2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

This was the fourth time the Tigers hosted the MLB All-Star game, having previously hosted the 1941, 1951 and 1971 games at Tiger Stadium, each game a victory for the American League.

Players in italics have since been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Notes

• ^a Player declined or was unable to play.
• ^b Player replaced vacant spot on roster.
• ^FV Player was voted onto roster via the All-Star Final Vote.

National League: Tony LaRussa
American League: Terry Francona

A superchoir consisting of three choirs from Windsor, Ontario, sang "O Canada", the Canadian National Anthem. Then, a moment of silence for the victims of the July 7 London bombings, which took place a few days before the game, followed by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Brass Players' performance of "God Save the Queen", the national anthem of the United Kingdom. Brian McKnight sang The Star-Spangled Banner, the U.S. National Anthem. The colors presentation was by the Camp Grayling color guard, accompanied by University of Toledo ROTC officers who presented the flags in the outfield.

In the first inning, starters Mark Buehrle and Chris Carpenter each induced a double play, from Carlos Beltrán and Manny Ramírez respectively, to end early threats. The American League would score in the bottom of the second, when the game's MVP, Miguel Tejada, crushed a shot off John Smoltz to give the AL a 1–0 lead. The AL would score two more in the third, on the strength of a David Ortiz RBI single, and an RBI groundout by Tejada, his second RBI in as many innings.

The NL wasted a scoring opportunity in the top of the fourth, when with two runners on, Aramis Ramírez grounded into a double play to end that threat. In the bottom of that inning, Ichiro Suzuki hit a broken-bat, bloop single to score two, but was then picked off first base by Liván Hernández. Then, in the bottom of the sixth, Mark Teixeira, a switch-hitter, hit an opposite field, two-run homer off Dontrelle Willis, his first home run off a left-hander that season, opening the AL's lead to 7–0.

During the seventh-inning stretch, The Winans sang God Bless America.

The NL finally got on the board in the next inning, when Andruw Jones launched a two-run shot just inside the foul pole off Kenny Rogers to close the NL to within five. They scored another run in the eighth, when Moisés Alou scored on an RBI forceout by Miguel Cabrera.

In the top of the ninth, Luis Gonzalez scored Andruw Jones with a double off of Baltimore closer B.J. Ryan, and then scored himself on an RBI groundout by Carlos Lee. Mariano Rivera then came on to stop the NL's potential rally. Rivera struck out Morgan Ensberg to end the threat, and the game, securing a 7–5 win for the AL.

Hall-of-Famer and former Tigers outfielder Al Kaline joined the ceremonial first pitch ceremonies.

Prior to the game, Taco Bell sponsored a Pitch for a Million Dollars contest. The contestant Frank Nelson was chosen randomly from people who had attended and submitted their name at the local All-Star Game events held in Detroit in the weeks prior. The contestant Frank Nelson would have to pitch 5 balls through a hole in 30 seconds from the mound to the home plate. Taco Bell informed him the Tuesday prior to the Game and made him sign an agreement to not practice the day of and could only receive verbal coaching from his coach Mark "The Bird" Fidrych. The size of the hole was also reduced due to someone winning it previously. He was only able to pitch one thorough the hole within the 30 seconds, so he received the Runner up prize of $5.00 each week towards Taco Bell for a year.

In this event, the eight competitors each came from a different nation. This format dovetailed with the announcement of the launch of the World Baseball Classic the week before, as of the following year.

• All-Star Game Home Page
• Home Run Derby
• July 12, 2005 All-Star Game at Comerica Park Box Score and Play by Play - Baseball-Reference.com
• 2005 MLB All Star Game DETROIT Original FOX Broadcast YouTube Video