K3KBF — Morning Net with WA4TSC (Bluemont, VA)
Joined the morning Net on WA4TSC (147.300MHz, Bluemont, VA) as they discussed the current heatwave, SOTA (Summits on the Air), and the Question of the Day (QotD).
Today’s QotD:
How many times was Hank Aaron selected to play for the MLB All-Star games during his 23 MLB seasons?
25 times in 23 years?! … Explain, please?
Hank Aaron was voted to, or selected for, his league’s All-Star team 25 times during his 23-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB).
Perhaps you are wondering how he managed that in a 23-year career. This: MLB played two All-Star Games each season for four years, 1959–62. The rosters were compiled separately for both Games (though there was a lot of common overlap), so being named to both teams (as Aaron was) in a single season counted as two selections.
He had additional opportunities. Between 1959–1962 (4 seasons), MLB, trying to generate more money for the player’s pension fund, played 2 All-Star games per year. Thus, Hank played 8 All-Star games in the 4-year period, rather than 4 games.
Stan Musial and Willie Mays also took advantage of the extra games, ranking second to Aaron, each playing 24 All-Star games.
Musial holds the MLB record for most home runs (6) in All-Star games. This includes the 1955 ASG, where Stan won the game for the NL with a walk off HR in the 12th inning.