reds	P	Starting Pitcher
	Lou Fette	Boston Braves	P
2.	Lonny Frey	Cincinnati Reds	2B
3.	Ival Goodman	Cincinnati Reds	OF
1.	Stan Hack	Chicago Cubs	3B
	Billy Herman	Chicago Cubs	2B
	Billy Jurges	New York Giants	SS	Did Not Play
	Cookie Lavagetto	Brooklyn Dodgers	3B	Did Not Play
	Bill Lee	Chicago Cubs	P
5.	Ernie Lombardi	Cincinnati Reds	C
4.	Frank McCormick	Cincinnati Reds	1B
6.	Joe Medwick	St. Louis Cardinals	OF
	Johnny Mize	St. Louis Cardinals	1B
	Terry Moore	St. Louis Cardinals	OF
7.	Mel Ott	New York Giants	OF
	Babe Phelps	Brooklyn Dodgers	C
	Johnny Vander Meer	Cincinnati Reds	P	Did Not Pitch
8.	Arky Vaughan	Pittsburgh Pirates	SS
	Bucky Walters	Cincinnati Reds	P	Did Not Pitch
	Lon Warneke	St. Louis Cardinals	P	Did Not Pitch
	Whit Wyatt	Brooklyn Dodgers	P	Did Not Pitch
BOLD = Fan's / manager's choice to start the game.

1939 All-Star Game American League All-Star Squad
Lineup	Name	Team	Position	Notes
	Luke Appling	Chicago White Sox	SS	Did Not Play
	Tommy Bridges	Detroit Tigers	P
	George Case	Washington Senators	OF	Replaced - Injury
1.	Doc Cramer	Boston Red Sox	OF
6.	Joe Cronin	Boston Red Sox	SS
	Frankie Crosetti	New York Yankees	SS	Did Not Play
4.	Bill Dickey	New York Yankees	C
3.	Joe DiMaggio	New York Yankees	OF
	Bob Feller	Cleveland Indians	P
	Jimmie Foxx	Boston Red Sox	1B	Did Not Play
	Lou Gehrig	New York Yankees	1B	Replaced Case
	Lefty Gomez	New York Yankees	P	Did Not Pitch
8.	Joe Gordon	New York Yankees	2B
5.	Hank Greenberg	Detroit Tigers	1B
	Lefty Grove	Boston Red Sox	P	Did Not Pitch
	Frankie Hayes	Philadelphia Athletics	C	Did Not Play
	Rollie Hemsley	Cleveland Indians	C	Did Not Play
	Myril Hoag	St. Louis Browns	OF
	Bob Johnson	Philadelphia Athletics	OF	Did Not Play
	Ted Lyons	Chicago White Sox	P	Did Not Pitch
	George McQuinn	St. Louis Browns	1B	Did Not Play
	Johnny Murphy	New York Yankees	P	Did Not Pitch
	Bobo Newsom	Detroit Tigers	P	Did Not Pitch
2.	Red Rolfe	New York Yankees	3B
9.	Red Ruffing	New York Yankees	P	Starting Pitcher
7.	George Selkirk	New York Yankees	OF
BOLD = Fan's / manager's choice to start the game.

This was actually the second All-Star game played in New York as the 1934 Midsummer Classic was played in the Polo Grounds. Yankee Stadium was chosen to host this particular game due to the World's Fair which was also in New York during the 1939 season.

Fireball Feller came in with the bases loaded, pitched three and two-thirds, struck out two, walked one and allowed only one hit.

During the announcing of the American League lineup a fan yelled, "Make Joe McCarthy play an All-Star American League team. We can beat them, but we can't beat the Yankees!"

Copyright © 2000-2007. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Design by Geisler Young. Hosted by Hosting 4 Less.
Part of the Baseball Almanac family: 755 Home Runs | Baseball Box Scores | Baseball Fever | Today in Baseball History.