The 1999 Midsummer Classic was played on July 13, 1999 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. In a touching pre-game ceremony, a collection of the game’s all-time All-Stars gathered in the infield. The biggest ovation in Boston was for legendary outfielder Ted Williams, who returned to the stadium he called home for nineteen seasons. When the game started, Boston’s current star, pitcher Pedro Martinez, took center stage. He entered the game with one-hundred eighty-two strikeouts, worked his magic on the National League’s finest and struck out Barry Larkin, Larry Walker, and Sammy Sosa consecutively in the first inning. Kenny Lofton started things off with a single, in the bottom of the first. With two outs and Manny Ramirez at the plate, Lofton stole second. After Ramirez walked, the setting looked like an Indians game with Lofton and Ramirez on base and slugger Jim Thome at bat. Thome satisfied Cleveland and American League fans by singling to center, scoring Lofton. Then Cal Ripken, Jr. drove in Ramirez with a single and suddenly the American League was in control with a 2-0 lead.

Martinez continued to rule on the mound, in the top of the second, he struck out homerun king Mark McGwire. One more strikeout and Martinez would match the famous feat of Carl Hubbell in 1934 who out Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons and Joe Cronin consecutively. Matt Williams ended the streak by reaching base on an error in the next at-bat. With two strikes on Jeff Bagwell, Williams was stealing but Martinez hurled a strike and catcher Ivan Rodriguez threw out Williams, Completing a double play. In the ninth inning, the National League provided a scare with a one-out single by Brian Jordan, but the short lived rally was ended by Jeff Kent hitting into a double-play. This was the American League’s third consecutive victory and they had completely dominated a decade by winning in seven out of ten meetings. Pedro Martinez won the All-Star Most Valuable Player Award after mowing down each and every National League slugger he faced. The win by Pedro Martinez was the first ever during an All-Star game by an American League starting pitcher in his hometown park.