October 12, 1963: The Latin American All-Star Game

October 12, 1963: Since 1883, baseball games had been played at locations named "The Polo Grounds." This would be the last one. As of October 12, 2022, it remains a game unlike any other in baseball history.

The old Harlem Horseshoe hosted the Latin American All-Star Game. A team of Latin stars from the National League beat their American League peers, 5-2. The postseason exhibition, in which Minnesota Twins 1st baseman Vic Power, a native of Puerto Rico, is honored as the top Latin American player during a pregame ceremony. That ceremony includes future Hall of Famers Luis Aparicio, Orlando Cepeda, Roberto Clemente, and Juan Marichal.

Vic Power

Marichal started the game for the National League, later saying, "It was historic. There was a lot of emotion among all the players, and you could tell the fans were excited about it, too."

Despite the rise of Hispanic players, the rosters weren't quite filled-out. The American League's 1st baseman was Julio Becquer, who didn't even have an official at-bat that season: He appeared in 1 game, as a pinch-runner for the Twins, though he did come around to score.

The National League team had trouble finding catchers. Their starter was Facundo "Cuno" Barragan, a Mexican-American from California, who struck out in his only at-bat that year for the Chicago Cubs. That was the last of his 190 major league plate appearance.

The other catcher on the NL roster wasn't even Hispanic: It was Joe Pignatano, formerly of the Brooklyn Dodgers, who had closed out his career the previous season, grounding into a triple play to end the Mets' season at the Polo Grounds. He went on to coach for the Mets, including in their 1969 World Championship season.

Only 14,235 fans attended this game, a terribly small crowd for the dual occasion of the coming-out party for Hispanic ballplayers and baseball's farewell to one of its most historic venues.

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October 12, 1963 was a Saturday. Baseball season had ended a week earlier, with the Los Angeles Dodgers completing a 4-game World Series sweep of the New York Yankees.

Neither the NFL nor the AFL played any games on this day. The NBA season began 4 days later. There were 2 games in the NHL: The New York Rangers lost to the Montreal Canadiens, 6-2 at the Montreal Forum. And the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Boston Bruins, 5-1. The Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Black Hawks were not scheduled.

Among the college football games played that day was a Number 1 vs. Number 2 battle, and it was a major rivalry: Number 2-ranked Texas defeated Number 1 Oklahoma, 28-7 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. This sparked the Texas Longhorns to a National Championship season, and another Number 1 vs. Number 2 matchup at the Cotton Bowl stadium, beating Number 2 Navy, led by Heisman Trophy winner Roger Staubach, 28-6 in the 1964 Cotton Bowl Classic.

Navy, ranked Number 4 going into the weekend, had actually lost at the Cotton Bowl the night before, 32-28 to Southern Methodist University (SMU). These other notable games were played on October 12:

* Number 3 Alabama were upset by Florida, 10-6 at Denny Stadium (later Bryant-Denny Stadium) in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

* Number 5 Wisconsin beat Purdue, 38-20 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin.

* Number 6 University of Pittsburgh had the week off.

* Number 7 University of Southern California were upset by Notre Dame, 17-14 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. The following year, USC would turn the tables, ruining the Fighting Irish's shot at the National Championship.

* Number 8 Ohio State were held to a tie by Illinois, 20-20 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus. Illinois, with Jim Graboski at running back and Dick Butkus at center and middle linebacker, went on to win the Big Ten title.

* Number 9 Penn State were upset by Army, 10-7 at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania.

* Number 10 Mississippi had the week off. "Ole Miss" went on to win the Southeastern Conference title. But Alabama were invited to play them in the Sugar Bowl, anyway, and 'Bama won, 12-7.

* Air Force beat Nebraska, 17-13 at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. This would be Nebraska's only loss, as they win the Big Eight title.

* Auburn beat the University of Chattanooga, 28-0 at Cliff Hare Stadium (now Jordan-Hare Stadium) in Auburn, Alabama. They went to the Orange Bowl, where Nebraska beat them.

* The University of Washington beat Oregon State, 34-7 at the original Husky Stadium in Seattle. Washington went on to win the American Association of Western Universities (AAWU) title, and went to the Rose Bowl, where they lost to Illinois.

* Michigan State held arch-rival Michigan to a tie, 7-7 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.

* Rutgers lost to Colgate, 28-8 at Colgate Athletic Field (now Crown Field at Andy Kerr Stadium) in Hamilton, New York.