1973 ALL-STAR GAME
Not much can be said about a All-Star game with little fan fair and little Heroics. The 1973 Mid-West Winter League All-Star Game was played in front of a packed stadium in Chicago, but other than a big crowd, nothing in this game turned out to be big or epic, or even heroic. Though there was a 1973 MWWL All-Star GameMost Valuable Player announced at the end of it. The starters went the usual three innings. The National Leagues Andy Messersmith (20-8 2.47) of Hollywood started and looked solid in his 3 innings. 
His only misfortune was an unearned run in the bottom of the second, when with Chicago’s Willie Stargell on first, with two outs, Tony Perez hit a single to right field where it bounced off the glove of Willie Crawford, which allowed Stargell to chug into home. The American League starter Old Mill’s Don Sutton (29-5 2.12) was solid, as he allowed just one run in the first inning. Carew lead off with a dying quail in right, and after he moved to second on a Pete Rose ground out, Carew scored on a single to right field which Willie Stargell came up firing, but Tony Perez cut it and took the out at second as Lou Brock was stretching it. “I no want to get behind by more than one, so I cut it, and hope for de beast” Perez was quoted as saying, in a little broker English. The score stayed tied through top of the 4th, but in the bottom of four Dick Allen lead off with a 383 foot drive to left field off reliever Grant Jackson. The American League took a 2-1 lead, and looked for more. 
After a one out single for American League Third Baseman Darrel Evans, Sandusky County’s Ken Singleton, came up. Singleton blasted a 453 foot drive to deep right center, which put the American League up 4-1. Grant Jackson shook his head out there on the mound. You could tell he was visibly upset after giving up 2 home runs in just one – third of an inning. The Mad Hungarian Al Hrabrosky came on for the NL’s, and recorded the last two outs of the 4th. The American League sat on top of 4-1 lead, and looked in control. Vida Blue who pitched the top of the fourth and was in line for the win, walked the lead off batter in the top of the 5th and was immediately pulled for Horacio Pina. Pina settled down and retired the side. In the top of the sixth, Bill “The Spaceman” Lee came on for the American League to replace Pina. Lee got into a little trouble after giving up a leadoff walk to Carew, he got a groundout, which allowed Carew to advance to second. Lee then walked Lou Brock, so with runners at 1st and 2nd, with Thurman Munson up, Lee got him to ground into a slow roller to the shortstop Kessinger, who got one at second, but Morgan’s throw to first was a little late as Munson beat it out. So two down, runners at the corners, and Lee has to face pinch hitter Greg The Bull” Luzinski. Luzinski stared out at Lee, and waited for a nice looking inside pitch which the Bull loped past the American League Shortstop Don Kessinger, and on into left. Munson was forced to stop at second. So the score was now 4-2 with the A.L. still up. George Scott the National Leagues Most Valuable Player at the bat. Surprisingly the A.L. Manager left Bill Lee into face Scott. The Boomer promptly grounded one to third base where Darrell Evans touched third and retired the side. Lee started the top of the 7th, before Jim Palmer came on to pitch an inning and two-thirds. Old Mill’s Doug Bird came on in the ninth and with one out gave up a walk to George Scott. John Mayberry came on to pinch hit for Tony Oliva, and Mayberry took a big cut and missed as he was trying to tie the game up with one swing of the bat. Sal Bando then grounded out Davey Lopes who flipped to Kessinger for the final out. American League 4 – National League 2. The Win went to Chicago’s Vida Blue, and the Save to Old Mill’s Doug Bird. The loss was tagged on Grant Jackson.
SANDUSKY COUNTY’s – KEN SINGLETON – was named the 1973 All-Star Game’s Most Valuable Player with his two-run Homer in the 4th.
