Classic Games: 1979 All-Star Game at the Kingdome
Tune in to ROOT SPORTS and 710 ESPN Seattle tonight at 7:00 PM for encore broadcasts of the 1979 All-Star Game at the Kingdome
With the start of the 2020 season delayed due to the COVID-19 response, ROOT SPORTS NW and 710 ESPN Seattle will feature encore broadcasts of classic Mariners games each night at 7:00 pm PT throughout the next several weeks. A full schedule of the broadcasts is available at Mariners.com/Classics.
Tonight’s featured game is the 1979 All-Star Game at the Kingdome. Follow the game on ROOT SPORTS NW, 710 ESPN Seattle, Twitter.com/Mariners and right here, From the Corner of Edgar & Dave.
Classic broadcasts from the 1979 All-Star Game will be aired tonight at 7:00 pm on ROOT SPORTS NW, featuring the NBC broadcast team of Joe Garagiola and Tony Kubek, and 710 ESPN Seattle, with the CBS Radio team of Vin Scully and Brent Musburger on the call.
MLB’s 50th All-Star Game
July 17, 1979 | Seattle, WA | The Kingdome
National League 7, American League 6 | MVP: Dave Parker (Pittsburgh)
Mariners All-Stars: Bruce Bochte (1B), Darrell Johnson (Coach)
Ceremonial First Pitch: Danny Kaye
MLB’s 50th All-Star Game was played at The Kingdome on July 17, 1979, in just the third season of the Mariners franchise.
The National League won the contest, 7–6, and the game featured 16 future Hall of Fame players. Both managers (Bob Lemon-AL and Tommy Lasorda-NL) have also been inducted in Cooperstown. The sellout crowd of 58,905 was a Seattle baseball record at the time. The Kingdome was considered a “home run paradise” but only two homers were hit in the game (Fred Lynn and Lee Mazzilli).
Pittsburgh’s Dave Parker, with a hit, an RBI and assists on two classic throws from right field to third base and home plate, was named the Game’s MVP.
Mets center fielder Lee Mazzilli played a big role for the NL, belting a solo home run off Texas’ Jim Kern in the 8th inning to even the score at 6–6. In the top of the 9th, Mazilli drew a bases-loaded walk off Yankees right-hander Ron Guidry to give the National League a 7–6 lead.
A pair of Hall of Fame pitchers got the starting assignments: Nolan Ryan for the American League and Steve Carlton for the National League.
The 50th Midsummer Classic was the first baseball game broadcast to a national audience from The Kingdome.
Mariner All-Star Bruce Bochte
Mariners first baseman Bruce Bochte was named to the American League All-Star Team after batting .326 with 23 doubles, 11 home runs, 65 RBI and an .898 OPS (.393 OBP/.505 SLG) in the first half.
Bochte was greeted with a long standing ovation during pre-game introductions. He entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the 6th inning and recorded an RBI-single off eventual-Mariner Gaylord Perry, marking the first hit and RBI by a Mariners player in All-Star competition.
American League Starting Lineup
- Roy Smalley (S) SS
- George Brett (L) 3B
- Don Baylor LF
- Jim Rice RF
- Fred Lynn (L) CF
- Carl Yastrzemski (L) 1B
- Darrell Porter (L) C
- Frank White 2B
- Nolan Ryan P
Nolan Ryan RHP
National League Starting Lineup
- Davey Lopes 2B
- Dave Parker (L) RF
- Steve Garvey 1B
- Mike Schmidt 3B
- George Foster LF
- Dave Winfield CF
- Bob Boone C
- Larry Bowa (S) SS
- Steve Carlton P
Steve Carlton LHP
