Seventy players selected to the 2003 All-Star squads, forty-nine were from the United States, six were from the Dominican Republic, five were from Puerto Rico, three were from Japan, three were from Venezuela and one each from Canada, Mexico, Colombia and Curacao. This was the first All-Star Game “where it counted”, the winner was awarded home field advantage during the World Series. The 2003 Midsummer Classic was played on July 15, 2003 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois. National League Starter Jason Schmidt defined pitch efficiency in the first inning after retiring Ichiro Suzuki, Alfonzo Soriano and Carlos Delgado with five quick pitches en route to a two-shutout-inning effort. The American League’s aces responded as well and the game remained 0-0 thanks to some clutch fielding by their teammates.

The American League managed to break through the scoreless stalemate with a Delgado single, for the 1-0 advantage in the third. The National League answered back with a run-scoring rally of their own and looked to be comfortable heading into the eighth with a 6-4 lead. Unlikely hero Blalock stepped up to the and hit the first pinch-hit homer in an All-Star Game since 1995 to seal the National’s Fate 7-6 and home-field advantage for his American League brothers. Garret Anderson won the 2003 Home Run Derby then captured the 3003 All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award. The last, and only other player to date, to match this unique feat was cal Ripken, Jr. during the 1991 Midsummer Classic. The home-field reward was one of the big topics in the clubhouses after the game, but most players and managers seemed to agree that it did not increase the intensity on the field. Ultimately, the American League extended its unbeaten streak in the Midsummer Classic to seven and looked forward to the Fall Classic, which would start and possibly finish, in their home.