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Mark's avatar

Thanks for yet another fascinating story in your collection of Oriole history that keeps growing. In 1949 Kell edged out Ted Williams for the batting average championship preventing Ted for winning another batter's Triple Crown. I think Dave Philley was primarily a pinch hitter with the Orioles.

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Bob Andrews's avatar

Oops.. didn’t mean to hit ‘send’ yet. I was going to mention how busy the clubhouse guys must have been during Paul Richard’s’ time with all the coming and going.

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Bob Andrews's avatar

Minor correction… Dave Philley was an outfielder.

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John Eisenberg's avatar

Thanks for the fix, Bob.

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William P. Ball's avatar

Great story telling, John. It’s fun to learn more about the All-Star game’s significance in the grand scheme of things. (A side show, but still good entertainment, and very “real” thanks to the model of fan-based selection! )

Question: Has that selection method always been used by all teams? (Is it required by MLB?)

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John Eisenberg's avatar

Bill, from the very beginning in 1933, MLB had the rule requiring All-Star teams to have at least one player from every team. Wasn't a big deal when there were just eight teams in each league, through 1959. Much more complicated now.

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William P. Ball's avatar

Thanks, but:

My real question is about whether it is an MLB requirement now that ALL teams choose their participants through fan-based voting and also whether that rule existed in 1933 and years up to expansion (apparently 1959!).

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John Eisenberg's avatar

There has been a fan-based component in All-Star Game decision-making since the beginning. But that history has taken many forms -- like, very many! A Google search with these exact terms -- "mlb all-star game fan voting history" -- tells quite a tale.

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