As we approach the current All-Star break, I thought it would be fun to revisit when the Atlanta Braves hosted the 2000 All-Star Game at Turner Field. This game featured a lot of future hall-of-fame baseball players and special moments that won't soon be forgotten.
Turner Field was host to many exciting events over the years and there are so many special moments that happened there. Hosting the 2000 All-Star game provided even more of those memories.
Fans witnessed Randy Johnson, Derek Jeter, Vladimir Guerrero, Trevor Hoffman, Mariano Rivera, and many other future hall-of-famers in action. The Atlanta Braves were represented by Chipper Jones, Andruw Jones, Andres Galarraga, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, and legendary manager Bobby Cox.
Those are some incredible names to be featured in any ASG but especially one in their home ballpark. It was an electric atmosphere even during the announcing of the lineups, the first pitch, and the game itself.
Atlanta Braves fans vigorously applauded their favorite players but one of them received a bigger reception than the others. That player was Andres Galarraga who had just returned after missing the 1999 season as he was undergoing treatment for a cancerous tumor located in his back.
Galarraga was just happy to be back on the field and contributing to the team but he was having one of the best seasons of his career at the time and made it all the more impressive. There have been some amazing first basemen to don the Atlanta uniform but Galarraga is one of my all-time favorites.
Henry Aaron threw out the ceremonial first pitch because why wouldn't you pick the legend that is Hammerin' Hank? I couldn't think of a better person to throw out the first pitch in Atlanta.
Randy Johnson started for the NL squad and was opposed by Toronto Blue Jays pitcher David Wells. There were so many great pitchers involved in this game and as it has been for many years now the American League squad won 6-3 at the end of the day.
Carl Everett drove in Derek Jeter in the third inning to give the AL All-Stars an early lead and they would score two more in the fourth thanks to a two-run single by Jeter. The Yankees legendary shortstop had also doubled off of Randy Johnson in the first inning and his three-hit night earned him ASG MVP.
The American League team added 3 runs in the top of the ninth off of Trevor Hoffman. Matt Lawton, Magglio Ordonez, and Darin Erstad all drove in runs against the now hall-of-fame closer.