The first one had been an idea cooked up by a sportswriter and turned out to be a smashing success. Little did Arch Ward know that his “game of stars” would still be going strong into the next century.
As important as the first one was back in 1933, the second All-Star Game was a history maker in its own right and let the baseball world know that the concept was here to stay.
An original newspaper photo dating to that July 10, 1934 afternoon at the Polo Grounds is now up for auction, appropriately enough during MLB All-Star Week in Denver.
The RMY Auctions Photo of the Day features the biggest name in the game, flanked by the other American League outfielders, posing before the first pitch. Ruth is flanked by Heinie Manush, Sam West, Al Simmons, Ben Chapman and Earl Averill. The 7×9 Acme News photo includes the original dated caption, still attached to the back.
Ruth was in his final season with the Yankees. He’d take four at bats as the starting right fielder that day before giving way to Chapman. He was one of the victims in a legendary pitching performance from New York Giants ace Carl Hubbell. The future Hall of Famer with the nasty screwball let the first two American League hitters on base but then struck out five straight future Hall of Famers: Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Simmons and Joe Cronin. The American League pounded the NL relievers Lon Warneke, Van Mungo and Dizzy Dean that day, though, and won the game, 9-7. Simmons, Foxx and Averill accounted for seven hits and five RBI.
The photo comes with a PSA letter of authenticity as a Type 1 image. It’s among 542 lots in RMY’s July auction, which runs through Saturday.
