Over the next ten days, as we eagerly anticipate the first pitch of the midsummer classic, FishStripes will be counting down our top 10 favorite moments in Marlins All Star Game history. The Fish have 18 All Star Games under their belt, so clearly, with such a wealth of thrilling game moments to choose from, your opinion may vary. Feel free to jump in on the comments and post your personal faves.
We start on July 13, 1993, the very first year that the Marlins franchise existed and was represented in the All Star Game, which was played at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland.
The fact that the team was around to even send a player to the ASG is alone worth celebrating. The fact that grown men willingly stood on National television wearing those seizure-inducing teal caps should garner a vote or two as one of the top moments for the Fish in All Star history as well. But the Marlins would have a much better moment to celebrate in the game, thanks to Gary Sheffield.
Sheffield became the first ever player from a first-year expansion team to be voted into the All Star Game starting lineup, and he made the most of the opportunity. In the top of the first inning, Shef introduced the Marlins to baseball fans nationwide, and gave brand new Fish fans their first ASG "moment" when he hit a two run bomb off of Mark Langston, driving in Barry Bonds, who had doubled.
The homer put the National league up 2-0, though they would relenquish the lead shortly after and ultimately lose the game to the American League, 9-3.
Sheffield would add a single in the sixth inning, rounding out his 2-for-3 performance.
The Marlins also had a pitcher representing the team in the game, and though his contribution was less flamboyant than Sheffield's, it was a nice performance nonetheless. Closer Bryan Harvey pitched the 8th inning for the National League and was one of the few NL relievers who didn't allow a run in his showing. Harvey struck out two and induced a ground ball out to hold the (extremely lopsided) score.