Curtailing Mid-Summer Classic controversy that surfaced in the prior season with ballot box stuffing in Cincinnati, Commissioner Ford Frick gave the vote to managers, coaches and players in 1958. The new selection process was detailed in the July 7 issue of Sports Illustrated. Encapsulated and Graded Fine/Very Fine 7.0 by CGC, this "Dark Era Print" example is the lone specimen at its tier with only one graded higher. The front cover features head shots of eight players, including Mantle, Mays and Musial, with a sub-title reading “How the Pros Elected the Best in Baseball.” The “unbiased” voting resulted in a 4-3 American League win at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium. It was the first-ever installment that featured no extra-base hits.
|