It’s hard to believe we have reached the halfway point of the baseball season and it’s already time for the All-Star break.
For 90 years, the All-Star Game has been a fan favorite, showcasing the best that Major League Baseball has to offer. From the beginning of the games in 1933, the Chicago White Sox have played an integral part in the cherished Midsummer Classic, bringing many of us baseball lovers together throughout the years.
While it’s hard to recap every game, here is a look at some of the best White Sox moments in All-Star Game history!
1933 Comiskey Park
To start, we have to go way back to when the All-Star Game was birthed at Comiskey Park on July 6, 1933. In some of the darkest years of the Great Depression, Arch Ward, an optimistic sports writer from the Chicago Tribune, insisted the event could bring the country together and popularize the sport and improve its reputation. A coin toss between the Cubs and Wrigley Field would determine who would host the game, and luckily fate would bring it to the South Side.
In the first-ever game, third-basemen Jimmy Dykes and outfielder Al Simmons represented the Sox. Dykes goes down in history scoring the first-ever All-Star run.
What was meant to be a one-time event, the first All-Star game at Comiskey was such a hit, it would become a permanent and beloved staple of the game.
1941 Briggs Stadium, Detroit
After over 10 years of the Midsummer Classic, Edgar Smith became the first Sox pitcher to win an All-Star game. It was one thrilling game where the American League walked off against the National League 7-5. Sox greats Luke Appling and Thornton Lee also joined Smith to represent the team.
1953 Crosley Field, Cincinnati, 1955 Milwaukee County Stadium, 1956 Griffith Stadium, Washington D.C.
During his storied career, southpaw Billy Pierce got the start on the mound three times in the All-Star Game. Oddly enough, all three starts went exactly the same for Pierce, as he threw three innings each time allowing just one hit. Pierce returned again for the 1957 and 1961 games but did not start.
1954 Municipal Stadium, Cleveland
1954 was a huge All-Star year for the Sox, as nine players landed on the roster, the most ever for the club. With players like Minnie Minoso, Virgil Trucks, Chico Carrasquel, Sandy Consuegra, Ferris Fain, Nellie Fox, Bob Keegan, George Kell, and Sherm Lollar, the American League was loaded with talent, allowing them to win 11-9. Fox drove in the winning run and Trucks got the save on the mound.
1972 Atlanta Stadium
With 1,092,758 votes, first baseman Dick Allen had the most votes out of any player in the American League to be selected for the 1972 All-Star Game.
1983 Comiskey Park
50 years after the very first All-Star Game, the grand event returned home to Comiskey Park. The National League was roughed up by the American League 13-3, and rookie outfielder Ron Kittle made his first and only All-Star appearance.
1995 The Ballpark in Arlington
Following the 1994 Home Run Derby, where Frank Thomas hit a 500-foot homer, he returned in 1995 to take home the trophy against Albert Belle. At that time, Thomas’ 15 home runs were the most ever by a Derby winner.
And just a day later during the All-Star Game, Thomas launched a homer to become the first Sox player to ever homer in an All-Star Game.
Thomas remains the only Sox player to win the Home Run Derby, although 15 home runs is now the third-highest total for a White Sox player in the Derby. Luis Robert Jr. passed him with 40 home runs this year, while Todd Frazier went on to hit 42 in 2016 but fell to Giancarlo Stanton.
2002 Miller Park, Milwaukee
In an interesting game that ended in a 7-7 tie due to both teams running out of available pitchers, Paul Konerko tied the record for most doubles in an All-Star Game at two. No decision on a game-winner also meant no MVP was picked, which could have been awarded to Konerko, who had the best performance going 2-for-2 with two RBIs.
2003 U.S. Cellular Field
Chicago welcomed the All-Star Game back for its 70th anniversary at U.S. Cellular Field. Outfielder Magglio Ordonez, pitcher Esteban Loaiza, and designated hitter Carl Everett all represented the Sox at home.
2005 Comerica Park, Detroit
Mark Buehrle got the start for the American League and collected the win as they took down the National League 7-5. Among other Sox greats from 2005 to join in Detroit included Paul Konerko, Scott Podsednik, and Jon Garland.
2006 PNC Park, Pittsburgh
Similar to 1954, the Sox brought a notable amount of players with them to the All-Star Game, including manager Ozzie Guillen. Mark Buehrle, Paul Konerko Jermaine Dye, Bobby Jenks, A.J. Pierzynski, Jim Thome, and Jose Conteras represented the South Side.
2012 Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City
Paul Konerko saw his last All-Star appearance in 2012, alongside teammates Adam Dunn, Jake Peavy, and Chris Sale.
2016 Petco Park, San Diego
Chris Sale had the honor of starting on the mound, though he faced four batters and allowed a run. Fellow Sox pitcher Jose Quintana joined Sale as well, throwing one inning.
2019 Progressive Field, Cleveland
The 2019 All-Star Game was the first since 2012 where four Sox players joined the American League roster. James McCann, Jose Abreu, and Lucas Giolito were all pivotal pieces in the AL taking down the NL 4-3.
2021 Coors Field, Denver
White Sox closer Liam Hendriks delivered a memorable performance during a mic ‘d-up appearance on the mound. His scoreless ninth inning secured a 5-2 American League win and a save.
2023 T-Mobile Park, Seattle
With Luis Robert Jr. being the lone Sox representative in the All-Star Game and the Home Run Derby this year, we can hopefully expect a good show from the slugger who currently ranks second in the AL and is tied for third in the league with a career-high 26 home runs.
The 2023 All-Star Game will take place on Tuesday, July 11 at 7 p.m. CT and will be broadcasted on Fox.
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Featured Image: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports