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Ninety years ago today, the biggest names in baseball played against each other for the first time.

The annual tradition was created by the Tribune’s sports editor.

Connie Mack of the athletics, left, and John McGraw, former giant boss, opposing managers at the first All-StarGame, meet at home plate in pregame festivities on July 6, 1933, in Chicago.
Connie Mack of the athletics, left, and John McGraw, former giant boss, opposing managers at the first All-StarGame, meet at home plate in pregame festivities on July 6, 1933, in Chicago.

“This is an announcement of the greatest baseball game ever scheduled,” Arch Ward wrote in the May 19, 1933, edition of the Tribune. “Never has the maximum strength of one major league been pitted against the maximum strength of the other.”

Ward decided fans should select the starting nines on the 18-player teams with the managers picking the rest. The Tribune and 55 other newspapers around the country distributed ballots to millions of readers.

Chicago hosted the first All-Star Game on July 6, 1933, at Comiskey Park. The price of a grandstand ticket was $1.10, or about $25 in today’s dollars. A single ticket for Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Seattle starts at $375.

Ward died in his sleep in 1955 at age 58. Ironically, his funeral took place in Chicago the same day as the All-Star Game in Milwaukee. The game’s start time was delayed so Major League Baseball executives and owners could honor Ward then get to Wisconsin in time for first pitch.

Crowds lined up at Comiskey park on the morning of July 3, 1933, to buy bleacher tickets for the Game of the Century between American and National league all-star teams.
Crowds lined up at Comiskey park on the morning of July 3, 1933, to buy bleacher tickets for the Game of the Century between American and National league all-star teams.

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Meet Arch Ward, the sports editor who created MLB’s All-Star Game

baiduhai sports writer Arch Ward, circa 1953.
baiduhai sports writer Arch Ward, circa 1953.

The birth of the All-Star Game was a fortuitous byproduct of the Great Depression. In 1933, Edward Kelly, Chicago’s newly installed mayor, was worried. The city was committed to hosting a World’s Fair. But with millions of Americans out of work, how could Chicago attract enough visitors to ensure the fair’s success?

Story from May 19, 1933: ‘Chicago to see baseball’s biggest game’

Why trust Ward? His ideas were golden.

The March 25, 1923, Chicago Daily Tribune reported on the first ever amateur boxing tournament held in Chicago that would become known as the Golden Gloves.
The March 25, 1923, Chicago Daily Tribune reported on the first ever amateur boxing tournament held in Chicago that would become known as the Golden Gloves.

A decade earlier, Ward had cofounded the Golden Gloves with his counterpart at the New York Daily News, another Tribune paper. Their creation evolved into international boxing competition and added to the long list of Ward’s celebrity friends.

Arch Ward in 1936: ‘We are not putting on the Olympic boxing trials to help the Hitler organization. We are helping America.’

A matchup of the best players in the American and National Leagues

The National League team poses before the first major league All-Star Game in Chicago on July 6, 1933. The American League won 4-2.
The National League team poses before the first major league All-Star Game in Chicago on July 6, 1933. The American League won 4-2.

About 500,000 votes were cast and the team lineups were announced on June 25, 1933 in the Tribune.

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‘American stars win game of century’

Babe Ruth crosses the plate after hitting the first home run in All-Star game history on July 6, 1933, at Comiskey Park. It was a two-run shot in the third inning and provided the winning margin in the American League's 4-2 victory. Greeting Ruth at home are teammate Lou Gehrig and batboy John McBride.
Babe Ruth crosses the plate after hitting the first home run in All-Star game history on July 6, 1933, at Comiskey Park. It was a two-run shot in the third inning and provided the winning margin in the American League’s 4-2 victory. Greeting Ruth at home are teammate Lou Gehrig and batboy John McBride.

Played at Comiskey Park in ideal weather, the game brought out a capacity crowd of 47,595 fans to see Lou Gehrig, Gabby Hartnett, Al Simmons, Jimmy Foxx and more. Babe Ruth — who hit a two-run home run to deep right field in the third inning off National League starter Bill Hallahan of the St. Louis Cardinals — was the star in a 4-2 American League victory.

Chicago has hosted the All-Star Game six times since then, including 20 years ago.

Ward’s next challenge: Could college players defeat a professional football team?

Max Krause, full back of the Washington Redskins, crashes over the goal line from the 2 yard line in a battle with the College All-Americans on Aug. 31, 1938. The game, witnessed by 74,250, was won by the All-Stars, 28 to 16.
Max Krause, full back of the Washington Redskins, crashes over the goal line from the 2 yard line in a battle with the College All-Americans on Aug. 31, 1938. The game, witnessed by 74,250, was won by the All-Stars, 28 to 16.

Two years later, Ward pitted a team of college all-stars against the Chicago Bears in the first Chicago College All-Star Game. The event continued until 1976.

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