Stargell honored on 2012 All-Star stamp set

From Pittsburgh- (and if he hadn't played in the "canyon" that was Forbes Field he would have had well over 500 HR. 456 ft to straight away center? Give me a break)

Pirates legend Willie "Pops" Stargell, who intimidated opposing pitchers by swinging a sledgehammer, will be immortalized on a "Forever" postage stamp in 2012.

"It's an extraordinary honor for an extraordinary human being," said Stargell's widow, Margaret, 52, of New Bern, N.C. "I know Willie would be very humbled."

Stargell died in 2001 at age 61. The stamp will be part of the Postal Service's Major League Baseball All-Star Stamp set.

The slugger, who played 21 seasons from 1962 to 1982, led the 1979 "We Are Family" Pirates to a World Series championship and hit 475 career home runs. He pounded 2,232 career hits and twice led the National League in home runs -- 48 in 1971 and 44 in 1973. Baseball's Hall of Fame inducted him in 1988.

He joins Joe DiMaggio, one of the game's most graceful athletes, and Larry Doby, the American League's first black player, in the All-Star set. The postal service will announce a fourth stamp on Sept. 2. Los Angeles artist Kadir Nelson based their designs on historic photos.

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National uprising: NL wins All-Star Game

Further signs of the impending Apocalypse-

The National Pastime's Midsummer Classic no longer is the exclusive property of the American League, which was knocked out on Tuesday night without a swing from the Yankees' mighty Alex Rodriguez.

With Braves catcher Brian McCann delivering the big blow, the National League came from behind to bop the AL, 3-1, in front of 45,408 at Angel Stadium, providing home-field advantage in the World Series for its champion.

This is the first happy ending for the NL in an All-Star Game since 1996, ending a run of seven consecutive AL wins and 12 of 13, interrupted by a draw in 2002.

and Matt McCann's three-run double into the right-field corner off White Sox southpaw Matt Thornton earned him the Most Valuable Player distinction. The big hit came after singles by Scott RolenHolliday had triggered the seventh-inning uprising against the Yankees' Phil Hughes.

More here-

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100713&content_id=12241778&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Papi pops, doesn't stop until hitting Derby top

Home Run Derby last night big game tonight-

In a competition that was highlighted by all the first-time competitors, the seasoned veteran stole the show.

It took David Ortiz four tries to advance to the final round of the State Farm Home Run Derby. But once he finally did, the Boston slugger made sure not to disappoint.

Capping his 32-homer night with 11 in the final round, Ortiz outslugged Florida shortstop Hanley Ramirez at Angel Stadium on Monday to claim the competition's crown.

"[I'm] too old doing this," Ortiz joked afterward. "It was good that they put me towards the end, because I get tired pretty easy when I hit and shut it down for a while."

Whatever his strategy may have been -- and Ortiz insisted that he really didn't have one -- the six-time All-Star became the first Red Sox player to earn the distinction of Derby champion.

More here-

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100712&content_id=12224106&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Pujols, Jeter lead star-studded rosters

All Star Teams announced. Way to go Freddy-

When the stars come out in St. Louis on July 14, the summer Midwestern sky might be a little jealous of the turf at Busch Stadium.

With the Gateway Arch in view, the baseball stars lined up on the field for the 80th All-Star Game will provide as pretty a backdrop to a midsummer night as any starry sky could, with a mix of some familiar constellations and a few new celestial bodies lighting up the night.

Hometown hero Albert Pujols leads the parade of stars as the overall leading vote-getter, racking up 5,397,374 votes, the second-highest total in Major League Baseball history. But the Cardinals first baseman was just one star in a universe of them when the National League and American League All-Star teams were announced Sunday on the MLB All-Star Selection Show presented by Pepsi.

With rosters bumped up to 33 per team this year, Pujols will be joined by three other star first basemen on the NL squad. They will attempt to halt a 12-game unbeaten streak by the AL, which is led by 10-time All-Star Derek Jeter, the top vote-getter in the AL.

"I've said it time and time again, but it never gets old," said Jeter, whose 10 appearances match teammate Mariano Rivera for the most among this year's honorees. "It's something that every player wants to be a part of. If they tell you they don't, I think they're lying to you. There's a lot of great players out there, so it's great to be going."

The 80th Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and Sportsnet HD and televised around the world by Major League Baseball International, with pregame ceremonies beginning at 8 p.m. ET. ESPN Radio will provide exclusive national radio coverage, while MLB.com will provide extensive online coverage. XM will provide satellite radio play-by-play coverage of the XM All-Star Futures Game.

More with link to rosters here-

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090705&content_id=5706348&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb