As he walked into the 4 Seasons, Matt Damon didn’t know what to anticipate. The actor had simply acquired a telephone name asking if he wished to satisfy Ted Williams. Damon didn’t must assume twice. “Completely,” he mentioned.
Each had been in Boston for a similar cause. The 1999 Main League All-Star Recreation was set to unfold at historic Fenway Park on July 13. Along with the traditional festivities, 31 of the best dwelling ballplayers could be launched as a part of an “All-Century Staff” promotion to acknowledge the most effective gamers of the twentieth century. After the legends walked in from heart area, Williams would throw out the primary pitch in what would turn into a novel second within the sport’s historical past.
Damon, then 28, had already lived out a childhood dream. To organize for the All-Star Superstar Problem, he had been capable of take batting follow round midnight along with his dad and others at Fenway. He had grown up attending Purple Sox video games, paying scalpers a couple of dollars for bleacher seats. Immediately, he was taking cuts in the identical park that Yaz and Pudge as soon as known as house.
“We actually mentioned as we had been coming house on this van at 1 a.m., possibly we must always simply go to the highest of the Prudential constructing and leap. It’s by no means going to get higher than this,” Damon instructed The Athletic. “We couldn’t imagine they allow us to on the sector. They had been portray the traces as we had been enjoying.”
Now he was about to satisfy Williams.
Damon was instructed the Corridor of Famer had simply completed a tv interview. Approaching 81, Williams was not in nice well being. However Damon immediately seen that the “Splendid Splinter” nonetheless had the booming voice. Nonetheless had a commanding presence. He launched himself and instructed Williams that he had grown up in Boston. And that he had learn his e book as a child.
“Bull—-! You didn’t learn my e book,” Williams mentioned.
“I actually did,” Damon mentioned. “‘The Science of Hitting.’ I learn your e book.”
“All proper, what do I say is crucial factor?”
“Get pitch to hit,” he mentioned.
Williams jumped up and hugged the younger actor.
Main as much as the occasion’s twenty fifth anniversary, The Athletic talked with practically 30 gamers, broadcasters and baseball officers who had been at Fenway that July night. Few remembered the ultimate rating — it was an All-Star sport, in any case — however practically everybody remembered with nice fondness the pregame ceremony, which concerned maybe the best assortment of baseball expertise ever assembled.
Famous Massachusetts native Matt Damon watches the motion from the stands in the course of the sport. (Ezra O. Shaw / Allsport)
Pregame actions are scripted. Every little thing runs on schedule. But the 1999 All-Star Recreation is remembered for its spontaneity, and never for causes you would possibly assume.
To start out, nobody knew for positive what to anticipate from Williams, ornery as ever in his later years.
Then-Boston normal supervisor Dan Duquette had first invited the Purple Sox legend and his son John Henry months earlier, a phone dialog Duquette mentioned unfolded like this:
Duquette: “Ted, we bought the All-Star Recreation right here in July and we’d like to have you ever right here to throw out the primary pitch.”
Williams: “I don’t know. I don’t know if I’m up for it. I haven’t been up there in a very long time.”
Duquette: “Ted, you already know you had been the MVP of the final All-Star Recreation right here in Boston.”
Williams: “God—- proper I used to be. Let me speak to John Henry and name me again in every week.”
This went on for a month.
Former St. Louis Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire says the pregame ceremony was one of many best experiences he’s had on a baseball area, one thing he doubts might be duplicated. “It takes loads to get me in awe of issues. I believe that was one of many first occasions I used to be in awe,” McGwire mentioned.
Former Boston pitcher Pedro Martinez, who would seize sport MVP honors after a dominating All-Star efficiency, says he may inform whereas warming up within the bullpen that the night time could be particular. The excitement was unmistakable. “There’s by no means going to be an All-Star sport like that one,” Martinez mentioned.
Former Colorado outfielder Larry Walker was so moved he took house a patch of Fenway turf he had kicked up throughout his time in proper area. Walker slipped the grass right into a dishevelled and positioned it in a house fridge, including water to assist preserve it alive, a science experiment that finally failed.
“I’m only a jock. I don’t preserve grass alive for a dwelling so I wasn’t positive what I used to be speculated to do with it,” Walker mentioned. “It simply appeared like a cool factor to do within the second.”
The All-Century staff walked out from behind a crimson curtain in “Area of Goals” type. Actor Kevin Costner, an enormous baseball fan, introduced the accomplishments of every member, a gaggle that included Henry Aaron, Willie Mays and Stan Musial, baseball royalty.
The Nationwide and American League All-Star groups had been subsequent, lining up on the baselines. Donna Summer time sang the Nationwide Anthem. Then got here the primary occasion.
Williams appeared from behind the crimson curtain using subsequent to longtime Purple Sox worker Al Forester in a golf cart. Public tackle announcer Ed Brickley dealt with the introduction.
“He wore the Purple Sox uniform for 22 years. He wore the uniform of the US Marines for 4 and a half extra. …
“He was the final man to hit .400 in a season, and he did it 58 years in the past. He hit 521 house runs, together with one on his final at-bat. Girls and gents, please welcome the best hitter that ever lived, No. 9, Corridor of Famer, baseball legend …”
Williams eliminated his hat and raised it along with his proper hand, acknowledging the group, one thing he famously prevented as a participant due to his rocky relationship with Boston followers.
Standing beside his teammates, Philadelphia pitcher Paul Byrd thought in regards to the time he had met Williams eight years earlier. In 1991, President George H. W. Bush invited the LSU baseball staff to the White Home to have a good time the Tigers’ nationwide championship. Because it turned out, Williams and Joe DiMaggio had been additionally there for the fiftieth anniversary of the 1941 season, the 12 months Williams hit .406 and DiMaggio hit in 56 consecutive video games.
For Byrd, assembly Williams was like assembly John Wayne.
“There are particular moments you don’t overlook,” Byrd mentioned. “The primary time your spouse tells you she’s pregnant. If you get that decision to the large leagues. The place you had been when 9/11 occurred. Some are good, some are dangerous. However once you meet Ted Williams for the primary time and shake his hand, you don’t overlook that second.”
As Williams rode to the infield, Mets catcher Mike Piazza thought in regards to the day the Boston icon had visited his house with a scout who was a buddy of his father’s and watched a teenage Piazza hit in his yard batting cage. Impressed, Williams instructed Piazza he attacked the ball higher than he did at that age. It gave Piazza confidence that he had a future in baseball.
Fred Lynn watched from the “600 Membership,” a VIP space positioned behind house plate. The previous Boston Purple Sox star had first met Williams after a house sport throughout his rookie season. In 1975, Lynn was within the midst of an MVP season, and Williams wished to examine him out. They had been related, each left-handed hitters. Lynn positioned his palms otherwise however their swings had related arcs. Williams requested Lynn for his idea on hitting. “I see it, I hit it,” Lynn answered.
He may inform Williams was not impressed.
Within the 600 Membership, Lynn watched Williams and the cart cease close to the pitcher’s mound. For the previous two days, he had participated in All-Star occasions. Lynn knew how large this night time was for Boston. He puzzled how the second was translating onto tv.
For years, it’s been mentioned that the All-Stars selected their very own to encompass Williams close to the pitcher’s mound.
In interviews for this story, a number of gamers mentioned that’s how they bear in mind it. A very natural second.
Michael Weisman, a producer on the Fox broadcast, instructed The Athletic that he had prompt in an advance assembly that the gamers and legends transfer in to congregate round one another. Steve Hellmuth, who was the senior vice chairman of MLB Productions, mentioned an MLB official waved the All-Stars towards Williams.
“On paper, the plan was Ted Williams rolls in,” Weisman mentioned. “Standing ovation, Fenway Park, he involves the mound, the gamers congregate, he throws the primary pitch. COMMERCIAL. That’s the way in which it was rehearsed. That may have been terrific.”
Two issues occurred that delayed the sequence: One, Williams, with tears in his eyes, embraced the second and began speaking with the All-Stars. Two, Weisman mentioned, the ball for the primary pitch couldn’t be positioned. This prompted issues for the tv of us, who had been underneath strain to maintain every little thing on schedule.
Broadcaster Joe Buck was already emotional. Fox had come again from industrial as Williams had been launched and Buck was excited about his father, Jack Buck, who had interviewed Williams all through his broadcasting profession. Joe Buck recalled Weisman in his ear, saying, “We’re again! We’re again!” however he couldn’t speak.
“I used to be choked up,” mentioned Buck, recalling the second Williams tipped his cap. “Nothing would come out. I couldn’t communicate. And I’m so glad I didn’t.”
As Williams talked with the All-Stars, an govt producer pleaded with Weisman, “Go to industrial! There’s no ball!”
Weisman knew he couldn’t danger lacking Williams and the primary pitch. No manner he was going to industrial. “The ball will present up at any minute!” he mentioned.
Buck and analyst Tim McCarver remained silent, letting the second breathe. Weisman cranked the mics on two handheld cameras he had on the sector, permitting the nation to listen in on an unscripted dialog, baseball’s previous assembly its current.
“It struck me then and it strikes me to at the present time, these are the heroes of the sport they usually had been like little boys in Ted Williams’ presence,” Weisman mentioned. “It was like a child coming as much as a present ball participant and saying, ‘Please, sir, can I’ve an autograph?’ It was so cool.”
Williams greeted Sammy Sosa, Cal Ripken Jr. and Boston shortstop Nomar Garciaparra. He known as out for McGwire and requested if he ever smelled smoke after fouling off a pitch.
“Of all locations, proper?” McGwire mentioned, laughing. “We’re on the mound on the All-Star sport in entrance of everyone, and he’s asking me a private query. I mentioned, ‘Sure, it’s occurred to me on a regular basis.’ I believed I used to be actually the one one who ever smelled that.”
Brickley, the PA announcer, requested gamers to return to the dugouts so Williams may throw out the primary pitch. However Williams saved speaking. Pittsburgh third baseman Ed Sprague mentioned it was like a grandfather telling tales on a sofa earlier than dinner. Atlanta outfielder Brian Jordan mentioned he simply wished to remain among the many legends and soak up their greatness.
“He couldn’t have cared much less if there have been 40,000 individuals ready, and the PA and TV networks,” Padres nearer Trevor Hoffman mentioned of Williams. “It was like, ‘You’re in my home and I bought all of the pups round me.’ And he simply form of held courtroom.”
Ted Williams, second from proper, talks to Cal Ripken Jr. as Juan Marichal and Frank Robinson eavesdrop on the dialog. (Matt York / AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
Lastly, the baseball turned up.
John Henry helped his father out of the golf cart. San Diego outfielder Tony Gwynn handed the ball to Williams and steadied the Corridor of Famer as he ready to throw. The 2 had historical past. In 1994, Gwynn was linked to Williams as he chased .400, a quest halted in August due to a gamers’ strike. Later, the 2 had mentioned hitting throughout a memorable interview with Bob Costas.
“My dad revered Ted Williams, so when he was requested to be one of many guys to form of stroll Ted out, he was honored,” Tony Gwynn Jr. mentioned of Gwynn, who died in 2014 of most cancers. “He talked about that for years.”
Baseball officers as soon as requested Larry Cancro, a Purple Sox official who was closely concerned within the planning of the 1999 All-Star Recreation, about methods to create spontaneous moments akin to this, as if the magic on this night time might be duplicated. Amused, Cancro instructed them: “Properly, planning a spontaneous second is by definition not spontaneous.”
“There’s one thing about baseball,” mentioned the actor D.B. Sweeney, who performed Shoeless Joe Jackson in “Eight Males Out” and sat behind house plate that night time in Fenway. “It simply attracts that emotion out of you, in contrast to some other sport.”
The All-Stars remained in awe as they returned to the dugouts. “It was like, ‘Holy s–t, bro. That simply occurred,’” Houston pitcher Mike Hampton mentioned.
Then actuality hit.
“It was time to get up and face Pedro,” Cincinnati’s Barry Larkin mentioned.
Though the Williams second couldn’t be topped, Martinez did his finest to strive. He had dominated the season’s first half, going 15-3 with a 2.10 ERA. Main as much as All-Star week, Martinez knew this is able to be an enormous night time. Then earlier than the sport, he met Aaron, who instructed him he seemed ahead to watching him pitch. If the Purple Sox ace hadn’t been locked in earlier than, he was now. Martinez was decided to honor the legends and present them that baseball excellence may translate to any period.
“You look again at that 12 months, Pedro had the most effective fastball, the most effective curveball and the most effective changeup,” Ripken mentioned. “He simply had whole command.”
Larkin fouled off three 95-plus mph Martinez fastballs, working a 2-2 depend. “Then he threw me a changeup and I used to be like, ‘What the hell was that?’” Larkin mentioned. He swung, missed and have become the primary strikeout sufferer.
Martinez struck out Walker on 4 pitches. He fanned Sosa on 5. To start out the second inning, Martinez struck out McGwire, giving him 4 strikeouts in a row. After Arizona’s Matt Williams reached on an error, Martinez fanned Houston’s Jeff Bagwell, ending off one of many extra dominating pitching performances in All-Star historical past.
“All of these guys had been having unbelievable years, however McGwire and Sosa largely represented the offense of baseball, the home-run hitters, and I simply determined I’d see how particular (they had been) in opposition to somebody who was additionally dominating,” Martinez mentioned. “I mentioned, ‘It’s expertise in opposition to expertise. Mano y mano. Let’s see who comes out of it.’”
Pedro Martinez ultimately bought Mark McGwire with a excessive fastball for his fourth strikeout of the night time. (Ezra O. Shaw / Allsport)
After a 4-1 American League win, Martinez was voted MVP, a storybook ending for an ideal night time in Boston. After speaking to information reporters, Martinez met with Williams up within the Corridor of Famer’s field.
Williams teased Martinez about dealing with largely right-handed hitters throughout his two All-Star innings, avoiding a power-hitting left-hander like himself. Martinez laughed.
“You’re one hell of a pitcher,” Williams mentioned.
Williams signed a sport program for Martinez. Together with the pregame dialog he had had with Aaron, the Boston ace thought-about it extra beneficial than his MVP trophy. His jersey was later despatched to the Nationwide Baseball Corridor of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown.
Martinez realized one thing else. The 1999 All-Star Recreation had unfolded in the course of the steroid period. Whether or not he preferred it or not, Martinez was part of this. That’s why it felt so good that night time to be round Williams, Aaron, Mays, Reggie Jackson and others.
“As a result of these guys did it in the proper manner,’’ Martinez mentioned. “And I wished to do it proper as a result of I knew I used to be clear and I by no means did something. I wished them to see somebody that was for actual.”
The night time was filled with reminiscences. Damon and his father watched the sport from field seats on the third-base aspect. Late within the contest, they had been invited as much as go to with Williams in his suite. For an inning, they frolicked and ate scorching canine with the best hitter who ever lived.
When the night time was over, Kent Damon, who had performed collegiate baseball and coached highschool freshmen in retirement, instructed his son that this had been the best weekend of his life. “My dad and I talked about all of it the way in which as much as his dying in 2017,” Damon mentioned.
(Prime photograph of Ted Williams waving to the group: Ezra O. Shaw / Allsport)