Stat of the Day: On July 6, 1933, 47,595 fans packed Chicago's Comiskey Park for the first Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
Originally planned as a one-time exhibition during Chicago's Century of Progress World's Fair, the game became one of baseball's most beloved traditions.
The American League defeated the National League 4-2, thanks in large part to a two-run home run by Babe Ruth—the first home run in All-Star Game history.
Why It Matters
The number 47,595 represented more than just attendance. During the Great Depression, baseball was looking for ways to reconnect with fans, and the All-Star Game was designed to celebrate the sport's biggest stars on one field.
It worked.
Fans voted for the starting lineups, baseball's greatest players shared the diamond, and what was supposed to be a one-time event quickly became an annual tradition now known as the Midsummer Classic.
Nearly a century later, the MLB All-Star Game remains one of the signature events on the sports calendar.
The Final Whistle
Every great tradition has to start somewhere.
On July 6, 1933, that start came before 47,595 fans, a packed ballpark, and one iconic Babe Ruth home run.
One exhibition game turned into one of the longest-running traditions in professional sports—a reminder that sometimes the biggest milestones begin as simple ideas.
About Captain Phil
A die-hard West Virginia Mountaineers fan, Atlanta Braves fan, Green Bay Packers fan, and Sacramento Kings fan, Phil breaks down the game from the film room to the final whistle. He provides a high-IQ, conversational take on the sports world that feels like talking ball with your best friends.