This Date In Royals History--1985 Edition: July 15
The All-Star break begins, so here are your lineups.
It was the first day of the All-Star break, meaning the Royals players could look forward to a three-day vacation. Except for George Brett, that is, who was elected by the fans to start at third base for the American League in the All-Star Game, to be played at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. Perhaps surprisingly, Brett was the only Royals player selected for the AL team, although manager Dick Howser was going to serve as one of AL manager Sparky Anderson’s coaches. Anderson and his NL counterpart, San Diego boss Dick Williams, announced their starting lineups for the game.
For the AL, seeking to win the game for the second time in three years, New York’s Rickey Henderson would lead off. He would be followed by Detroit’s Lou Whitaker, Brett, the Baltimore duo of Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken Jr., New York’s Dave Winfield, Boston’s Jim Rice, and Chicago’s Carlton Fisk. With no DH for the game, Detroit starting pitcher Jack Morris would bat ninth.
For the NL, which had won 20 of the previous 22 matchups, San Diego’s Tony Gwynn would bat first, followed by Tom Herr (St. Louis), Steve Garvey (San Diego), Dale Murphy (Atlanta), Darryl Strawberry (New York), Graig Nettles (San Diego), Terry Kennedy (San Diego), Ozzie Smith (St. Louis), and starting pitcher LaMarr Hoyt (San Diego).
The game was overshadowed somewhat by reports that the players’ union had set a deadline of August 6 for the union and the owners to come up with a new collective bargaining agreement. If the two sides could not agree, the players were willing to go on strike. The main issue was the owners’ reluctance to continue giving a third of television rights revenue to the players’ pension plan, even after signing a $1.1 billion TV contract. Players’ Association director Donald Fehr admitted that the players had considered not playing the All-Star Game, but ultimately delayed any work stoppage.
Today’s birthdays: Wilson Delgado (1972), Miguel Olivo (1978)