2008 All-Star Game

The Midsummer Classic returned to Yankee Stadium in 2008 for the fourth — and final — time. Yankee Stadium, which hosted the All-Star Game in 1939, 1960 and 1977, will be replaced in 2009 and officials chose Yankee Stadium for the site, believing it to be an appropriate way to usher out the historic ballpark.

A historic ballpark deserved a historic game and the 2008 Midsummer Classic did not disappoint. From start to finish fans witnessed what will go down in history as one of the greatest All-Star Games in Major League history. Pre-game events included a red-carpet parade through New York City, a player introduction ceremony where startes took the field at their position flanked by forty-nine living Hall of Fame players - each lined up at their former position, and a Stealth Bomber fly-over.

The actual game itself was a record-setter as well, lasting four-hours and fifty minutes. Did the House That Ruth Built simply not want to see the legends leave its hollowed grounds? Derek Jeter said following the game, "It seemed like the Stadium didn't want it to end. That's what we were talking about. It just wanted baseball to continute and I thought it was fitting."

MLB.com columnist Bryan Hoch (Night is Young: AL walks off in 15th, 07/16/2008), summed up the game perfectly, "It was a Midsummer Classic — in every sense of the phrase — taking place in a building best known for its immaculate stage. It was the House that Ruth Built, where Lou Gehrig proclaimed himself the luckiest man, where Joe DiMaggio jolted and where Mickey Mantle became an idol to millions. It was where Don Larsen was perfect, where Roger Maris toppled the Babe and where Reggie Jackson forever acquired October with just three swings."

Baseball Almanac Top Quote

"When you think of Yankee Stadium, it is, in my opinion, the most famous cathedral in all of sports. You think of all the great Yankee teams to play there, the prize fights, the great football games. It's a fitting way to honor the last year of its existence." - Commissioner Bud Selig on MLB.com (Barry M. Bloom, 01/31/2007)

2008 All-Star Game

2008 All-Star Game Official Logo

2008 All-Star Game Official Logo

2007 | 2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game | 2009

Game Number 79
Date / Box Score 07-15-2008
Location Yankee Stadium
Attendance (Rank) 55,632
M.V.P. Award J.D. Drew
Official Spokesperson Derek Jeter
The Star Spangled Banner Sheryl Crow
1st Pitch From To
Yogi Berra Joe Girardi
Whitey Ford Alex Rodriguez
GooseGossage MarianoRivera
ReggieJackson Derek Jeter
Starting Pitchers Cliff Lee Ben Sheets
Managers Terry Francona Clint Hurdle
Coaches Joe Girardi Bud Black
Jim Leyland Lou Piniella
Honorary Captains Unknown Unknown

2008 All Star Game

Line Score

League 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 R H E
National 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 13 4
American 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 14 1
Ben Sheets
Carlos Zambrano (3rd)
Dan Haren (5th, H)
Edinson Volquez (7th, BS)
Brian Wilson (8th, H)
Billy Wagner (8th, BS)
Ryan Dempster (9th)
Aaron Cook (10th)
Carlos Marmol (13th)
Brandon Webb (14th)
Brad Lidge (15th, L)
-
Cliff Lee
Joe Saunders (3rd)
Roy Halladay (4th)
Ervin Santana (5th)
Justin Duchscherer (6th)
Joe Nathan (7th)
Jonathan Papelbon (8th)
Francisco Rodriguez (9th)
Mariano Rivera (9th)
Joakim Soria (11th)
George Sherrill (12th)
Scott Kazmir (15th)
Matt Holliday (5th) J.D. Drew (7th)

2008 All-Star Game

National League All-Star Squad

3 Lance Berkman (5) Houston Astros 1B
7 Ryan Braun (1) Milwaukee Brewers OF
Aaron Cook (1) Colorado Rockies P
Ryan Dempster (2) Chicago Cubs P
8 KosukeFukudome(1) Chicago Cubs OF
Adrian Gonzalez (1) San Diego Padres 1B
Cristian Guzman (2) Washington Senators SS
Dan Haren (2) ArizonaDiamondbacks P
Corey Hart (1) Milwaukee Brewers OF
6 Matt Holliday (3) Colorado Rockies OF
5 Chipper Jones (6) Atlanta Braves 3B
Brad Lidge (2) Philadelphia Phillies P
Tim Lincecum (1) San Francisco Giants P Did Not Pitch
Ryan Ludwick (1) St. Louis Cardinals OF
Carlos Marmol (1) Chicago Cubs P
Russell Martin (2) Los Angeles Dodgers C
Brian McCann (3) Atlanta Braves C
Nate McLouth (1) Pittsburgh Pirates OF
4 Albert Pujols (7) St. Louis Cardinals 1B
Aramis Ramirez (2) Chicago Cubs 3B
1 Hanley Ramirez (1) Florida Marlins SS
Ben Sheets (4) Milwaukee Brewers P Starting Pitcher
Alfonso Soriano (7) Chicago Cubs OF Replaced-Injury
9 Geovany Soto (1) Chicago Cubs C
Miguel Tejada (5) Houston Astros SS
Dan Uggla (2) Florida Marlins 2B
2 Chase Utley (3) Philadelphia Phillies 2B
Edinson Volquez (1) Cincinnati Reds P
Billy Wagner (6) New York Mets P
Brandon Webb (3) ArizonaDiamondbacks P
Brian Wilson (1) San Francisco Giants P
Kerry Wood (2) Chicago Cubs P Did Not Pitch
David Wright (3) New York Mets 3B ReplacedSoriano
Carlos Zambrano (3) Chicago Cubs P
Bold = Fan-Elected Starter

2008 All-Star Game

American League All-Star Squad

Milton Bradley (1) Texas Rangers DH
Joe Crede (1) Chicago White Sox 3B
J.D. Drew (1) Boston Red Sox OF
Justin Duchscherer (2) Oakland Athletics P
Carlos Guillen (3) Detroit Tigers 3B
Roy Halladay (5) Toronto Blue Jays P
Josh Hamilton (1) Texas Rangers OF
Derek Jeter (9) New York Yankees SS
Scott Kazmir (2) Tampa Bay Rays P
Ian Kinsler (1) Texas Rangers 2B
Cliff Lee (1) Cleveland Indians P Starting Pitcher
Evan Longoria (1) Tampa Bay Rays 3B Monster 2008 Final Vote
Joe Mauer (2) Minnesota Twins C
Justin Morneau (2) Minnesota Twins 1B
Joe Nathan (3) Minnesota Twins P
Dioner Navarro (1) Tampa Bay Rays C
David Ortiz (5) Boston Red Sox DH Replaced-Injury
Jonathan Papelbon (3) Boston Red Sox P
Dustin Pedroia (1) Boston Red Sox 2B
Carlos Quentin (1) Chicago White Sox OF
Manny Ramirez (12) Boston Red Sox OF
Mariano Rivera (9) New York Yankees P
Alex Rodriguez (12) New York Yankees 3B
Francisco Rodriguez (3) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim P
Ervin Santana (1) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim P
Joe Saunders (1) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim P
George Sherrill (1) Baltimore Orioles P
Grady Sizemore (3) Cleveland Indians OF
Joakim Soria (1) Kansas City Royals P
Ichiro Suzuki (8) Seattle Mariners OF
Jason Varitek (3) Boston Red Sox C
Kevin Youkilis (1) Boston Red Sox 1B
Michael Young (5) Texas Rangers SS

Bold = Fan-Elected Starter

Game / Box Links: 2008 Box Score | 2008 Play-by-Play
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The following is word-for-word transcript of Mayor Bloomberg's weekly radio address played on 1010 WINS News Radio Sunday, February 4, 2007:

"Good Morning. This is Mayor Mike Bloomberg.

"Yankee Stadium, the House that Ruth Built, perhaps the greatest cathedral in all of sport. Since opening in April 1923, it's played host to shutouts and knockouts, to popes and pigskin, to Joltin' Joe and Billy Joel and hundreds of other memorable moments.

"Now, get ready to add one more great event to that list. On Wednesday, Major League Baseball and Commissioner Bud Selig announced that the 2008 All-Star Game will take place at Yankee Stadium. In recent years, the game has been used to showcase the sport's newest ballparks. But in this case, the game will be an occasion to commemorate the final season at our most storied stadium before the team moves across the street into its new home.

"In many ways, the game will be a celebration of two New York teams. That's because both the Yankees and the Mets will be opening new, state-of-the-art, privately-financed, ballparks the following year. We've broken ground on both facilities within the past six months and when the gates finally open and the bats start swinging; they will help drive major revitalizations in Flushing and the South Bronx.

"Major League Baseball's decision to bring the All-Star Game to Yankee Stadium is also a testament to how far the city has come in recent years. There is a lot of competition to host these kinds of events. But by making our streets safer and cleaner than they have been in decades and by promoting the world-class resources that make us unique, we've been able to attract big events - like the Latin Grammys and the Country Music Association Awards.

"In fact, our City's Economic Development Corporation expects that the All-Star Game and the activities leading up to it will generate nearly $150 million in new business. That's money spent in our hotels, in our restaurants, and in our stores, which will then ripple throughout our local economy.

"Just as importantly, the game will be watched in 100 million homes in 226 countries around the world. Showcasing our city to such a huge, diverse television audience is equal to millions of dollars in free advertising and will help us attract even more business and visitors to our city in the years to come.

"Yes, the 2008 All-Star Game is going to be a great moment for baseball fans, but considering all the visitors it's going to bring to town, this is something every New Yorker can cheer about. For those of you scoring at home, this will be the fourth time that Yankee Stadium has hosted the All-Star Game. The event was previously held there in 1939, 1960, and 1977. And as any baseball buff will be quick to point in each of those years, the Yanks then went on to play in the World Series.

"So while the 2008 All-Star Game will certainly be a wonderful moment in the Stadium's final season, my hunch is that it won't be the last.

"This is Mayor Mike Bloomberg. Thanks for listening."

Source: News from the Blue Room (NYC.gov).

Did you know that the "original" Yankee Stadium was torn down, rebuilt on the same frame and reopened in 1976? The new Yankee Stadium will be built across the street and it will open in time for the 2009 Opening Day game.

When Chicago Cubs catcher Geovany Soto took the field to start the 2008 All-Star Game he became the first rookie catcher in Midsummer Classic history to start an All-Star contest.