The History of the All Star Game
The first Major League All-Star Game was played on July 6, 1933 at Comiskey Park in Chicago. It was initiated at the insistence of Arch Ward, a sports editor for the Chicago Tribune, to coincide with the celebration of Chicago's Century of Progress Exposition. For over seventy-three years, the "Midsummer Classic" has remained a fan favorite showcasing the top talent in baseball.

All-Star teams were originally selected by the managers and the fans for the 1933 and 1934 games. From 1935 through 1946, managers selected the entire team for each league. From 1947 to 1957, fans chose the team's starters and the manager chose the pitchers and the remaining players. From 1958 through 1969, managers, players, and coaches made the All-Star Team selections. In 1970, the vote again returned to the fans for the selection of the starters for each team and remains there today.

Facts About The (ROMLB) Rawlings Official Major League Baseball
Supplied exclusively by Rawlings® for over a quarter-century, each ball comes
carefully crafted, weighed, measured, tested, inspected, and re-inspected. 5 ounces.
108 stitches. Absolute Perfection.

Rawlings - Costa Rica produces 80,000 dozen major league game balls a year, Minor
league baseballs are made at the Rawlings plant in China.

Six-seven dozen baseballs are used in a typical Major League game.
The average life of a baseball in the Majors is 6 pitches.

It takes about 10 minutes for a sewer to sew the 108 stitches on each baseball. The
first and last stitches are perfectly hidden.

The terms "live" and "dead" have been applied to baseballs for more than 100 years.
In the early years, the home team was often expected to provide the ball, and a good
hitting team might wind its balls tightly, for a "lively" effect, while a team of
defensive specialists might create looser, softer, or "dead" balls.

In 1857 the length of a game was set at nine innings, pitching was underarm from a
distance of 45 feet and the batter was out if a fielder caught the ball on the first
bounce.

Rawlings: History of the Company
1887
George and Alfred Rawlings announce opening of retail sporting goods store in downtown St. Louis

1920
Rawlings introduces historic Bill Doak glove. This revolutionary glove featured a multi-thong web laced into the first finger and thumb with a natural formed deep pocket. Becomes the prototype for all-purpose gloves of the future.

1941
Rawlings hears fielders' plea. Develops the Trapper - a three-fingered, deep well pocket glove that changes the design of first base mitts and sets the standard for Major League specifications.

1946
The Rawlings glove line expands to include a glove for each position - with a name, position and number.

1947
Rawlings introduces The Playmaker, a new three-fingered glove.

1957
Rawlings establishes the Rawlings Gold Glove Award® to recognize fielding excellence.

1959
The Trap-Eze, or so-called "six-finger" glove, is introduced by Rawlings and quickly becomes a favorite of many major league players.

1970
Rawlings joins with Adirondack to supply the Major League bats with the distinct Pro Ring design.

1976
Rawlings is awarded the contract as exclusive supplier of baseballs to the American and National leagues.

1985
Rawlings awarded the contract to become the "Official Uniform Supplier to Major League Baseball" and named an "Official Sponsor of Major League Baseball".

Rawlings started manufacturing baseballs for Major League Baseball in 1976 putting out a ball for the American League and one for the National League. In 2000 Rawlings started making the ROMLB for both leagues. The ROMLB is the official baseball and is the same ball used during each major league game.