1969 MLB All-Star Game

The 40th Major League All-Star Game, held at R.F.K. Stadium in Washington, D.C., saw the National League beat the American League by a score of 8-3. 'Denny McLain, who had won 31 games the year before and was slated to start for the junior circuit, arrived in Washington too late to pitch the first. Instead, the game was started by Mel Stottlemyre of the Yankees, who was relieved by Blue Moon Odom in the 3rd. Odom gave way to Dickie Knowles that inning, and McLain was inserted in the 4th, by which time the N.L. All-Stars had racked up eight runs, including two prodigious two-run taters by Johnny Bench and 'Willie McCovey'. After giving up another homer to "Stretch" McCovey in the fourth, McLain (who would win his second consecutive Cy Young Award this year before gambling troubles would run him out of the sport) was relieved by Dave McNally in the fifth. McNally, followed by "Sudden" Sam McDowell in the 7th and Ray Culp in the 9th, shut down the senior circuit's star batters, but it was too late: The horse had already gotten out of the barn. Local boy Frank Howard of the hometown Senators and Detroit's Bill Freehan had hurt circuit clouts for the A.L. President Richard Nixon' was one of 45,259 fans attending the game.