Although Briggs Stadium in Detroit was awarded an All-Star Game in 1941, it did not take long for the ballpark to receive its second bid. Maybe that's because the first one was such a success. The '41 game with a crowd of nearly 55,000 attending the game saw a magical moment when Red Sox slugger Ted Williams helped the American League walk off with a 7-5 victory when he hit a two-out home run in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The 1951 contest may not have been quite as memorable overall, but a good bet says Tigers third baseman George Kell never forgot the fifth of his 10 appearances in the Midsummer Classic. Tigers right fielder Vic Wertz, too, must have fondly remembered the game.
That's because Wertz homered to deep right field off NL reliever Sam Maglie in the fourth inning, and the 28-year-old Kell matched him an inning later with a solo shot to deep left. The pair combined for two of the three runs in the AL's 8-3 defeat.
However, the game might have been a bit more forgettable for Tigers pitcher Fred Hutchinson, who allowed three runs in three innings of work on the mound.
Kell is obviously a familiar name to fans. He never received more than a third of the vote from the Hall of Fame electing writers but was eventually earned the laurel from the veteran's committee. Many fans know him from a memorable career as one of the club's announcers along side Al Kaline.
Wertz is likely lesser known. He bounced around a lot in his 17-season career, but spent nine years of it in Detroit. During his time in the Tigers uniform, Wertz batted .286 with an OPS of .852. He also represented Detroit in the 1952 All-Star Game.
Hutchinson's only all-star appearance was in that 1951 game. He went 10-10 for Detroit that year with a 3.68 ERA, and finished his career at 95-71 with a 3.73 ERA. He spent his entire playing career in Detroit. An infamous highlight of his career came in 1946 when he allowed the longest home run of Ted Williams' career: a 502-footer at Fenway Park. Hutchinson may also be remembered for becoming the Tigers player-manager at the age of 32 in 1952. He remained their manager through 1954 and also managed for St. Louis and Cincinnati. He died of cancer at the age of 45 but inspired his brother to found a cancer research centered named in his honor.
The Tigers went 73-81 that year to finish in fifth place of eight teams. They plummeted to eighth in 1952 and did not contend for the division during the decade at all after their second-place finish in 1950.
No. 8 -- Kell, Wertz homer for the home crowd in 1951
No. 9 -- Briggs Stadium hosts a memoral ninth inning in 1941
No. 10 -- Bran-Torino carries the vote in 2010