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American Morning
Midsummer Classic Honors Baseball Greats Young and Old
Aired July 10, 2001 - 09:55 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BRIAN NELSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: All-Star game tonight.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. And Laura Okmin here to talk baseball.
LAURA OKMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What we were talking about, you guys, kind of the changing of the guard tonight, because tonight's All-Star game will pay tribute to two of baseball's greatest players and ambassadors of all time, Cal Ripken, Jr. and Tony Gwynn. You'll recognize those two faces. But there's some other players you may have to wait for to turn around in order to sneak a peak at the back of their jerseys.
CNN "Sports Illustrated's" John Giannone introduces us to your 2001 All-Star rookie class, and it's a big one.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN GIANNONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This All-Star game will provide Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken a chance to begin a fond farewell tour for two of baseball's fondest men. But it's also a chance for a beaming, wide-eyed quartet to say hello, members of the largest rookie class in All-Star history.
ALBERT PUJOLS, FIRST ALL-STAR APPEARANCE: It's great. I mean this is one of my dreams, man. I can't explain how great it is when I found out I was going to make the All-Star team it was just unbelievable.
BEN SHEETS, FIRST ALL-STAR APPEARANCE: You can be a flash in the pan and that's not what I want to be, you know? I mean obviously most of these guys, you look around, have great careers and they're still having great careers and that's a goal, that should be a goal of everybody and that's definitely a goal of mine, you know? These guys come back eight, 10 times.
JIMMY ROLLINS, FIRST ALL-STAR APPEARANCE: Come down the elevator, a couple of them even recognized me and threw a "Hey, Jim!" up in there, you know? And it's kind of like man, do I know you, you know? And, you know, to get them to say what's up to you is just, it's kind of, you know, kind of special to be recognized amongst your peers.
GIANNONE: While recognition is just beginning for Jimmy Rollins and Albert Pujols and Ben Sheets, it's hardly an issue for Ichiro Suzuki, the only rookie ever to be the leading vote getter. But as he has proven with his bat, his arm and his poise, calling Ichiro a rookie is really a misnomer.
BRET BOONE, AL STARTING SECOND BASEMAN: Ichiro is not a rookie. I laugh when you say, when people say rookie sensation because mentally he is so far beyond a rookie.
JEFF NELSON, FIRST ALL-STAR APPEARANCE: This guy is like a Michael Jackson or a Michael Jordan in Japan. And he comes over here and he just takes all the media in stride and just kind of rubs it off and he's going out and he, I mean this guy acts like he's been here for 10 years.
ICHIRO SUZUKI, LEADING ALL-STAR VOTE GETTER: It is hard to compare this event to other events, but like opening day, this All- Star game, being the All-Star game is one of a memorable events in my life.
GIANNONE (on camera): Ichiro is the 18th rookie ever to start in an All-Star game and the first since countrymen Hideo Nomo six years ago. But that honor doesn't always ensure career success. Of the previous 17 rookie starters, only three, Joe DiMaggio, Richie Asburn and Rod Carew, forged Hall of Fame careers.
At the All-Star game in Seattle, I'm John Giannone.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
OKMIN: Well, two of those rookie All-Stars are responsible for giving the Emerald City a distinct international flavor. Alongside Safeco Field tonight, there's a big billboard reading "Yokoso."
That means welcome in Japanese, unless I butchered it so badly it may mean something else. Area restaurants are broadcasting the game in Japanese and the Seattle Police Department is distributing a Japanese language brochure called "Personal Safety Tips For Tourists." So just those two alone are bringing a lot of fans to America's pastime.
NELSON: Yes. By the way, they're here with the sushi you just ordered.
KAGAN: Right. Exactly.
OKMIN: And they will be serving that tonight at Safeco. We know that.
NELSON: Oh, yes.
KAGAN: There you go.
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