Since its inception in 1933, the All-Star Game has become an integral part of baseball. Yet there has been no truly comprehensive source for researchers that includes both a narrative and a play-by-play for each game. Nor have there been more than perfunctory lists for historians to use in determining who among baseball's greats have had an impact on the games. The Midsummer Classic covers each of the All-Star Games and examines All-Star history more extensively than ever before. It not only discusses each game in great detail—with play-by-play, complete roster information, and expanded box scores—but also breaks new ground with a series of itemized lists never before published. The book also includes information on the ceremonies surrounding the games, along with an explanation of how these ceremonies have changed over time. In addition, it explains how the All-Star Game has been influenced by the significant changes that have occurred in baseball over the years, such as the breaking of the color line, expansion, the shifting of franchises, and the introduction of the designated hitter.

"In former times, baseball books were often folksy, poorly written tales with no real beginning or end. This history is just the opposite, transcending sports literature and moving to a new level. It is a solidly researched book presented in a well-written and easily readable format. . . . This volume provides a multipage summary of each game with lineups and statistics, as well as exploring the match-ups and the drama behind each showcase game. Highly recommended for most medium and large library collections."—Library Journal "The great thing about the All-Star Game is that it serves as a great reward for all the hard work a player puts into his game. The hours over the winter, the six weeks of spring training, and all the extra hours in the cage and video room—it's all worth it when you get to play in the All-Star Game."—Alex Rodriguez, All-Star shortstop

David Vincent is the editor of SABR Presents the Home Run Encyclopedia. Lyle Spatz's works include Yankees Coming, Yankees Going: New York Yankee Player Transactions, 1903–1999. David W. Smith is the founder and president of Retrosheet, an organization devoted to the collection and free distribution of play-by-play accounts of major-league baseball games.