My Vintage Minneapolis Millers & St. Paul Saints Collection

[Tay1038]

1955 Minneapolis Millers vs AA All-Star Game Program and Ticket Stub - Signed by Don Larsen!

Here is a fun one! There was an All-Star Game in Minneapolis when Larsen beat Branca!

As author Stew Thornley pointed out, the pitchers getting decisions in the 1955 game were notable. Larsen pitched a perfect game for the Yankees in the World Series in 1956. And Branca gave up “The Shot Heard ‘Round the World’’ for the Dodgers to the Giants’ Bobby Thomson in the third game of the 1951 National League playoff.

The American Association All-Star game started in 1934, but there was a gap in the late ‘40s and early ‘50s. When played, the team with the best record on a certain date in the schedule would host the game, and play a collection of stars from the remaining seven teams. According to Thornley’s research, the Millers had the best record and hosted five All-Star Games: four at Nicollet Park and one in 1959 at Met Stadium.

On Thursday, July 21, 1955 the Minneapolis Millers hosted their fourth AA All-Star game, and final at Nicollet Park. The Millers were defeated by the AA All-Stars 16-6. LP-Ralph Branca. Trailing 5-2 after the 6th, the All-Stars scored 11 runs in the the 7th. Don Larsen of Denver is the WP (Larsen was 8-1, with his only loss coming against the Millers on July 10). Larsen also hit a 2-run homer in the 9th.

For your amusement is a beautifully scored program and ticket stub from the 1955 AA All-Star game. I recently acquired this program a couple weeks ago, and thought it would be fun to write to Don Larsen to see if I could ask him to autograph it. Today I received it back and it turned out awesome! Thanks Mr. Larsen!