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5 memorable moments from the 1995 MLB All-Star game, Home Run Derby in Arlington

Texas Rangers legends Nolan Ryan and Ivan Rodriguez were among the highlights at the event.

Sure, the first thing everybody mentions about the only previous time the MLB All-Star Game came to Arlington.

It was a 101 at game time.

But the game and the festivities were memorable in their own right. Here are five memorable moments from the 66th All-Star Game at The Ballpark in Arlington, which the AL won, 3-2 in front of 50,920 fans in 1995:

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The growth of Home Run Derby

At the time, the Home Run Derby, on Monday before the game, was still in its infancy. As such, TV wasn’t quite sure what it had, so it was taped in the afternoon and meant to be a 60-minute program. One problem: It was supposed to be paired with a legends game played by retired players. The heat, however, cut the legends game short, forcing TV producers to pivot on a dime. On the spot, they decided to add a round to the derby and lengthen the TV production. The extra round added drama and helped the derby explode. Frank Thomas, who hit 15 homers over three sweat-filled rounds, edged Albert Belle in the finals, 3-2.

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Rangers great Nolan Ryan throws out the first pitch at the 1995 MLB All-Star game in Arlington.
Rangers great Nolan Ryan throws out the first pitch at the 1995 MLB All-Star game in Arlington.(Louis DeLuca)

Hometown heroes

Nolan Ryan, incredibly in a tie in the heat, kicked and fired some Express heat for the ceremonial first pitch to get the crowd in a mood. Then after Randy Johnson walked the game’s first batter, Lenny Dykstra, the Rangers’ lone starter in the game, Iván Rodriguez, threw a strike to catch him stealing. In his fourth All-Star appearance, it was the first time a runner tested the future Hall of Fame catcher.

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Nomo

Hey, history does repeat itself. The game’s big on-the-field story that year was a Japanese sensation playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Only Hideo Nomo didn’t hit. In his first season as the first real star to begin the wave of Japanese talent to migrate to MLB, Nomo was named the NL starter after going 6-1 with a 1.99 ERA in the first half. Didn’t disappoint. Struck out Kenny Lofton to start the bottom of the first and pitched two scoreless innings with strikeouts of Edgar Martinez and Albert Belle.

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No-no

While Nomo was the main attraction, the AL pitchers threatened to steal the show. At the site of baseball’s last no-hitter — Kenny Rogers’ perfect game on July 28, 1994 — Randy Johnson, Kevin Appier and Dennis Martinez took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Craig Biggio homered with two outs. Speaking of Rogers, he appeared in the game, pitching the seventh for the AL and allowing a game-tying homer to Mike Piazza.

Florida Marlins' Jeff Conine was all smiles after he was named the All-Star MVP Tuesday,...
Florida Marlins' Jeff Conine was all smiles after he was named the All-Star MVP Tuesday, July 11, 1995, in Arlington, Texas.(ERIC GAY / AP)

MVP Swing

But it was The Ballpark where home runs ruled. So, of course the game was decided by a home run. In the eighth inning, Florida’s Jeff Conine, who didn’t get to bat in his first All-Star Game the previous season in Pittsburgh, drove a breaking ball from Oakland’s Steve Ontiveros over the left field wall to give the NL the lead. Conine had gotten a tip from fellow NL All-Star Matt Williams to look for a breaking ball early.

“When I got back to the dugout, I looked up at the scoreboard and saw we had three hits and they were all home runs,” Conine said. “So, I was like, wait a minute, if this stays this way, there might be a chance [to win the award].”

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