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One night after his surprise win in the Home Run Derby, Garret Anderson started the American League's rally with a two-run homer and was voted the first Ted Williams Most Valuable Player of the 2003 All-Star Game in a 7-6 victory over the National League at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago.

"It's been a good year, and this year's not over yet," the 31-year-old Anaheim Angels left fielder said. Anderson, the first player to win both the Derby and All-Star MVP since Cal Ripken in 1991, went 3-4 with a home run and two RBI. He knows how it feels to be a leader for his team; last season Anderson was key in the Angels' World Series championship.

Anderson has been somewhat of a secret on the national stage. He didn't even make an All-Star team until last year. But his teammates on the Angels know what they have--they voted him the team MVP last year for the third time in four seasons.

This year's Midsummer Classic proved more interesting than 2002's 7-7 tie.

The surge of excitement was largely because of baseball commissioner Bud Selig's decision to give home-field advantage in the World Series to the winner of the All-Star game.

Players took the game more seriously. The American League trailed 5-1 in the sixth inning and then was down 6-4 in the eighth before Hank Blalock delivered the pinch-hit, two-run homer that put the American League ahead for good.

Other Black 2003 All-Star starters were the National League's Barry Bonds of the Giants and the Braves' Gary Sheffield. Also, Dusty Baker, in his first year managing the Cubs, was the National League manager.