The first All-Star Game was held as part of the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago, at Comiskey Park and was the brainchild of Arch Ward, then sports editor for the Chicago Tribune. Initially intended to be a one-time event, its great success resulted in making the game an annual event, with some years (1959-1962) having two All-Star Games.
Venue selection
The venue for each All-Star Game is chosen by an MLB selection committee. This choice may be made to commemorate a particular historical occasion, the opening of a new ballpark, or a significant milestone. The criteria for choosing the venue are subjective; for the most part, cities with new parks and cities who have not hosted the game in a long time â€" or ever â€" tend to be favored. The venues among the major league franchises; from 1964 to 2015, five teams have hosted 3 times, 13 teams twice, ten teams once, and two teams not at all. The "home team" is the league in which the host franchise plays its games. Traditionally, the game's venue alternated between the two leagues from year to year with a few exceptions; this tradition was discontinued after the 2015 game.
As of 2017, one Major League Baseball franchise have never hosted an All-Star Game: the Tampa Bay Rays. The Miami Marlins, who hosted in 2017 following the 2012 opening of Marlins Park. (Although Miami was initially scheduled to host in 2000, MLB eventually moved the game to Atlanta.) Although the Washington Nationals franchise haven't yet hosted the game in their current home ballpark, they did host one when they were the Montreal Expos; and All-Star games have been played in D.C., hosted by two incarnations of the Washington Senators (now known as the Minnesota Twins and as the Texas Rangers).
Of the remaining 27 franchises, the New York Mets had gone the longest period without hosting since their sole hosting duty in 1964, but this streak came to an end at 49 years in 2013. (The Dodgers are now the team with the longest active hosting drought, since 1980.) During that span, 18 of the remaining 25 teams have hosted an All-Star Game at least twice since 1964: Atlanta Braves (1972 and 2000), Chicago White Sox (1983 and 2003), Cincinnati Reds (1970, 1988, and 2015), Cleveland Indians (1981, 1997, 2019), Detroit Tigers (1971 and 2005), Houston Astros (1968, 1986, and 2004), Kansas City Royals (1973 and 2012), Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (1967, 1989, and 2010), Milwaukee Brewers (1975 and 2002), Minnesota Twins (1965, 1985, and 2014), New York Yankees (1977 and 2008), Philadelphia Phillies (1976 and 1996), Pittsburgh Pirates (1974, 1994, and 2006), San Diego Padres (1978, 1992, and 2016), San Francisco Giants (1984 and 2007), Seattle Mariners (1979 and 2001), St. Louis Cardinals (1966 and 2009), and Washington Senators/Texas Rangers (1969 and 1995).
New stadiums that have not hosted the All-Star Game in cities that have hosted it previously are: Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., the new Yankee Stadium in New York City, and SunTrust Park in Atlanta.
Future All-Star Games will be played at Nationals Park in 2018, and Progressive Field in 2019.
Following the game at the first Yankee Stadium in 2008 in its final season, the Bronx's old stadium joined Cleveland's old Cleveland Stadium (also known as Municipal Stadium prior to its own demolition) as the only venues that have hosted four Major League Baseball All-Star games. New York City has hosted it more than any other city, having done so nine times in five different stadiums; after 2017, Tampa Bay will remain the only major league city since the first All-Star Game in 1933 to never have hosted.
List of hosts
Various statistics
Times hosted by city
Times hosted by club
- The Tampa Bay Rays have yet to host the All-Star Game.
- The Washington Nationals have yet to host the All-Star Game in Washington, D.C., though the Nationals have been selected to host the game in 2018. They previously hosted the All-Star Game when they were in Montreal.
Ballparks that have hosted more than one All-Star Game
Active baseball parks
- Wrigley Field 1947, 1962, 1990
- Fenway Park 1946, 1961, 1999
- Angel Stadium 1967, 1989, 2010
- Kauffman Stadium 1973, 2012
Discontinued baseball parks
- Yankee Stadium 1939, 1960, 1977, 2008
- Cleveland Stadium 1935, 1954, 1963, 1981
- Sportsman's Park 1940, 1948, 1957
- Tiger Stadium 1941, 1951, 1971
- Comiskey Park 1933, 1950, 1983
- Polo Grounds 1934, 1942
- Shibe Park 1943, 1952
- Crosley Field 1938, 1953
- Griffith Stadium 1937, 1956
- Forbes Field 1944, 1959
- Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium 1962, 1969
- Milwaukee County Stadium 1955, 1975
- Candlestick Park 1961, 1984
- Houston Astrodome 1968, 1986
- Riverfront Stadium 1970, 1988
- Jack Murphy Stadium 1978, 1992
- Three Rivers Stadium 1974, 1994
- Veterans Stadium 1976, 1996
The only discontinued ballparks that hosted one All-Star Game are: Memorial Stadium (Baltimore) in 1959, Shea Stadium in 1964, Metropolitan Stadium in 1965, Busch Memorial Stadium in 1966, Fulton County Stadium in 1972, the Kingdome in 1979, Olympic Stadium (Montreal) in 1982, Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in 1985, and Turner Field in 2000.
Ballparks that have never hosted an All-Star Game
Active baseball parks (oldest parks listed first)
- Tropicana Field, opened in 1990; the Rays have played there since 1998.
- Citizens Bank Park, opened in 2004; the Phillies last hosted the ASG in 1996 in Veterans Stadium.
- Nationals Park, opened in 2008; the franchise last hosted an ASG in 1982 in Montreal. Scheduled to host the 2018 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
- Yankee Stadium (New), opened in 2009; the Yankees last hosted the ASG in 2008 at the previous park.
- SunTrust Park, opened in 2017; the Braves last hosted the ASG in 2000 in Turner Field.
Discontinued baseball parks (oldest parks listed first)
- Baker Bowl, the Phillies played there from 1895 to 1938 (the All-Star game began in 1933)
- League Park, the Indians split games between League Park and Cleveland Stadium off and on until the end of the 1946 season
- Seals Stadium, the Giants played there from 1958 to 1959 *
- Wrigley Field of Los Angeles, the Angels played there in 1961 *
- Colt Stadium, the Colt .45s (now the Astros) played there from 1962 to 1964 *
- Sick's Stadium, the Pilots played there in 1969 *
- Jarry Park, the Expos played there from 1969 to 1976 *
- Arlington Stadium, the Rangers played there from 1972 to 1993
- Exhibition Stadium, the Blue Jays played there from 1977 to 1989
- Mile High Stadium, the Rockies played there from 1993 to 1994 *
- Sun Life Stadium, the Marlins played there from 1993 to 2011
A * indicates that the stadium was a temporary facility, used in the short term by a team awaiting the construction of a larger, permanent home park.
The last time each franchise has hosted an All-Star Game
- from least recent to most recent
- Los Angeles Dodgers, 1980
- Washington Nationals, 1982 (As Montreal Expos)
- Oakland Athletics, 1987
- Chicago Cubs, 1990
- Toronto Blue Jays, 1991
- Baltimore Orioles, 1993
- Texas Rangers, 1995
- Philadelphia Phillies, 1996
- Cleveland Indians, 1997
- Tampa Bay Rays, never (Franchise started in 1998)
- Colorado Rockies, 1998
- Boston Red Sox, 1999
- Atlanta Braves, 2000
- Seattle Mariners, 2001
- Milwaukee Brewers, 2002
- Chicago White Sox, 2003
- Houston Astros, 2004
- Detroit Tigers, 2005
- Pittsburgh Pirates, 2006
- San Francisco Giants, 2007
- New York Yankees, 2008
- St. Louis Cardinals, 2009
- Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 2010
- Arizona Diamondbacks, 2011
- Kansas City Royals, 2012
- New York Mets, 2013
- Minnesota Twins, 2014
- Cincinnati Reds, 2015
- San Diego Padres, 2016
- Miami Marlins, 2017
Hosting All-Star Game and post-season games in same season
The following teams have hosted the All-Star Game in the summer then proceeded to host post-season games in the fall:
- 1939: New York Yankees â€" won World Series
- 1946: Boston Red Sox â€" lost World Series
- 1949: Brooklyn Dodgers â€" lost World Series
- 1954: Cleveland Indians â€" lost World Series
- 1959: (Game 2): Los Angeles Dodgers â€" won World Series
- 1960: (Game 2): New York Yankees â€" lost World Series
- 1965: Minnesota Twins â€" lost World Series
League Championship Series play began 1969
- 1970: Cincinnati Reds â€" lost World Series â€" also first season for Riverfront Stadium
- 1974: Pittsburgh Pirates â€" lost NLCS
- 1976: Philadelphia Phillies â€" lost NLCS
- 1977: New York Yankees â€" won World Series
- 1983: Chicago White Sox â€" lost ALCS
- 1986: Houston Astros â€" lost NLCS
- 1991: Toronto Blue Jays â€" lost ALCS
Division Series play began 1995
- 1997: Cleveland Indians â€" lost World Series
- 1999: Boston Red Sox â€" lost ALCS
- 2000: Atlanta Braves â€" lost NLDS
- 2001: Seattle Mariners â€" lost ALCS
- 2004: Houston Astros â€" lost NLCS
- 2009: St. Louis Cardinals â€" lost NLDS
- 2011: Arizona Diamondbacks â€" lost NLDS
References
