The 25 greatest MLB All-Star Games

Throughout the years, countless memories have been made at Major League Baseball's annual All-Star Game. It might seem impossible to narrow down some of the best games the "Midsummer Classic" has delivered. But we'll try...

25. 2010: National League 3, American League 1 (at Anaheim) (1 of 25)

Mired in a 13-game winless rut (12-0-1), the NL was desperate for an All-Star win. Atlanta catcher Brian McCann was more than happy to oblige. With the bases loaded in the seventh inning and the NL trailing 1-0, McCann drove the ball into the right-field corner off Chicago White Sox reliever Matt Thornton for a double that cleared the bases and put his team up for good. It's the only hit in seven career All-Star at-bats for McCann, who was named the 2010 MVP of the game for the National League, which would also win the next two contests.

24. 1987: National League 2, American League 0, 13 innings (at Oakland) (2 of 25)

Offense is generally what gets fans excited about any type of professional All-Star contest. However, supporters of good pitching probably hoped the 1987 installment of MLB's All-Star Game wouldn't end. For 12 innings, neither team was able to push across a run. Kansas City's Bret Saberhagen set the tempo by allowing one hit over the game's first three innings. The contest featured 14 combined hits, three via Montreal's Tim Raines. The legendary Expo didn't enter the contest until the sixth inning, but singled in each of his first two at-bats and stole a base. Then, in the 13th, with two NL runners on base, Raines laced a drive into the left-center-field gap for a triple that plated the game's only runs.

23. 1986: American League 3, National League 2 (at Houston) (3 of 25)

Roger Clemens' All-Star Game debut was certainly quite memorable. Pitching at the Astrodome, near his high school home in the Houston area, Clemens started for the American League and looked like a seasoned All-Star veteran by not allowing a hit or walk while striking out two in three innings. It set the tempo for the AL, which jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to Lou Whitaker's two-run homer off Dwight Gooden in the second inning. Though the NL fell short, Los Angeles Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela struck out half of the ten batters he faced over three innings.

22. 2002: American League 7, National League 7, 11 innings (at Milwaukee) (4 of 25)

The two biggest takeaways from the 2002 All-Star Game was that it ended with a 7-7 score after 11 innings -- when both teams ran out of pitchers -- and Minnesota's Torri Hunter robbing Barry Bonds of a home run in the first inning. Hunter got his glove over the top of the right-center-field wall to make the catch and excite the crowd. Bonds then picked up Hunter, in jest, as he took the field. Digging a little deeper into the numbers, the two teams featured 19 pitchers, went 6-for-27 with runners in scoring position, and struck out a combined 23 times.

21. 1971: American League 6, National League 4 (at Detroit) (5 of 25)

From 1963-1982, the American League won the All-Star Game just once. That lone victory came in 1971, when, thanks to a windy day in the Motor City, all 10 runs came courtesy of six homers -- three for each team. Those long balls from the AL were all of the two-run variety -- courtesy of Frank Robinson, Harmon Killebrew and Reggie Jackson. The latter's drive off Dock Ellis in the third inning was estimated at 520 feet and hit a light standard at old Tiger Stadium.

20. 1933: American League 4, National League 2 (at Chicago -- AL) (6 of 25)

We'll roll back the clock to the first official Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Played at Chicago's Comiskey Park on July 6, 1933. Of the 36 All-Stars who participated in this historic contest, 20 would become Hall of Famers—led, of course, by Babe Ruth, who clubbed a two-run homer in the third inning for one of his two hits on the day. He also made a key catch in deep right field to preserve the AL's lead late in the contest.

19. 2007: American League 5, National League 4 (at San Francisco) (7 of 25)

The American League was amid its 14-year run of dominance over the National League when Seattle Mariners' legend Ichiro Suzuki left his mark on the All-Star Game. An All-Star for the seventh time, Suzuki went 3-for-3 with a two-run homer that turned a 1-0 AL deficit in the fifth inning into a lead the visitors would never give up. That home run, however, has some rather historic significance. Taking advantage of then-known AT&T Park's unique dimensions, Suzuki's drive to right-center field took a weird carom off the wall, thus allowing him to circle the bases for the only inside-the-park home run in ASG history.

18. 2003: American League 7, National League 6 (at Chicago -- AL) (8 of 25)

The homes of the Chicago White Sox have played host to some of the most memorable games and moments in All-Star Game history. The 2003 installment at the current version of the park certainly did not disappoint -- and was the first ASG with home-field advantage for the World Series on the line. The American League trailed 5-1 after five innings, then began chipping away. Trailing 6-4 heading into the eighth and facing Los Angeles Dodgers closer Eric Gagne, who converted all 55 save chances in 2003, the AL did the unthinkable. The hosts scored three times off Gagne, highlighted by Hank Blalock's two-run, go-ahead, pinch-hit homer.

17. 1983: American League 13, National League 3 (at Chicago -- AL) (9 of 25)

Sure, the 50th anniversary of Major League Baseball's "Midsummer Classic" wasn't the most competitive. A seven-run third inning essentially iced the game in what became the American League's only victory from 1972-'85, but snapped an 11-game skid for the Junior Circuit. However, there was a historical element to the contest, Fred Lynn, playing for the California Angles in his ninth and final All-Star Game, highlighted that breakout third inning by belting the only grand slam in ASG history. It came off San Francisco's Atlee Hammaker, and landed well into the right-field seats at old Comiskey Park.

16. 1967: National League 2, American League 1, 15 innings (at Anaheim) (10 of 25)

The National League needed extra innings for the second straight season to post a 2-1 All-Star-Game victory. However, the NL took a record 15 innings to get the job done. With names like Marichal, Jenkins, Gibson, Drysdale, Seaver, and Downing pitching in the game, the teams combined to strike out 30 times. Meanwhile, all three runs came via the solo homer. Dick Allen gave the NL a 1-0 lead in the second before Brooks Robinson tied it with his blast in the sixth. The eventual hero was first-time All-Star Tony Perez, who took a pitch from "Catfish" Hunter, in his fifth inning of relief, over the left-field wall in the top of the 15th.

15. 1981: National League 5, American League 4 (at Cleveland) (11 of 25)

The '81 All-Star affair might be best known for being played after the player's strike was settled that season. It was played on Sunday, Aug. 9 -- one of two times the event was not held in July (1959 being the other). Still, there was plenty of excitement at Cleveland's famed ballpark, with the season scheduled to restart the next day. Indians' hurler Len Barker threw two no-hit, scoreless innings for the AL, which scored three times in the sixth to take a 4-2 lead. However, the NL scored three runs spanning the seventh and eighth innings to win. Montreal's Gary Carter clubbed two solo homers en route to earning MVP honors.

14. 1954: American League 11, National League 9 (at Cleveland) (12 of 25)

The 1954 All-Star Game was known for its showcase of offense, featuring 31 combined hits and six home runs. The AL led 4-0 after three innings, but the NL scored five times in the fourth. The American League held an 8-7 edge when the NL plated a pair of runs in the top of the eighth. However, Cleveland's Larry Doby's homer off Gene Conley and Nellie Fox's two-run, go-ahead single in the bottom of the eighth helped the AL snap a four-game losing streak to the National League. Another beloved Indian, Al Rosen, proved to be the game's star, going 3-for-4 with a three-run homer off Philadelphia great Robin Roberts and a two-run shot against Johnny Antonelli. Rosen's five RBIs are still tied for first all-time in ASG history.

13. 1989: American League 5, National League 3 (at Anaheim) (13 of 25)

It wasn't a surprise when versatile superstar Bo Jackson led off the bottom of the first inning with a mammoth home run (traveling nearly 450 feet) to center field off NL starter Rick Reusche l. Not to mention, former President Ronald Reagan was in the broadcast booth at the time. Jackson went for 2-for-4 with two RBIs and also stole base. Thus, becoming the first player since Willie Mays to record a home run and steal in the same game -- taking home MVP honors -- while the AL did all its scoring in the first three innings.

12. 1964: National League 7, American League 4 (at New York -- NL) (14 of 25)

There have not been all that many walk-off victories in the history of the All-Star Game. However, that was not the case in 1964, when the National League erased a 4-3 deficit by scoring four times in the ninth to win at Shea Stadium. Orlando Cepeda tied things with an RBI single, and the game came to a jubilant end when Philadelphia's Johnny Callison, playing in his second All-Star Game, knocked a three-run, walk-off homer against Dick Radatz in the most recent ASG to end that way.

11. 2008: American League 4, National League 3, 15 innings (at New York -- AL) (15 of 25)

The '08 All-Star Game started on July 15 but ended a little after 1:30 a.m. EST on July 16 at Yankee Stadium. At 4 hours, 50 minutes, it's still the longest All-Star Game in terms of duration. While also tying the record for innings played. The game featured several notable moments, such as Dan Uggla's record three errors and J.D. Drew's trying, two-run homer for the AL in the bottom of the seventh. The game ended on Michael Young's sacrifice fly, barely scoring Justin Morneau from third.

10 1949: American League 11, National League 7 (at New York -- NL) (16 of 25)

The historical significance of the 1949 All-Star Game cannot be underplayed. Held at Brooklyn's beloved Ebbets Field -- for the only time, this marked the first ASG with African-American players participating. Dodgers legend Jackie Robinson started for the National League, with Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe also on the same roster. Meanwhile, Larry Doby suited up for the AL, which received an impressive three-inning save from New York Yankees right-hander Vic Raschi.

9. 1961: National League 5, American League 4, 10 innings (at San Francisco) (17 of 25)

From 1959-'62, the All-Star Game was played in a doubleheader format. spread out over two days -- reportedly to increase the players' pension fund. The opener in '61, played at Candlestick Park, saw the NL take a 3-1 lead into the ninth. However, a reported wind-aided balk, then a fielding error, allowed the AL to tie the game. The Junior Circuit went up 4-3 in the top of the 10th, but then it was time for the NL's legends to take over in the bottom of the frame. Willie Mays drove home Hank Aaron with a game-tying double, then scored the winner on Roberto Clemente's single

8. 2001: American League 4, National League 1 (at Seattle) (18 of 25)

This was the final All-Star Game for two of the game's true legends -- Baltimore ironman Cal Ripken Jr. and San Diego's Tony Gwynn. At the start of the game, Alex Rodriquez shifted over to third base, so Ripken would officially get the start at shortstop. And, in true Hollywood fashion, Ripken's third-inning homer gave the AL a 1-0 lead -- and essentially secured him the game's MVP award. Back-to-back home runs from Derek Jeter and Magglio Ordonez in the sixth extended the American League's 2-1 lead.

7. 1994: National League 8, American League 7, 10 innings (at Pittsburgh) (19 of 25)

One of the more highly entertaining All-Star affairs in the event's history. The teams combined for 27 hits, and even Greg Maddux looked human while allowing a run and three hits over three innings. The NL led 4-1 after three innings, but the AL went ahead with three runs each in the sixth and seventh. Trailing 7-5 into the ninth, the NL's Fred McGriff clubbed a two-run homer off Baltimore's Lee Smith to send the contest into extra innings. The National League snapped their six-game losing streak in the 10th, when Tony Gwynn got in under the tag to score from first on Moises Alou's walk-off double.

6. 1955: National League 6, American League 5, 12 innings (at Milwaukee) (20 of 25)

Held at Milwaukee's beloved County Stadium, the National League trailed 5-0 after six innings. But, that's when the fun began. The home team chipped away over the next two innings, and eventually tied the game after eight. The contest would go to the bottom of the 12th, where St. Louis Cardinals' legend Stan Musial belted a solo home run off Boston's Frank Sullivan to complete the comeback and send the NL to a seemingly improbable victory.

5. 1950: National League 4, American league 3, 14 innings (at Chicago -- AL) (21 of 25)

Once again played at Comiskey Park, this was the first All-Star Game to be decided in extra innings. The game is notable for the performance of New York Giants hurler Larry Jansen, who came out of the bullpen to throw five innings -- tying an All-Star single-game record -- of scoreless ball. The right-hander yielded just one hit, did not walk a batter and struck out six of the 16 hitters he faced. Meanwhile, the NL's Ralph Kiner tied the game in the ninth with a solo homer and Red Schoendienst delivered a go-ahead blast in the 14th. The game also ended dramatically on Joe DiMaggio's 5-4-3 double play.

4. 1979: National League 7, American League 6 (at Seattle) (22 of 25)

The '79 affair at the Kingdome was about the arm of Pittsburgh right fielder Dave Parker and plate performance by the New York Mets' Lee Mazzilli. Parker, who also went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk, threw out Boston legend Jim Rice trying to stretch a seventh-inning double, which Parker actually misplayed, into a triple. Then, via perhaps the greatest outfield assist in All-Star history, Parker pegged Brian Downing trying to score on a single in the eighth to keep the game at 6-6. The NL had tied it in the top of the eighth on a pinch-hit homer from Mazzilli, who then drew a bases-loaded walk to score the go-ahead run in the ninth.

3. 1970: National League 5, American 4, 12 innings (at Cincinnati) (23 of 25)

The first MLB All-Star Game to be played at night, is best known for what is arguably the most memorable -- and perhaps controversial -- play in the game's history. Back when players actually treated the game as a regular-season contest, "Charlie Hustle", himself, Pete Rose barreled over AL catcher Ray Fosse, who was awaiting Amos Otis' throw from center field on Jim Hickman's single in the bottom of the 12th with the game tied. Fosse not only failed to catch the ball, but suffered a separated shoulder from the unapologetic Rose, whose run capped the NL's comeback from a 4-1 hole. The play also overshadowed a stellar three-inning pitcher's duel between starters Jim Palmer and Tom Seaver.

2. 1941: American League 7, National League 5 (at Detroit) (24 of 25)

As we've seen, the greats come through when the lights shine the brightest. In 1941, Ted Williams, who went on to hit .406 that season, sent the AL to victory with a three-run, walk-off homer against Claude Passeau to cap a four-run ninth for the home team. While Williams garnered most of the attention for his late heroics, the true star of the game was Pittsburgh shortstop Arky Vaughn. In a losing effort, Vaughn went 3-for-4 with two home runs, two runs scored and four RBIs. The latter is still tied for the second-most single-game RBIs in ASG history.

1. 1999: American League 4, National League 1 (at Boston) (25 of 25)

We highlighted Ted Williams: The Baseball Great. The 1999 All-Star Game at Fenway Park proved to be about Williams -- the legend. In one of the most endearing and emotional moments in sports history, the MLB All-Century Team was honored. That included an ailing Williams, who was driven out on his former home diamond, and greeted by the current All-Stars, fellow legends and praised with a lengthy standing ovation. Once the game started, it was about one of Boston's current stars. Pedro Martinez struck out the NL's first three batters - Barry Larkin, Larry Walker and Sammy Sosa. Then opened the second by striking out Mark McGwire before Matt Williams reached on an error. However, Martinez raised the decibel level at Fenway to seemingly astronomic heights when he fanned Jeff Bagwell on the front-end of a strike-him-out-throw-him-out double play to end the inning and essentially secure his MVP award.