MLB ALL-STAR GAME

July 13, 1999

Jim Thome

JIM THOME: It was great. Kenny did his normal thing and got on base, and I got lucky and got a hit. It was nice, you know. It was fun, it was nice to get my first All-Star hit, and it kind of -- I think Pedro really kind of dominated and got everybody lifted up after his first inning, it was fun.

JIM THOME: You'd almost think it's a regular season, because that's happened a lot this year. Kenny especially has gotten on base a lot. And Manny has driven him in. I usually don't get a lot of those situations with home runs Manny has driven in. It's really fun. It's fun for all of us here, and everybody is having a good time. And meeting Ted Williams was probably one of the greatest thrills I've ever had to this date in baseball. I tell you, that feeling of being out there and having him pull up on a golf cart was right there.

JIM THOME: I didn't say anything. I listened more than anything, which is the way it should be. Somebody of that -- he is just -- he's somebody that I think everybody in the game respects, and to have him come here tonight and show everybody in the world that he cares about baseball and he showed everybody here in Boston that this is what it's all about.

JIM THOME: I would say Eddie. I hit behind Eddie two years while he was here, and really learned a lot about driving in runs and how to go about it, and just the way that Eddie carried himself through the highs and lows. He never got too high, never got too low. And I'm running out in the outfield and they're naming the names off and it's just amazing. Kevin Costner is out there, it was like something out of the Field of Dreams. These guys walked out and it's the best players that ever played the game. And here I am running out in the outfield getting ready to play in an All-Star Game. It was tremendous.

JIM THOME: Well, you know, I think we've represented the All-Star Game very well. We've been fortunate and we are fortunate that we sell out every game. It's one of those things where you're always going to have speculation. And I think every player here is very deserving, whether it be from the Indians or any other ball club. It's just one of those things. And I think we represented the American League very well.

JIM THOME: It was weird being behind him pitching, because usually I'm the one hitting against him, and he's either striking me out or getting me out. He's dominating, he really is. He is a big game pitcher and he rises to the big occasion. He's one of those guys that when the spotlight is on him, he does a great job.

JIM THOME: I really couldn't tell. I thought I hit it pretty well, but I hit it up toward the trademark, and it was fun. I had a great time. I wish the ball would have went out, but it didn't. I'll take the RBI single, that was nice. Just being here, just the experience I think being here, when like I said before, Ted Williams was introduced and all the guys that basically the best team of the century and all-time players were here, it was just a tremendous feeling being a part of that.

End of FastScripts….