Editor’s note: This summer the Cleveland Indians are hosting their sixth major league all-star game, which is the most by any franchise. This series will take a look at the previous contests in 1935, 1954, 1963, 1981 and 1997.
Cleveland celebrated the 30th anniversary of the All-Star Game without an Indians player taking part in the contest. It was also the first time since 1958 that there would only be one game.
Mudcat Grant was on the American League roster, but he didn’t pitch. He was 5-8 at the time with a 3.91 ERA. He ended the season at 13-14 and was traded to the Minnesota Twins in 1964. He would make his second all-star squad in 1965 as led the Twins with a 21-7 record.
Ken McBride, who played high school baseball in Cleveland, started the game on the mound for the AL.
McBride was making his third all-star appearance for the Los Angeles Angels. He worked three innings and gave up three runs on four hits. He would finish the season at 13-12 with a 3.26 ERA.
With rumors of the Indians possibly leaving Cleveland, the attendance at the game of 44,160 was no where near the 69,000 plus from the mid-summer classics in 1935 and 1954.
Willie Mays the Star
As far as the game was concerned, the National League won 5-3 with Larry Jackson of the Chicago Cubs getting the win and Jim Bunning of the Detroit Tigers taking the loss.
Dick Groat of the St. Louis Cardinals singled home Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants in the second inning to put the NL up 1-0.
A RBI single by McBride off NL starter Jim O’Toole in the bottom of the frame tied the game.
In the third, Mays and teammate Ed Bailey had back-to-back run-scoring singles to make it 3-1. Mays also had his second stolen base of the contest prior to Bailey’s hit.
The lead didn’t last long as Frank Malzone of the Boston Red Sox and Earl Battey of the Twins had RBI singles in the AL half of the third to tie it at 3-3.
Mays knocked in another run in the fifth, while Ron Santo of the Cubs drove in the final tally in the eighth.
Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Tommy Davis had a hit a scored a run for the NL, while Cardinals first baseman Bill white also had a single, stolen base and scored a run.
Teammates Albie Pearson and Leon Wagner of the Angels led the AL with two hits each.