Growing up (back in the "stone age") in the late 60's/early 70's as a fan of the Mets, I only saw American League stars via the occasional Yankee game on TV or, once in a blue moon, at Yankee Stadium. In 1973, when the Mets played the A's in the World Series, I knew who every player on Oakland was, but that was mostly due to the lost art of baseball card-collecting. So, putting aside the 10-12 Yankee games I'd catch (mostly because I enjoyed laughing at the Rizzuto/Maser/White combo), I didn't get to see the greats of the AL with any regularity. There was no ESPN, Sports ran about 2 minutes on the nightly news, and out-of-town highlights were few and far between. Heck, for most of the 70's, I watched games in black and white on the 11" TV in my bedroom, unless my dad was home, in which case we watched on the color set in the den. Can you imagine a kid today being without a remote control, let alone color television or 200+ channels? And this is why the annual MLB All-Star Game was so important to fans all around the country. It was a chance to watch "our guys" versus the "other guys" in that mysterious league where pitchers no longer batted for themselves (the horror!!!) 
In 1972, I was at sleep-away camp about an hour and a half from home, and I was so miserable about not being able to see the MLB All-Star Game that my folks had to drive out that night, even though it wasn't a designated "visitor's day" and we drove into town until we found a restaurant (dive) that had a television AND was willing to put it on the game. I watched the entire game, and, of course, to "thank" my folks, the game went into extra innings. Thankfully, the NL won, 4-3, and my dad's all-time fave, Willie Mays, played for Roberto Clemente, which was our highlight, since Tom Seaver never made it into the game. Watching Tug McGraw get the victory when his pinch-hitter, the Padres' Nate Colbert, walked and eventually scored the winning run was quite satisfying as well. My dad had brought a small box of my favorite baseball cards with him, and I would keep track of who was in the game by keeping their cards at hand. Where possible, I placed a Kellogg's 3-D card on the table, although a lot of them (as was their want) had cracked across their face. The pizza at the restaurant was terrible, and I am sure my mom was bored out of her mind, but to a young kid, the universe was swimming with the stars of the game, unleashed in a single stadium, and all I could think of was "when will this incredible day come to Shea Stadium so I can see it in PERSON!!"
I know that the All-Star game isn't the same as it used to be- how COULD it be, when we have so many tools at our disposal with which to get our daily "fix" of this game? We know the drill- all games on our pay tier cable system, our computer, our "smart" phones; the 24-hour MLB Channel, ESPN, et al...and yet, somehow, in spite of the overload of options available to us with which we can tune in to see any player in any game on any day, the annual All-Star Game is still an incredibly special day for me, and I know it is for many of you, too. It's still the day when all the "gods of the pantheon" come together to show what they can do, whether it be home run contests, minor leaguers on display, or the "big game" itself. In 2007, when the game came to San Francisco, my best friend held a ticket for me, but unfortunately I couldn't take the time off from work. He DID surprise me with a David Wright All-Star Jersey, which I wear all the time, and a program as well, and I watched the game with a similar sense of wonder and awe, the same way I had 35 years earlier.
THAT'S why I am so psyched to know that, finally, the All-Star Game is coming back to New York, to Citi Field (sadly, Shea never hosted it a second time, when I would be able to actually attend), as Commissioner Selig is set to formally announce next year's destination tomorrow. I guess I'll have to save up $$$ now, because scalper prices will be outrageous...but the "kid" in me wouldn't have it any other way...
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