Revisiting the 2000 MLB All-Star Game at Turner Field
By Steven Teal
Keeping up with the Joneses
It wouldn't be an All-Star Game in Atlanta if a Braves star or two didn't show up and show out. Two of the three runs scored by the National League came off the bats of Chipper Jones and Andruw Jones.
Chipper started things off in the first inning with a single off of David Wells but ultimately, the NL wouldn't score that inning. If you thought the crowd was loud when Chipper singled in the first, it was a whole different story in the third.
The Braves third baseman launched an opposite-field homer to left field while facing White Sox Pitcher James Baldwin. It appeared off the bat it was going to be a double into the gap but the ball just kept carrying and carrying. It was an electric atmosphere at Turner Field after that.
That home run made Chipper the 13th player in MLB history to homer in their home ballpark during an All-Star game. Henry Aaron also accomplished this feat in 1972 when Atlanta first hosted the Summer Classic.
Chipper also had a hit in the bottom of the fifth inning which made him 3-for-3 on the evening and solidified just how good of a hitter he was.
The second run for the NL came in the bottom of the fifth after Andruw Jones had an RBI single against Oakland A's reliever Jason Isringhausen that scored Gary Sheffield, who was with the Dodgers at the time.
That was pretty much it for the National League until the bottom of the ninth when someone not on the Atlanta Braves, drove in the third run. That run was scored against another incredible closer that some of you may have heard of, named Mariano Rivera.
Steve Finley of the Arizona Diamondbacks laced an RBI single to center field and scored Mike Lieberthal for the NL's final run of the night.
Tom Glavine did appear in the game during the fifth inning and pitched a scoreless inning allowing no runs on no hits with no walks and one strikeout. He was the only Braves pitcher to appear during the game.
It was a historic night of baseball with some of the biggest names in the sport. However, when it mattered most two of Atlanta's stars shone the brightest and delivered in key moments. This is an All-Star game I won't soon forget.
With the 2023 iteration of the ASG taking place in Seattle on Tuesday night, there are plenty of Braves on the roster to make more memories for Atlanta fans. An historic eight Braves players were selected to the Summer Classic this year. Who do you think will have the most impact?