All Star Night


For the second time in their history, the Mets will host Major League Baseball's All Star Game tonight. Many of the game's greatest stars will be on hand for this prime time TV showcase. And no one yet knows how it will play out.

One can only hope it's as suspenseful as the 1964 mid-summer classic at Shea Stadium. That was the afternoon when Phillies rightfielder Johnny Callison's three-run walk-off home run -- decades before that term was coined -- capped a four-run National League rally in the bottom of the 9th inning. The NL came away 7 -4 winners, while Callison was named MVP.

Did you see that game? Or hear it on the radio? In my case, neither. I was attending day camp and bringing radios along in those days was taboo. I didn't learn the result until I got home after the game ended. A lot of kids our age missed the game because they weren't home in front of a TV. You, too? Instead we were simply taking advantage of it being summer.

Comments

jeff said…
I was 11 in July 1964. We lived in Flushing, and my family belonged to a pool club within sight of Shea. I listened to much of the All-Star game on my small transistor radio, including the dramatic 3-run HR by Johnny Callison. I was so excited that Ron Hunt was a starter. He had been at our pre-season Little League luncheon that spring, signed an autograph for me & instantly became my favorite Met!

Jeff Kroll
July 16, 2013 at 8:11 AM
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