The MLB All-Star game also known as The Mid-Summer Classic is designed for the fans, right?
I mean, we are the ones who ultimately pay at the gate, buy the drinks and dogs, which pays the wages of the men we come to see.
You may call Cincinnati a small market city, but let’s call Mr. Peabody and have him fire up the Wayback Machine to 1957.
The National League was replete with major stars, some established and some still in the making. Stan Musial, who would go on to set a record for All-Star appearances, was 15 years into his illustrious career.
Hank Aaron, in most circles considered one of the best players to ever spit on the grass, was in his fourth year and in what would be his first MVP year.
The list goes on and on with Willie Mays, Frank Robinson, Ernie Banks, Eddie Matthews and others. So who did the fans vote for that year?
Did they vote the Say-hey kid in? No, that would have been Gus Bell who patrolled the terrace in Crosley Field.
How about Aaron, with MVP credentials? Surely he was voted in? I don’t think so. That honor would go to right fielder Wally Post, of the Reds.
In fact every position player, save Musial, was a Cincinnati Red as determined by the voters. An investigation supposedly reflected that half of the NL votes came from the Queen City. Wonder what the Reds fans didn't like about George Crowe?
Allegedly the Cincinnati Enquirer had pre-printed ballots and distributed them with the weekend newspaper.
Commissioner Ford Frick decided it was unfair and replaced Bell and Post with Mays and Aaron. Still it was a slanted roster. Frick also took the voting away from the fans and it stayed that way until 1970 when the fans were given back the honor to vote.
I have written all of that to write this: What is the difference between the scandal of ’57 and what we have today?
Every team’s website tells you to vote for their players. We as fans should know who the better players are at the positions, rather than to all become Homers and pick Russell Martins or Derek Jeters.
In Cincinnati we are asked to vote for Joey Votto, forget the fact that Prince Fielder is tearing it up at Miller Park. And let’s be sure to vote for Jay Bruce because he had a monster month of May. Forget the fact that he only hit two home runs in the month of June.
Vote for Brandon Phillips would you please? It all depends if you want flash in the field or a constant bat with power. If that is the case feel free to vote for Rickie Weeks.
Forget the fact that Buster Posey is busted up and done for the year. Come on, show your colors, vote him in. McCann wins it every year. Can you see how it goes?
A fan, a true fan should vote for who is getting the job done. Someone who looks with an open mind will see that Prince Fielder is clearly the man for first base in the NL this season.
Ryan Braun, Lance Berkman and Matt Kemp are all getting the job done. We don’t need to see Jayson Hayward out there or Carlos Beltran for that matter. Jay Bruce? Come on let’s be real.
Jose Reyes is just flat earning the shortstop position, but trails Troy Tulowitzki. Please!
Voting is just not what it should be. Twenty-five votes for each fan, what the hell is up with that? Fans, by and large, cannot look past their own ball yard to make an intelligent decision.
Players and coaches voting for someone besides their own teammates should determine the players who are on display.
In 1963 we did see the St. Louis Cardinal’s infield in the starting lineup. It would be hard to disagree with those selections. Bill White, Julian Javier, Dick Goat and Ken Boyer all were excellent that year.
So, until you get sick of seeing people in the lineup that have no business there, we can all vote as many times as we want for Dan Uggla.
God Bless you and God Bless Cincinnati, Ohio.
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