Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
Rain wreaked havoc with the 1990 All-Star Game on July 10 under the lights at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
Even the game's climatic moment was delayed more than an hour by a rain delay.
When Texas Rangers second baseman Julio Franco approached the plate in the top of the seventh of a scoreless tie, there were runners on first and third with no one out, and Jeff Brantley of the San Francisco Giants was pitching for the National League.
By the time Franco got a chance to deliver the decisive hit in the American League's 2-0 win, Rob Dibble of the Reds was pitching.
Catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. of the Indians opened the seventh with a single off Brantley and moved to third on a single by pinch-hitter Lance Parrish of the California Angels.
As Franco approached the plate, a heavy rain soaked Wrigley Field, causing a 68-minute delay that forced Brantley out of the game.
When play resumed, Franco immediately drove a two-run double to right-center off Dibble to earn the game's Most Valuable Player Award. Franco's double was the only extra-base hit of the game that saw the National League get only two hits -- the lowest total in All-Star Game history.
The National League had a total of four baserunners, as six American League pitchers combined for the shutout.
Starter Bob Welch of Oakland, Dave Stieb of Toronto and Bret Saberhagen of Kansas City all worked two innings for the American League with Bobby Thigpen of the Chicago White Sox, Chuck Finley of the California Angels and Dennis Eckersley of Oakland all working an inning. Saberhagen, who retired all six hitters he faced, got credit for the win.
Because of the weather, National League manager Roger Craig of the Giants employed nine pitchers with only starter, Jack Armstrong of the Reds, working two innings.
Former Padre Alomar and Boston third baseman Wade Boggs were only hitters with two hits in the game. The National League didn't get a hit between the single by San Francisco first baseman Will Clark in the first off Welch and the single by Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Lenny Dykstra leading off the ninth.
Padres catcher Benito Santiago was voted into the National League starting lineup but didn't play due to injury. Tony Gwynn walked as a pinch-hitter, and second baseman Roberto Alomar was 0-for-1.