European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 14, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 34 the stars and stripes sports thursday july 14, 1994 map Mcgriff was waiting to steal show by Hai Bock Pittsburgh a for Fred Mcgriff the ninth inning All Star game showdown against Lee Smith was the Tream situation for a Home run hitter. A fastball Pitcher throwing 90 Mph against a Guy who hits heat. It was baseball a Best confrontation and Mcgriff won it. With a game tying Home run that earned him map honors As the National league ended a six game losing Streak with an 8-7 Victory in 10 innings. This was breath holding time after Smith opened the ninth by walking Marquis Grissom who had homered earlier that brought the tying run to the the Al barely missed a. Double play that would have Short circuited the rally when Craig Biggio beat out the relay throw to first. A. 7,. A then Mcgriff came up to Pinch hit. And everybody in the crowd knew he would be swinging for the seats. This is a Guy with 20 or More Home runs in eight straight seasons he Samc into the All. Star game with 23 homers and on a Pace to become the ninth player in major league history to hit 30 or More in seven successive seasons a this was for finesse. A Smith got ahead in the count one. Ball and , and then my de one a bit too Good. The. Atlanta slugger nailed it to Center Field and just like that the game was tied. V. A it was a fastball away a Mcgriff said. A the threw the second pitch right by me. In that salutation you re looking for the fastball a an inning later when Tony Gwynn. Singled and then circled the bases on Moiscs ainu a a double Mcgriff was the map. A a a a tin glad its Over a he said. A i m the a barely. He had sat around for eight innings thinking that he could have been playing Golf for All the help he was giving the no but manager Jim Frog Oise said he had a plan. He was holding Mcgriff Back waiting for a. Moment when the Long Ball was really needed. In the showdown against Smith Mcgriff Wasny to about to play it cozy. A i was thinking a let it go. Be Aggras Sive Quot he said. A if you get it you get it. If not you gel Reader for he got All of it and suddenly the National league had a life. Mcgriff credited Craig Biggio who had beaten the throw to first . Potential do. A thai was the big play Biggio beating out the double play a. Mcgriff said. A that meant we still had the Opportunity to tic it i As the. Game evolved Mcgriff kept waiting for his moment. One thing led to another and the next thing the Atlanta slugger knew his team was Down to its last three outs a i was thinking its late something has got to happen soon a he said. Mcgriff said he had some Success against Smith when the big reliever was in the no. A a few hits he said a a Little . A this was big Success though the biggest Success of All. And. Mcgriff has a spot All picked out for his map trophy 7 a a in be got a new House Quot he said. A this. Goes right up front a. Fred Mcgrut game tying Homer in the ninth earns him the All Star map return Ozzie Smith to place of Honor by Claire Smith the new York times Pittsburgh Ozzie Smith Long ago stopped trying to figure out the major leagues. A a lot of strange things go on in baseball these Days a Smith said. Millions of fans would undoubtedly agree. And they might offer As exhibit a the 1993 All Star team which did not include Smith the Man who is to shortstop what Brooks Robinson was to third base Willie Mays to Center Fie id and Roberto Clemente to right Field. That omission brought to an end Smiths 12-year reign at that Posi Smith Tion for National league All Star teams probably for Good the cardinals shortstop figured As he stood outside looking in at the 1993 game in Baltimore. The Public though Wasny to ready to dose the show of fee 39-year-old Smith. Rather in a most democratic Way fans returned Smith to his place of Honor As the starting All Star at shortstop on tuesday night by casting More than four million votes for him in the annual balloting. That total was not Only enough to return Smith to his leagues most High profile roster for the 13th time Over All and a record 11th time As a starter but those votes also represented the largest number Given a National leaguer this year earning Smith that distinction for the third time in his career. Smiths All Star comeback in a league that includes such shortstops As Barry Larkin of the reds Royce Clayton of the giants and the blossoming Wil Cordero of the expos surprised even Smith. A a it a kind of unusual a he admitted before going 1 for 3 and just missing a Home run off Randy Johnson in tuesday nights game at three Rivers stadium. A when you be gone for in 12 years then apse out voting its very Tough to get Back. I find it very strange that not Only did i get Back but i got the most votes.�?�. It is unusual that such affection is lavished on one so diminutive. Smith who is in his 17th major league season stands 5 feet 10 inches and weighs 168 pounds. He will never be confused with big washers such As Frank Thomas Ken Griffey or. And Matt he stood among those big men on tuesday night and termed it a continuing quirk As Well As a personal Honor because a it is such a Power Laden game the big Guys usually win the to fans to his Peers Smiths victories Are easily understood. He has earned respect of an entirely different sort because he has elevated the defensive portion of the game something he underlined on tuesday night with a run saving diving Stop of a grounder in the Hole by Chuck Knoblauch in the seventh inning. He is after All the shortstop who practically forced the retiring of the trophy known As the Gold Glove who ama7 his new first baseman Gregg Jefferies last Spring by routinely ending his practice double play pivots by throwing to first base with his eyes closed a and hitting the target. He is the player who opens the show each april with the Back flip he did before tuesday night s game and who routinely brings Down the curtain with plays that would make Baryshnikov proud. It is Why he is one of the few All stars who docs not require a last name by Way of introduction or even a first name As his manager in the All Star game showed when introducing his batting order monday. A the wizard of of probably one of the great shortstops of All time will hit eighth a Jim Fregosi of the Phillies said correctly assuming that no further explanation was necessary. While players and managers appreciate defense As much As Power fans Are sometimes More fickle. Yet they pulled Smith Back onto Center stage. Why perhaps after losing for six years in a Row National league fans longed to have a Veteran who remembered what it is like for the league to win. And perhaps it was merely to pay homage. A a it a the fans Way of saying we appreciate and we want to thank you for everything you be done a Smith guessed a because i done to think people Are really aware of How much longer i m going to far from feeling old or playing old relishes his position As elder statesman. He does no to try to run from the future. In fact he honors it a i voted for Barry a Smith said referring to Larkin of the reds who interrupted Smiths run by winning the Vole in 1993, a i try to mix it up each year because i m tric ads with everybody. I done to want one Guy to think in a slighting him in any Way. I mean there Are a Jot of Young Good shortstops around like Royce Clayton and others. And i enjoy watching them play.�?�. Larkin forms the nucleus of the Smith fan club. A a he a been on my ballot every year As Well a said the Cincinnati shortstop. A a it a kind of a Fellowship of shortstops anyway. When i came up it was Davey Concepcion and he passed any information that i wanted Down to me. A the same with Ozzie-1 would ask him about certain situations and he would be willing to sit Down and talk to me. I appreciated that a lot. And i will pass Down anything that i have to a Wil Cordero or any other Young shortstop because that a the Way its been for the reverence for the experienced on display Here this week went Well beyond Smith the fans also voted As starters Cal a Ripken jr., the 33-Ycar-old shortstop of the orioles As Well Quot As Wade Boggs the 36-year-old third baseman of the Yankees. For Ripken it was his 11th All Star Start tying Smiths record at the position
