MLB All-Star Game

Questions:

1) Who is the oldest player to compete in an MLB All-Star Game?

2) Pete Rose scored the winning run in the 1970 All-Star Game — which player did he controversially barrel through at homeplate?

3) He was dubbed “The King” of the All-Star Game and made 25 AllStar appearances over the course of his career — name this player.

4) Who is the only player to have ever started an All-Star Game as both a pitcher and hitter?

5) Only one player has ever won All-Star Game MVP and World Series MVP in the same season — who was it?

6) The notorious 2002 All-Star Game was declared a tie by Commissioner Bud Selig for what reason?

7) Prior to its name change in 1970, what was the original name of the award given to an All-Star Game MVP?

8) Who won the inaugural Home Run Derby, which was added to the All-Star Game festivities in 1985?

9) Who is the only player to have been named All-Star Game MVP in back-to-back years?

10) Who holds the record for most home runs at the All-Star Game?

Answers: in 1948, 1949, 1951, 1955, 1956 and 1960)

10)

(47 years, 7 days old) in 1953

BY ROBERTO JOZEF

It’s that time of year again, as the Seattle Mariners prepare to host the 2023 MLB All-Star Game at T-Mobile Park on Tuesday, July 11.

Excitement is building for this year’s Midsummer Classic, which continues the long-standing tradition (since 1933) of showcasing baseball’s finest talent and celebrating the game fans love. While fans voted to send their favorites to the game, Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels was busy generating headlines with his impressive offensive play.

Ohtani, who moved from Japan to the big leagues in 2018, appears to be on pace to match his 2021 MVP season when the pitcher/designated hitter became the first all-star in MLB history to be chosen as a two-way player.

With free agency looming, Ohtani is arguably playing the best baseball of his career. In a four-game stint against the Texas Rangers earlier this season, the former AL rookie of the year hit four home runs in the series, and in the final game, he struck out three Rangers.

Last year, Ohtani became the first player to finish among MLB’s top 15 in both home runs and pitching strikeouts since the pitching mound was relocated in 1893. If Ohtani manages to eclipse his 2021 MVP season, it will be hard to deny another MVP run at the plate.

If not for the talents of Aaron Judge hitting 62 home runs in the 2022 season, Ohtani would potentially be chasing his third straight AL MVP award right now. He remains one of MLB’s toughest pitchers (with an AL-low batting average against of .178 as of June 20) and was the first player in the AL to hit 20 homers (as of June 20 he had 24).

Off to a historic start, look for Ohtani to continue to put on a show for the fans, as the 2023 MLB season reaches the (symbolic) halfway mark with this year’s MLB All-Star Game, set for Tuesday, July 11. Fans can catch all the action live on Fox and Fox Deportes.

Full name: Shohei Ohtani

Birth date: July 4, 1994

Birthplace: Oshu, Iwate, Japan

Height/weight: 6-4/210 pounds

Teams: Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (2013-2017), Los Angeles Angels (2018-present)

Honors and achievements: AL MVP (2021), twice named to the

All-MLB First Team (2021, 2022), Silver Slugger Award (2021), twotime recipient of Edgar Martinez Award (2021, 2022), AP Athlete of the Year Award (2021)