Major League Baseball’s best and brightest gathered in New York City for three days during the summer of 2008, and the undisputed star of the show was Yankee Stadium, in its 85th and final year of service. Nine innings of All-Star Game action were not enough for the grand facility, which refused to let the spotlight go.
The 2008 All-Star Game, won by the American League team in 15 innings, is being highlighted on MLB social platforms to remember that exhibition from the farewell season of “The House that Ruth Built.” The game reaired Wednesday night on Facebook (MLB/Las Mayores), Twitter (MLB/Las Mayores) and YouTube (MLB).
The contest provided a national audience with an opportunity to say goodbye to a landmark building that hosted countless epic moments in baseball history, in addition to papal masses, boxing bouts and concerts galore.
“I think that it should steal the attention, rightfully so,” Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter said before the game. “This place is as special as it gets.”
And there was more time to appreciate the structure than anticipated. The evening finally ended when Michael Young of the Rangers lifted a sacrifice fly facing Brad Lidge of the Phillies, sealing the AL’s 12th consecutive victory in the Midsummer Classic.
The four-hour, 40-minute contest ended at 1:37 a.m. ET, and every pitcher who hoped to touch the mound did so -- neither team had any arms remaining in the bullpen. Had the game proceeded deeper into the early morning hours, David Wright of the Mets and J.D. Drew of the Red Sox were on tap to pitch next.
“We tried everything in the dugout -- rally hats, everything -- to get that wrapped up,” Young said at the time. “This is a game we had to win.”
Ben Sheets of the Brewers and Cliff Lee of the Indians drew the starts for their respective leagues, one night after Josh Hamilton of the Rangers put on an incredible 28-homer performance in a Home Run Derby that was ultimately won by the Twins' Justin Morneau.
The host Yankees were represented in the starting lineup by Jeter (1-for-3) at shortstop and third baseman Alex Rodriguez (0-for-2), with closer Mariano Rivera recording five outs out of the bullpen. Second baseman Dan Uggla of the Marlins set an All-Star Game record by committing three errors, none of which resulted in a run.
The game’s Most Valuable Player Award went to Drew, who belted a game-tying two-run homer in the seventh inning off Edinson Vólquez of the Reds -- likely a confusing moment for many in the crowd of 55,632, who had greeted Drew and other members of the defending World Series champion Red Sox with throaty jeers during pregame introductions.
“He might have been a little more of an MVP if we went a couple more innings,” said AL manager Terry Francona. “He might have pitched. He’s been begging me for a long time, and we almost got close.”
It proved to be the final turn on a national stage for the original Yankee Stadium, as the Yankees were absent from the postseason. But there would be more excitement to follow in 2009, as the arrivals of stars CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira helped the Bombers christen their new stadium with the 27th World Series championship in franchise history.