7/10 From 1950: Pops Bops Bravos; GI's Eye; Division Setup; All Star Stories

• 1951 - Exploding for a record four homers, the NL trounced the AL 8-3 at the All-Star Game at Detroit’s Briggs Stadium. Pirate OF Ralph Kiner hit a HR for the third year in a row, a MLB AS record. 
• 1956 - P Bob Friend and 1B Dale Long were the Pirate All-Stars at Griffith Stadium for the NL’s 7-3 victory. Friend got the win thanks to triple threes - 3 IP, 3 hits, 3 K (Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle and Harry “Suitcase” Simpson) - and without much help from Long, who struck out twice in two at-bats. The 25-year-old Friend spent the last six innings on the bench shooting a home movie of his first ASG. 
• 1962 - Led by OF Roberto Clemente’s three hits, the NL beat the AL 3-1 in the first of two All-Star games, this one held at Washington’s DC Stadium. SS Dick Groat went 1-for-3, scored and turned a DP while 2B Bill Mazeroski was 0-for-2. 

Roberto Clemente - Topps 150 Years Artist Renditions

• 1968 - The NL announced that it would split into two divisions next season. The Eastern Division would consist of Chicago, Montreal, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis. It was the beginning of the Divisional Era, where the winners of each division would compete against each other in a League Championship Series to determine the World Series opponents. 
• 1971 - The Pirates bested the Braves, 5-4, at TRS behind Willie Stargell's 30th home run of the season and his 10th off Atlanta pitching; it was a two-run blast in the eighth that turned a deficit into the lead. Pops also doubled and was joined in the two-knock club by Vic Davalillo, who scored twice, and Bob Robertson; Al Oliver drove in a pair of runs. Dave Giusti saved the game with Mudcat Grant getting the win for a contest Steve Blass started. Captain Willie would go on to have a career year in long flies, knocking 48 balls out of the yard. 
• 1984 - The NL was used to the windy confines of Candlestick Park and breezed to 3-1 win over the AL in the All Star game. The senior circuit got some terrific tossing. Fernando Valenzuela and Dwight Gooden combined to whiff six batters in a row for a new All-Star Game record. Valenzuela K’ed Dave Winfield, Reggie Jackson, and George Brett in the fourth inning. Then Doc, the youngest All-Star ever at age 19, punched out Lance Parrish, Chet Lemon, and Alvin Davis in the fifth. C Tony Pena was Pittsburgh’s only AS selection and came in to catch the ninth inning. 
• 1990 - Pitching dominated as the AL dropped the NL 2-0 in the All Star game at Wrigley Field. Outfielders Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla both went 0-for-1 and P Neal Heaton didn’t get in. Bobby Bo was shut out in his appearance in the Home Run Derby. 
• 2001 - The American League nine took a 4-1 All Star victory from the NL at Safeco Field. OF Brian Giles, the Pirates only AS, grounded out in his one at bat. C JR House played in the Classic’s opening event, repping the USA in the Futures Game. 
• 2007 - The AL eked out a 5-4 win over the NL in the All Star game played at AT&T Park. 2B Freddy Sanchez was the only Pirate on the team and didn’t get in the game. 

GI Jones - 2009 Topps Heritage

• 2009 - Garrett Jones joined Ryan Howard as the only player to clear the batter’s eye at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. He mashed the shot off Joe Blanton on the first pitch he delivered to Jones in the opening frame after striking out the first pair of Pirates. It wasn’t enough, though, as the Bucs fell to the Phillies 3-2. 
• 2012 - The senior circuit blasted its way to an 8-0 win over the AL All Stars at KC’s Kauffman Stadium. OF Andrew McCutchen went 1-for-2 after taking part in the home run derby the night before (he hit four homers and bowed out in the opening round) and P Joel Hanrahan faced one batter, Billy Butler, striking him out after tossing a wild pitch.