Some states and countries are bigger hotbeds of talent than others in terms of producing MLB All-Stars. These 10 stand alone in their jurisdictions.
Some might argue that the meaning of being an All-Star in Major League Baseball has been somewhat diluted over the years. In 2016, for example, a mind-boggling 79 players were named to the All-Star Game! Included in this count were an unprecedented 34 first-time All-Stars. The first Midsummer Classic in 1933 featured 36 players in total.
Having said that, there is still something special about becoming an All-Star. It measures a combination of ability and popularity that can signal the fulfillment of a boyhood dream for many. Sometimes this gets lost with the sheer volume of All-Stars. For one Tuesday night each July, though, these players are at the center of the American sports landscape.
In the long and storied history of baseball, players from all 50 states and the District of Columbia have been joined from representatives of 51 foreign countries and United States territories in reaching the sport’s highest level of competition. Baseball Reference even lists the birthplace of one player, pitcher Ed Porray, as “At Sea” in the Atlantic Ocean.
Altogether there are 103 different geopolitical entities that have served as the birthplace for future MLB players. Among these, four states and six countries hold the distinction of being the birthplace of exactly one All-Star. These 10 players range from a Who’s Who to a Who Cares, but each in his day left a mark on the game of baseball. Let’s meet them all.