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HOUSTON - Former King High coach and South Florida graduate Carlos Tosca, a Valrico resident, was a member of American League manager Joe Torre's staff at Tuesday's All-Star Game.
Tosca, 50, who manages the Blue Jays, raved about the opportunity when Torre selected him in June, and it lived up to his expectations.
"I'm like a kid in a candy store," said Tosca, who was joined on the staff by Kansas City manager Tony Pena. "It's been tremendous. I'm just kind of taking it all in."
Tosca especially enjoyed Monday's introduction of the 14 living members of the 500 home run club before the Home Run Derby.
"When I was a kid growing up, my twin brother ( Rick) and I used to listen to the Atlanta Braves games on the radio," Tosca said. " Hank Aaron was our favorite player, so seeing him here last night, along with everyone else, that was special."
THE GREATEST: Muhammad Ali, 62, headlined pregame ceremonies at Minute Maid Park. The scene was reminiscent of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, when Ali lit the torch at the opening ceremonies.
Ali, who lives in Michigan, was accompanied by his teenage son, Asaad, who plays baseball. Ali also has several connections to Houston. He twice he won fights in the Astrodome, beating Cleveland " Big Cat" Williams in 1966 and Ernie Terrell in 1967. He moved to Houston in 1967 when he refused to be drafted into the military. Also, one of Ali's greatest boxing triumphs, the Rumble in the Jungle, came against Houston's George Foreman.
Ali shadowboxed a few combinations while bringing two baseballs to the mound for members of the Houston-area Boys & Girls Club to throw out the opening pitches, and he playfully jabbed at Derek Jeter.
OLD-TIMERS GAME: Five players provided inspiration for those who have reached life's symbolic midpoint, age 40: Roger Clemens (41), Randy Johnson (40) and Barry Larkin (40) already reached the milestone, and Barry Bonds (39) and Kenny Rogers (39) turn 40 this year. The record for 40-year-olds in the All-Star Game is four in 1960.
TO COUNT, OR NOT: Commissioner Bud Selig wants to continue having the All-Star Game result determine homefield advantage in the World Series, as it has the past two years. The players expressed mixed thoughts on the issue, and Mets pitcher Tom Glavine was perplexed that the team with the better record in the regular season wasn't awarded homefield.
"If we can't do that, and they tell me that we can't for some reason, then maybe this way is best," Glavine said.
UNPRECEDENTED: Carlos Beltran was voted onto the AL team but was named to the NL squad to replace injured Ken Griffey after he was traded from Kansas City to Houston. Beltran is the first to play in both leagues before participating in that season's All-Star Game.
UNPRECEDENTED II: Hillsborough High graduate Gary Sheffield became the first player to represent five teams in the All-Star Game, the Yankees (2004), Braves ('03), Dodgers ('98-00), Marlins ('93, '96) and Padres ('92). MISCELLANY: This was the 75th All-Star Game and third in Houston, with the first two played at the Astrodome in 1968 (1-0 NL win) and 1986 (3-2 AL). ... The NL staff had a combined 14 Cy Young awards, a record. ... Torre managed his sixth All-Star Game, fourth behind Casey Stengel (10), Walter Alston (nine) and Joe McCarthy (seven). ... NL manager Jack McKeon became the oldest at 73. Connie Mack was 70 when he managed the first All-Star Game in 1933. ... Starting catchers Mike Piazza (nine) and Ivan Rodriguez (10) have combined for 19 All-Star starts. Yogi Berra holds the record for catchers with 11. ... Ratings for Monday's Home Run Derby were up 32 percent from 4.4 to 5.8. The most significant increase of the 56 markets measured was Tampa/St. Petersburg/Sarasota (+
183 percent). ... The Yankees' eight All-Stars were the most since the Mariners had the same in 2001.