In the summer of 1999, New Orleans played host to one of Minor League Baseball’s biggest showcases — the Triple-A All-Star Game at Zephyr Field. On July 14 the best from the International League and Pacific Coast League gathered for a midsummer clash in front of a lively Crescent City crowd. It was a proud moment not only for the Zephyrs organization but for Louisiana baseball as a whole.
Just 100 miles to the east in Mobile, Alabama, the Double-A All-Star Game was being held on the very same evening at Hank Aaron Stadium, making July 14, 1999, a rare and thrilling night where both levels of minor league all-star talent were spotlighted along the Gulf Coast. As fate would have it, both games saw the hometown faithful leave with something to cheer about.
In Mobile, BayBears outfielder John Curl delivered the go ahead 3 run home run to lift the National League over the American League 3-0, with Curl taking home the MVP honors. In New Orleans the star of the show was none other than Zephyrs first baseman Daryle Ward, who delivered a power-packed performance to earn MVP honors. Ward went 2-for-4 at the plate, drove in four runs, and crushed a home run, helping lift the Pacific Coast League to victory and electrifying the home crowd. Ward also won the Triple A Home Run Derby the day before, and would embark on an 11 year big league career soon after.
Ward, the son of former major leaguer Gary Ward, had been tearing up Triple-A pitching that season and used the all-star stage to cement his place as one of the top hitters in the league.
The 1999 Zephyrs, then the top affiliate of the Houston Astros, had become a popular draw in the city, and hosting the All-Star Game further elevated the team’s profile. Zephyr Field, affectionately known as “The Shrine on Airline,” was buzzing with excitement, drawing scouts, media, and fans from across the country for the event. Between the fan fest, home run derby, and the main event itself, New Orleans proved it could throw a baseball party with its signature Crescent City flair.
(After baseball moved on from here in 2019, the stadium was repurposed as the home of the Nola Gold of Major League Rugby. The diamond has now turned into a rugby pitch.)
In a high-scoring contest, both teams wasted no time getting on the board, with the Pacific Coast League jumping out to a 3-1 lead in the first inning thanks to a three-run homer by hometown favorite Daryle Ward. From there, the pitching staffs settled in, keeping the game quiet until the fifth, when each side scratched across another run.
The International League rallied in the eighth with back-to-back home runs from Geoff Blum and Russell Branyan, giving them a 5-4 lead and a jolt of momentum. But the PCL answered with a thunderous response in the bottom half of the frame, erupting for five runs to take control for good.
When the dust settled, the Pacific Coast League emerged with a 9-5 victory. Jason Boyd of the Tucson Sidewinders earned the win, while Eddie Gaillard of the Durham Bulls was tagged with the loss.
Other notable players to play in this game include current Dodger manager Dave Roberts and 2002 American League MVP with the Angels, Adam Kennedy
(Current Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts played for the Buffalo Bisons and represented the International League at the 1999 Triple A All-Star Game.)
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