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

"We had a lot of good, young players in San Diego--Dave Winfield, Randy Jones--and I was real proud that Yogi Berra (National League manager) picked me," Grubb said, "It was just a great honor."

Ron Fairly, 1977 Blue Jays:

Fairly, who currently broadcasts games for the Seattle Mariners, had a long 21-year career in the majors with the Dodgers, Expos, Cardinals, As, Blue Jays and Angels that included four pennants and three World Series titles with the Dodgers.

Fairly is the only major league player to produce 200 lifetime home runs (215) without ever having hit as many as 20 in one year--his single season high was 19 with the Blue Jays in 1977 when he was Toronto's All-Star game representative.

A powerful left-handed hitter, Fairly was a two-time All-Star, but came to bat only once in the mid-summer classic.

"I was with Toronto in 1977 and Tom Seaver struck me out on a 3-2 count with a changeup. The pitch before, I hit in the upper deck just foul by five or six feet," Fairly said of the game won by the National League, 7-5, at Yankee Stadium. "I pulled the ball too much, it was my mistake. Otherwise, I would have hit a three-run homer. Then he (Seaver) came back with a change-up--and it was a perfect change-up--and he got me ... and that was it.

"I was also selected for the 1973 All-Star game when I was with the Montreal Expos," Fairly said, making him the only player to be chosen to participate in an All-Star game representing both Canadian major league teams. "I entered the ball game late for defense at first base, replacing Nate Colbert in the eighth inning" Fairly, 65, said. "I was going to be the leadoff hitter the next inning if the American League would have tied the score, but we won, 7-1.

"So I only had the one at-bat. The games were fun to play in and it was a great experience."

Phil Bradley, 1985 Mariners:

Bradley had a relatively short big league career, playing eight seasons for the Mariners, Phillies, Orioles and White Sox, but during the late 1980s be was the most productive player in Seattle's lineup. From 1984 through 1987, he averaged .302, 85 runs, 28 doubles, seven triples, 13 homers, 26 stolen bases and 57 RBI per season.

His best year was 1985 when he batted .300 with 100 runs, 192 hits, 33 doubles, 26 homers and 88 RBI.

For the '85 All-Star game, Bradley was selected as a reserve outfielder for starters Rickey Henderson, Dave Winfield and Jim Rice. The right-handed hitter entered the game in the top of the seventh inning, replacing Henderson in center field with the National League leading, 4-1.

"I played two innings," Bradley said, "with only one ball hit to me in center (a fly ball by Ozzie Smith) in the eighth inning. In the bottom of the inning, I came up to bat against pitcher Jeff Reardon of the Expos and struck out.

"I don't remember the count, but I know I swung at a ball that wasn't a strike."

Like many one-time All-Stars, Bradley, 44, wasn't concerned with his limited contribution to the game, but was happy to get a chance to be part of a group of men considered the best players in the major leagues.