The New York Age
SATURDAY, 26 JUNE, 1958
MANTLE'S 7 RBI POWERS
AMERICAN LEAGUE TO VICTORY
IN MIDSUMMER CLASSIC
Story by Louis Greenberg
Major League Baseball's 25th annual All-Star game took place last night at Pittsburgh's Forbes Field, with the American League scoring an exciting 8-7 victory. Yankees centrefielder Mickey Mantle was named Player of the Game following a 3-for-5, 7 RBI performance. Six of those RBIs came in the first two innings as, after hitting a three-run homer in the 1st Mantle cleared the bases in the 2nd with a two-out double.
Although both on the same team much of the interest focused on the rivalry between the American League's two leading home run hitters, Mantle and Cleveland's Rocky Colavito. After his fantastic April the Blues slugger remained on track to break Babe Ruth's home run record going into the break, having hit 35 during the first half of the season with Mantle nine back on 26. Batting in the three spot, Mantle left Colavito (batting clean-up) with empty bases the first two times he stepped up to the plate. Colavito finished the game batting 1-for-4, although that single hit was a one-out solo home run to deep centrefield in the 7th inning that broke a 6-6 tie.
Red Sox 1st baseman Dick Gernert also had a good evening for the AL All-Stars, batting 3-for-3 with a run scored. For the National League Cincinnati Reds 2nd baseman Johnny Temple was 3-for-4 with 4 RBI, all coming on a pair of two-run home runs in the 1st and 3rd innings. As is often the case in the Midsummer Classic, the pitchers did not fair particularly well. One exception was Milwaukee Braves hurler Lew Burdette who was perfect in pitching through the 4th and 5th innings, striking out two batters.