An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league, except in the circumstances of professional sports systems in which a democratic voting system is used. The players are often chosen by a popular vote of fans of the sport and the game often occurs at the halfway point of the regular season, although this is not the case for some all-star games (such as the Pro Bowl). The method of choosing teams varies, but the selection is usually based upon geographical situation of the clubs or the nationalities of the players involved.
All-star games are played as though they are regular games, but since they present a special showcase for skills, they hardly play out that way. Coaches try to get everyone into the game (while constrained by normal substitution rules), with the players not exerting themselves as they would in a regular season game. In hockey, for example, there is no serious checking, while in football no blitzing is allowed. An exception to this rule would be the Australian Rugby League State of Origin, where physicality at a level often leading to on-field scuffles is fairly common.
The term "all-star" is not generally used outside North America. Because of the promotion and relegation system prevalent in most countries, an all-star game would not be necessarily representative of the season's stars. Japan's J. League All-Star Soccer is one of the few such games. Moreover, all-star games are not often played in many sports (such as association football) that are popular outside North America because such sports play more games between individual nations, which are usually much more popular than all-star games would be. In the United Kingdom, all-star teams (both real and fantasy) are usually denoted with the Roman numeral corresponding to the number of players allowed on the field - for example, a soccer or cricket XI, a rugby league XIII and a rugby union XV.
Major League Baseball is usually recognized as organizing the first professional league all-star game when it was held as part of the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago, Illinois. It was the brainchild of Arch Ward, then sports editor for The Chicago Tribune.[1] Initially intended to be a one-time event, its great success resulted in making the game an annual one. Ward's contribution was recognized by Major League Baseball in 1962 with the creation of the "Arch Ward Trophy," given to the All-Star Game's most valuable player each year.[2]
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Professional all-star games
- Major League Baseball All-Star Game (National League vs. American League)
- National Basketball Association All-Star Game (Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference)
- Philippine Basketball Association All-Star Game (South All-Stars vs. North All-Stars)
- J. League All-Star Soccer (J-WEST vs. J-EAST, generally)
- Korea Baseball Organization All-Star Game (Eastern vs Western)
- National Hockey League All-Star Game (Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference)
- Pro Bowl - National Football League (American Football Conference vs. National Football Conference)
- Note: In American football, the term "all-star game" refers to the American Football League All-Star game, last played in 1969; or the College All-Star Game, last played in 1976.
- Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game (Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference)
- Major League Soccer All-Star Game
- The game has had several formats throughout its history:
- Originally, the game pitted Eastern Conference and Western Conference all-star teams. This format was used for all games save one from 1996 through 2001, and also in 2004.
- The 1998 game pitted an "MLS USA" team, comprised entirely of Americans, against an "MLS World" team drawn from all other nationalities.
- The 2002 game matched an MLS all-star team against the US national team.
- The 2003 game was the first in which an MLS all-star team played a visiting foreign club team. This format has been used ever since, with the exception of 2004.
- The game has had several formats throughout its history:
- NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (Race winners from previous and current season)
- National Lacrosse League All-Star Game (East Division vs. West Division)
- Major Indoor Soccer League All-Star Game (Format varies)
- Women's National Basketball Association All-Star Game (Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference)
- Triple-A All-Star Game (Baseball; International League vs. Pacific Coast League)
Former events
- Marlboro Challenge (1987-1992, CART series winners from the current and previous seasons)
College all-star games
College football
- Aztec Bowl, features an all-star Mexican team and, currently, an NCAA Division III all-star team
- Blue-Gray Football Classic (defunct)
- College All-Star Game (defunct), featured the defending NFL champions and an all-star team of recentl college graduates
- East-West Shrine Game
- Hula Bowl
- Magnolia Gridiron All-Star Classic (defunct)
- North-South All-American Game (defunct)
- North-South All-Star Classic (defunct)
- Senior Bowl
- Texas vs. The Nation Game
Other college sports
- North-South Senior All-Star Game, the NCAA men's lacrosse all-star games
Other
- E. J. Whitten Legends Game (Victoria vs. Allies)
- AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match (Victoria vs. Dream Team)
- Rugby League State of Origin (Queensland vs. New South Wales)
- Rugby League War of the Roses (Lancashire vs. Yorkshire)
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: All-star games |
- ^ "All-Star Game History", Baseball Almanac.
- ^ Newman, Mark. "All-Star MVP Awaits Your Vote", MLB.com, July 10, 2006.
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