July 6, 1964

Travel Day

Monday was a travel day dedicated to the All-Star players in both leagues making their way to Shea Stadium out on Long Island. For Wednesday’s 35th edition of MLB’s All-Star Game.

There was no extravaganza surrounding the game:

No Home Run Derby
No horrendous Celebrity Softball Game
No falderal whatsoever

There was “just” the All-Star Game, book-ended on each side by an off-day so the players could travel to and from the game.

Between you and me, most of today’s ballplayers – pardon my French – don’t give a shit about who wins or loses the All-Star Game. To today’s over-paid millionaires, the All-Star Game is an all-expenses-paid party for the single ones and a family vacation for the married ones ─ plus many players have a bonus addendum in their contract tied into making the All-Star team.

But there was a time when winning or losing the All-Star Game was of paramount importance, and the “fun and games” were insignificant. That’s because the all-stars of yesteryear possessed more pride and a greater desire to win then our current crop of players.