Ninety one years ago the first major league All Star game was played in Chicago. My first memory of what has been called the midsummer classic was July 12, 1955 in Milwaukee, a city that was enjoying its third season of major league baseball. The Braves, formerly of Boston, were represented by Eddie Mathews, Henry Aaron,Johnny Logan, Del Crandall, and Gene Conley, who became the winning pitcher when Stan Musial hit Frank Sullivan‘s first pitch in the 12th inning for a home run and the National League prevailed, 6-5. Everyone I was watching the game with on TV was happy about that.

This year’s version was a good game, won by the American League after everybody’s best friend, Shohei Ohtani, hit a three run homer to give the senior circuit (nobody calls it that anymore so I had to) a 3-0 early lead.

Some of the best ball players in the world put on their clown suits and microphones to battle one another in Arlington, Texas. Actually,some of the athletes were not electronically audibly enhanced but Joe Davis, who is not the guy I would want to be seated next to on a crowded bus for a trip longer than a quarter mile, was able to keep telling each participant’s life story all the way through nine innings despite the interference of action. I’m fairly used to Joe because just about all the ball I see is on TV and there he is. John Smoltz needs someone like Jon Miller or Dan Shulman to team with so that some quiet time exists on the air between fascinating biographies.

Davis actually tried to converse with Tarik Skubal while he was on the mound pitching. I went into my what if that was Bob Gibson spin, gasping for air. No doubt Gibson would have told FOX and the commissioner to put their microphone where the sun doesn’t shine. Joe Davis talked to three infielders at once and then two outfielders at once during play. Everyone but Skubal was kind and considerate. I was aghast. This is not what many of us tune in to receive when athletic contests are being played. Neither would an interview with a working chef or musician be interesting or informative.

It was a good game with some good plays. However, for Bruce Bochy to have to wear that worse than any beer league or “city connect” outfit was just embarrassing. Someone or, most likely, a committee may actually have been paid to come up with those designs and colors. Put them back in their team unis and stop this dress up nonsense. Torey Lovullo and Bochy both did well as did Juan Soto and the guy who charged Ohtani three million for the cab ride to the park.