By ROB BUTCHER

Cincinnati Reds Publicity Director

 

CINCINNATI — Major League Baseball, the Cincinnati Reds and local officials from the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County today unveiled the official logo of the 2015 All-Star Game, which will be played at Great American Ball Park on Tuesday, July 14th, 2015.

Those in attendance for this morning’s unveiling at the Reds’ home ballpark before the Club’s evening Interleague game against the Cleveland Indians included Reds’ President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Castellini; Reds President, Baseball Operations Walt Jocketty; Reds manager Bryan Price; Reds 2014 All-Star third baseman Todd Frazier; MLB Executive Vice President, Business Tim Brosnan; the Mayor of Cincinnati, the Honorable John Cranley; and Hamilton County Board of Commissioners Chris Monzel and Todd Portune.

The official logo of Baseball’s 86th Midsummer Classic features a nostalgic design, symbolic of the historic heritage of the Reds franchise in professional baseball.

The iconic pill box hat and handlebar mustache is a playful reflection on some of the sport’s original players. The etched type celebrates the jewel event as a flying star punctuates the copy.

The crossed bats represent a traditional baseball design, while the addition of deep red creates dimension to the Club’s colors of red and black.

Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig said, “Major League Baseball is delighted to team with the Reds in celebration of our game’s rich history in Cincinnati and the franchise’s home since 2003, Great American Ball Park.

“The great fans of Cincinnati will experience a sports tradition that melds all the best of the National Pastime with a legacy of service to our host communities.”

Reds’ President and CEO Bob Castellini said, “Today’s logo unveiling is the first of many exciting things that will happen throughout Reds Country, as we prepare for the honor of hosting Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game in 2015.

“The design chosen pays homage to the historical significance of Reds baseball. It is a tribute to our fans who have loved this game for generations.”

The 2015 All-Star Game will mark the fifth time that the Reds will serve as hosts of the Midsummer Classic, and Great American Ball Park will be the city’s third venue to host the festivities.

Crosley Field staged the 1938 and 1953 All-Star Games, while Riverfront Stadium was the venue for the Midsummer Classics of 1970 and 1988.

The National League has won three of the four All-Star Games played in Cincinnati.

Hometown hurler Johnny Vander Meer, just weeks removed from his back-to-back no-hitters, earned the win in a 4-1 game on July 6, 1938, in which the American League committed four errors in the field.

Hall of Famers Enos Slaughter and Pee Wee Reese led the N.L. to a 5-1 win on July 14, 1953, backed by seven scoreless innings of two-hit ball from Robin Roberts, Warren Spahn and Curt Simmons.

On July 14, 1970 at Riverfront Stadium, the N.L. scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game at 4-4 and prevailed in the 12-inning affair, 5-4, when Pete Rose scored the winning run after colliding with catcher Ray Fosse in one of the most memorable plays in All-Star Game history.

The A.L. took its first All-Star Game in the Queen City on July 12, 1988, when Terry Steinbach hit a solo homer and a sacrifice fly while the A.L. surrendered just five hits – all singles – in a 2-1 win.