Once in a lifetime: former players recall their only at-bat in All-Star game competition - Part 1 of 2 Articles

Baseball Digest, Nov, 2003 by Bob Kuenster

"The greatest thing to happen to me was making the 1962 All-Star squad," Davenport said. "I remember taking a picture sitting between Stan Musial and Hank Aaron. It kind of made chills go up and down my arm--being a country boy out of Alabama sitting with these types of players.

"I was selected to play in the game by manager Fred Hutchinson (Reds). (Ken) Boyer was first pick and I was second. Eddie Mathews was the third pick. I felt pretty good beating out Mathews."

For the All-Star contest in 1962, players were chosen to start by a vote from players, managers and coaches.

The National League won the contest, 3-1, and Davenport made his first appearance in the sixth inning when he took over for Boyer at third. Only one ball was hit to him when Johnny Romano rapped a ground ball which Davenport fielded cleanly and threw out the Cleveland catcher. Davenport's only at-bat came in the top of the eighth after Maury Wills singled.

"I remember I faced Dick Donovan of the Indians and hit the ball to left for a single. It's tough to have to come into a big game and face a pitcher you've never seen before, but I was fortunate because I faced Donovan in spring training so I was a little familiar with him.

"The game was a great experience," Davenport, 69, said. "I got my chance to play in one with guys like Mays, Aaron, Musial and Mantle, and I did okay. It's something I'll always remember."

Ken Harrelson, 1968 Red Sox:

Chicago White Sox television announcer Hawk Harrelson, a talented right-handed hitting outfielder/first baseman who came up with the Kansas City A's in 1963, played only nine seasons in the majors, but created a cult following during his career in Boston (1967-1969) with his fashionable dress and outgoing personality.

In 1968, the "Year of the Pitcher," Harrelson punished American League moundsmen for 35 home runs and a league leading 109 RBI en route to his first, and only, All-Star game appearance. In that game played in the Astrodome on July 9, he pinch-hit for Lula Tiant in the third inning, batting against Don Drysdale.

"I just missed it," Harrelson recalls of his match against the future Hall of Fame pitcher. "Drysdale hung me a slider. He threw me spitters on the first two pitches ... and on the second one--which came in like this (Harrelson motioning with his hand that the ball made a diving movement towards the ground)--he had to put his glove up to his mouth and turn around and start laughing when he saw the expression on my face, because he knew I had never seen a spitter like that before. And then he hung me a slider and I just got under it and Curt Flood, who was playing left field, caught it up against the wall."

Harrelson, 61, teamed with Drysdale as the play-by-play broadcasters for the White Sox from 1982 through 1985.

"If I had to hit off one guy, it would have been Drysdale," Harrelson said. "Because Drysdale was the symbol of pitching when I was coming up, playing as a kid. There wasn't anybody else. There were guys who had better records, but he was the symbol of pitching to everybody in baseball.