As I mentioned in a previous post, I am fully supportive of the All-Star Game being played at Yankee Stadium this year. No other ballpark (or at least site of a ballpark) has had as much history as that building in the Bronx. It deserves it this year.
That said however, how come MLB has completely ignored Shea Stadium over the years? Look, I know Shea has never been the shining star of baseball, but neither have a lot of other places where MLB has hosted the mid-summer classic.
Shea hosted the All-Star Game in the first year of the ballpark, 1964. Since then, 38 ballparks have been used for the game – including six of them TWICE! The list of stadiums selected more than once by MLB is:
Yankee Stadium – 1977 for the reopening and this year. No argument
Anaheim Stadium – 1967 & 1989 – What makes it worse is that the game is going back here for a THIRD time in 2010
The Astrodome – 1968 & 1986 – Twice? Here? I can understand 68 for the opening, but why 86? This place made Shea look like a palace. If anyone can explain to me why this happened I would be very interested to hear.
Riverfront (1970 & 1988)
Three Rivers (1974 & 1994)
Veterans (1976 & 1996) – So three of the four cookie cutters each got in twice. OK, Three Rivers was nice, but the Vet? And the second time was in 1996!
The Mets have often been called the step-child of NY baseball. From MLB’s perspective it would almost seem as if they were baseball’s step-child.
