I guess this crowd isn't much for nostalgia.

1999 isn't really nostalgic yet. I am feeling nostalgic for paragraphs, however.

Very nice read. The '99 All-Star festivities usually only get referenced around here for the sins of the silly and ill-conceived All-Century team. Usually in regards to one of our two favorite players, Barry Bonds or Pete Rose. Nice to have a reminder of what really made that year special.

EDIT: And yes, this is the worst sportswriter paragraphitis I've seen this side of Lupica.

I'll always remember the '99 All Star game for Pedro. Faced 6 batters; struck out Larkin, struck out Walker, struck out McGwire, struck out Sosa, Matt Williams reached on an error, and then Pedro struck out Bagwell as Williams was thrown out trying to steal. It was Carl Hubbell-esque...

And even if some of the selections (and rejections) of the All Century team were silly, seeing that many legends on the field at one time is always really cool. I loved that game.

Didn't Pedro hurt himself in that game and miss time because of it?

Can someone explain why they played Jurassic Park score during the festivities today?

[6] Can someone explain why they played Jurassic Park score during the festivities today?

To honor a certain Red Sox outfielder from the 2000 and 2001 seasons?

EDIT: This guy

Ah c'mon, 70 years from now they'll be saying the same thing about Johnny Damon.

An impressive amount of players showed up. I wonder how much Jose Canseco will sell his jersey for.

Is there a list of all the players

I was at the game today and what a truly wonderful celebration it was. I don't know how it played on TV but for those of us at the game I thought it was great. They staggered the "introductions" in such a way that there was never a lull, you'd get 5 or 6 Bobby Sprowls and Randy Kutchers and then a Pedro or a Tito or even a Timlin or a Boyd or some other recognizable player and a roar would go up.

I also got to meet Nick Esasky. His family was seated next to us and he was super nice. He took the time after the game to take a photo with my friend and I and signed my scorebook and a ball for my friend.

Here's the list of players[PDF].

I'm guessing Bill Lee got a huge round of applause. And I'm also guessing he also enjoyed today being 4/20.

I recorded the YES version without the commercials and it was a winner from beginning to end. In the middle innings they ran a texting poll on "What was the most humiliating moment in Red Sox history?", which was kind of rude considering the occasion, but also kind of funny. The results were:

Bucky Dent game 40%
2011 collapse 29%
Aaron Boone game 18%
Buckner game 13%

Which seemed strange to me, since the 1978 and 2003 losses were gallant fights that could have gone either way, whereas the 1986 Series was a complete shocker and the 2011 collapse one of the great chokes of all time.**

**After the Yanks' el foldo in 2004, I should add, but that's for a NESN poll and this one was on YES.

Didn't Pedro hurt himself in that game and miss time because of it?

That's always been the story. He had a completely shitty start right after the All-Star game-- 9 runs on 12 hits in 3.2 innings. That was followed by a two-week break, and then three shortened appearances. But Martinez's overall numbers post-All-Star numbers that year were 81 IP, 56 H, 13 BB, 8-1, 2.00 ERA. And those include the first game. Like Ulysses Grant's brand of whiskey, I think most pitchers want whatever injury Pedro gave himself.

Yup, Lee got a great response.

I've read in a few places that the music was overwhelming on tv, that didn't seem to be the case at the park.

I thought the idea of it was great, but the NESN execution was pretty lousy. What an opportunity to remember some of these old timers missed by not saying who they were, or at least using a camera angle that showed their names on the backs of their jerseys. I watched with my wife and mother in law, who's been a sox fan since the 40's. She kept saying "who's that?" I don't know and NESN won't tell us, unless he was on the 2004 team or the 1986 team (and even not some of those)