Why the LA Needs to Be the New ASG Site in ‘21

MLB announced it would be moving the 2021 mid-summer out of Atlanta following the passage of the state’s voting bill.

The news world has been flooded with reactions to the passage of SB 202, a piece of legislation passed by the Georgia state government, placing restrictions on citizen voting.

The law was signed into act by current state governor Brian Kemp.

As a result of this, Major League Baseball released a statement via the commissioner’s office that it would be moving the 2021 All-Star Game. The upcoming mid-summer classic was set to take place in Atlanta’s Truist Park.

“Major League Baseball fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions to the ballot box. In 2020, MLB became the first professional sports league to join the non-partisan Civic Alliance to help build a future in which everyone participates in shaping the United States. We proudly used our platform to encourage baseball fans and communities throughout our country to perform their civic duty and actively participate in the voting process. Fair access to voting continues to have our game’s unwavering support.”

With the location of this year’s event now up in the air, questions of where it will take place will soon begin to circulate.

But is the answer of where an easier decision than initially pondered?

Globe Life Field, the new home of the Texas Rangers, could be a possible destination, as some on Twitter have begun to speculate.

The stadium served as the neutral site for the National League Championship and World Series in its inaugural 2020 season.

But it may be the stadium pegged to host the event last year, Dodger Stadium, that seems to make the most sense.

As noted, the 2020 mid-summer classic was supposed to take place on Chavez Ravine, that was before the Covid-19 pandemic delayed the start of the season.

It was announced on July 3rd, three weeks before the shortened 60-game season commenced that MLB would be cancelling the event entirely, awarding the Dodgers the event for 2022.

With that said, why would L.A. be the logical choice for the event in 2021? No stadium in the 89-year history of the event has hosted the game in consecutive years. 2020 would have served as the first time in 40-years the Dodger Stadium would play host to the All-Star game, last being held there in 1980.

What matters here, though, is context.

With the passing of Hall of Famer and undisputed all-time great Hank Aaron on January 22nd, one would figure several tributes would be in the works for him and fellow teammate and Hall of Famer, knuckleballer Phil Niekro, at this year’s All-Star Game.

But how would Los Angeles do justice to pay tribute to Hammerin’ Hank?

Let us not forget that the Dodgers were the opposing team when Aaron hit career home run 715 to surpass Babe Ruth as baseball’s all-time home run leader on April 8, 1974. Funny enough, Aaron hit the historic home run off of then-Dodgers’ starter Al Downing, who, at one point, was a member of Ruth’s fabled New York Yankees.

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Milwaukee’s American Family Field could be another option should L.A. not be selected. Aaron played the first 12 seasons of his Braves’ career in Milwaukee from 1954-65 before the team relocated to Atlanta, and the final two of his career with the Brewers in 1975 and ‘76.