When was the first MLB All-Star game held?

The first MLB All-Star Game was dubbed the "Midsummer Classic." The National League and American League All-Star teams in the MLB played in an exhibition game during the middle of the season for the first time ever on this occasion. The game took place at Comiskey Park, the home of the American League's Chicago White Sox, in Chicago, Illinois, on July 6, 1933.

"The first major-league All-Star Game is played at Comiskey Park, July 6, 1933." - baseballinpix

Arch Ward, the then-leading sports editor of the Chicago Tribune, came up with the concept for the 1933 first MLB All-Star Game after Chicago Mayor Edward J. Kelly had initially approached the Tribune's publisher about hosting a significant sporting event.

The purpose of the game was to raise spirits during the Great Depression on a one-time occasion. For the NL and AL All-Star teams, Ward agreed that the managers would choose the remaining nine players and the public would choose the opening lineup of nine.

The American League All-Star team was coached by Connie Mack, while the National League team was led by John McGraw. Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig were among the players chosen for Mack's club, while Chuck Klein and Carl Hubbell were the headliners for McGraw's team.

"July 6, 1933 - Babe Ruth and Jimmie Foxx at the first All-Star Game, which took place in Chicago at Comiskey Park." - VanderlansJim

First MLB All-Star Game was a spectacle to behold

Nearly 50,000 people attended Comiskey Park to witness the American League defeat the National League 4-2, thanks to a two-run home run by Ruth. In his summary of the match, Drebinger liberally used the term "game of the century."

"The first MLB All Star Game was played at Comiskey Park in Chicago in 1933. A capacity crowd of 47,595 attended!" - HolyChicago

Initially, the All-Star Game was intended to be a one-time event. However, the first game was such a huge success that the league inexorably decided to hold another one in January 1934.

Months later, the 1934 Midsummer Classic was scheduled to take place at the Polo Grounds, and the league established a precedent by opting to assign management duties to the managers of the two World Series-winning clubs from the previous season.

Babe Ruth blasted the first home run in the first MLB All Star game in history, when he blasted a pitch from Bill Hallahan into the right-field stands in the third inning, providing a fitting tribute to his illustrious career. Lefty Gomez earned the victory as the American League eventually prevailed 4-2.