1940 All-Star Game

     The 1940 All-Star Game was the 8th annual Summer Classic and the first held in the state of Missouri.  Held at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis on July 9th, the National League proved to be the dominant team as they bested the American League 4-0, in the first ASG shut-out.  NL Pitcher Paul Derringer of Cincinnati Reds picked up the win while Red Ruffing of the New York Yankees picked up the loss.  A crowd of 32,373 fans saw many future Hall of Famer's play in a game lasting an hour and 53 minutes.

Among the names playing for the National League squad included: Mell Ott, Carl Hubbell, and Arky Vaughn, as well as St. Louis Cardinals players Johnny Mize and Terry Moore.  On the American League side, the players included: Ted Williams, Jimmie Foxx, and Joe DiMaggio in addition to St.
 Louis Browns player George McQuinn.

(Photo courtesy of Legendary Auctions)

This game was the second of three All Star Games that Beans Reardon was behind home play calling the pitches.  He also worked 5 World Series games, and also was the man behind the plate for Clyde Shouri's no-hitter in 1944, and most notably, he was behind home plate when Babe Ruth belted his 714th home run.

George Pipgras was the umpire at first base during the game.  After a playing career which included pitching for the 1927 Yankees, the 1928 Yankees who swept the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, the winning pitcher for the Yankees in the 1932 World Series game which included Babe Ruth's "Called Shot".  This would be his only All-Star Game as an umpire, but he also worked the 1944 World Series and was behind home plate for Dick Fowler's no-hitter in 1945.

Steve Basil worked third base for the game.  It was his second and last time working the All-Star Game, and also worked in the 1940 World Series, also his second and last time, his first was in 1937.  In total, Basil worked over 1,000 games as an umpire.

(Photo courtesy of MLB)

Possibly the most fascinating umpire for the game was Bill Stewart, he manned second base.  Working his second of four All-Star games (including the 1948 game also at Sportsman's Park), he also worked 4 World Series contests including the 1937 Series with the aforementioned Steve Basil.  He was behind home plate for Johnny Vander Meer's second no-hitter in 1938,  and work the 1951 pennant series between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants.

If all of that wasn't interesting enough, has was also a hockey referee and was even a hockey coach from 1937-1939 (he coached the Chicago Blackhawks).  He was also the coach for the 1957 U.S. National Hockey team, which had a record of 23-3-1.  His grandson Paul Stewart would later become an NHL player and also a referee.

For more information on the players, game, or any other notes from the game or people associated from the game, check out Baseball Reference, Baseball Almanac, or Wikipedia.