Detroit Tigers: All eyes were on Detroit for 2005 All-Star Game

A year before the Detroit Tigers made the World Series, the eyes of the baseball world were on Comerica Park as Detroit hosted the MLB All-Star Game.

The Detroit Tigers made the World Series in 2006 after a 19-year absence from the playoffs, and that brought the baseball world’s attention back onto Detroit after it had been largely ignored for a long time. Yet the year before that, Detroit got back onto the baseball map when it hosted the 76th MLB All-Star Game.

It was an important time for Detroit sports, as the city would also host the Super Bowl several months later. Indeed, the city was in the national spotlight in several ways back then. As for the All-Star Game, it was an opportunity for the city to show off its relatively new stadium, Comerica Park.

Coming into the game, the American League had been dominating the Midsummer Classic; with the exception of the 2002 tie, the AL had won every game since 1997. This particular year, the AL starting lineup was stacked with offensive firepower:

CF Johnny Damon

3B Alex Rodriguez

DH David Ortiz

LF Manny Ramirez

SS Miguel Tejada

RF Vladimir Guerrero

1B Mark Teixeira

C Jason Varitek

2B Brian Roberts

P Mark Buehrle

Meanwhile, here was the NL starting lineup:

RF Bobby Abreu

LF Carlos Beltran

DH Albert Pujols

1B Derrek Lee

CF Jim Edmonds

3B Aramis Ramirez

C Mike Piazza

2B Jeff Kent

SS David Eckstein

P Chris Carpenter

Abreu had put on a classic performance the previous night in the Home Run Derby. During the actual game, the AL got out to a 7-0 lead before a late NL comeback cut the lead to 7-5. Mariano Rivera, in standard fashion, closed it out for the save for the AL. Tejada was the game’s MVP, homering and driving in two runs.

One big storyline coming into the game was that of Texas Rangers pitcher Kenny Rogers, who had recently received a suspension for shoving a cameraman. Give Rogers credit for at least facing the situation and pitching in the game, though he was heavily booed by the fans. Ironically, Rogers would be a hero the following year, joining the Tigers and having one of the best years of his career.

As for the Tigers, Ivan Rodriguez, the star free agent pickup from a year earlier, was the team’s lone representative in the game. He went 0-for-1 with a walk. Manager Alan Trammell was also a coach.

In all, it was a great night for the city of Detroit and for the Detroit Tigers, and it foreshadowed bigger things to come in the next year. Hopefully, Comerica Park will get to host another All-Star Game in the future.