It's Almost Time To Celebrate The 20th Anniversary Of Pedro Martinez's Dominance
BOSTON (CBS) -- Maybe things aren't going perfectly for the Boston Red Sox this season. And maybe the Red Sox don't have any starters in next week's All-Star game. But that won't mean that Red Sox fans have nothing to celebrate in the upcoming week.
The Boston Globe's Chad Finn reported Friday that two separate pieces of programming will be gracing television screens next week, both of them dedicated to Pedro Martinez's masterful performance at Fenway Park in the 1999 All-Star Game.
The first show will be "Rewind To '99," airing on NESN on Sunday night (July 7) at 8 p.m.
In that show, "Tom Caron interviews Martinez as he recounts -- batter by batter, pitch by pitch -- how he dominated legends of the National League." NESN will re-air the special throughout the week, as well.
MLB Network will produce and air its own special commemorating the occasion, albeit in a bit of a shorter form.
"The MLB Network is acknowledging that unforgettable evening with a special feature to air during its coverage in advance of the All-Star Game Tuesday. It will premiere in the noon hour on Monday," Finn wrote. "Narrated by 1999 All-Star Game announcer and Fox Sports broadcaster Joe Buck, the piece includes a new interview with Martinez, who is now an MLB Network analyst."
In that All-Star Game, played on July 13, 1999, Martinez struck out Barry Larkin, Larry Walker and Sammy Sosa in order in the first inning, before the AL then staked Martinez to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the frame. In the second inning, Martinez struck out Mark McGwire to start the frame, before Matt Williams reached on an error. Martinez then struck out Jeff Bagwell, with Ivan Rodriguez gunning down the would-be base stealer in Williams at second base to end the inning.
Martinez earned the win and the MVP for his two innings of dominance, an it's still being celebrated two decades later.
